Perthshire author Edward Peterson took seven years to research and write The Message of Scotland's Symbol Stones.
Perthshire author Edward Peterson took seven years to research and write The Message of Scotland's Symbol Stones.
Now he says he can unravel some of the hidden messages contained within the ancient hieroglyphs and animal symbols - the work of Pictish tribes like the Seal Tribe of Galloway, or the Cat Tribe of Caithness, which were flourishing at the time of the Egyptian pharaohs.
The stones and their carvings, Mr Peterson claims, indicate the Picts turned away from their Dark Ages paganism to embrace Christianity much earlier than current thinking suggests.The carvings also point to links with Red Indian tribes of North America, to the lost civilisations of South America, and also to ancient cultures in Japan, Israel, Crete, France Belgium, Wales, Ireland and England.
He writes, ''In Scotland we have been left a unique legacy by the Pictish warriors, in the form of inscribed symbol stones, portraying animal and geometric symbols. Scholars, academics and the public alike 
have since early Victorian times attempted to understand the basic meaning of these symbolic stones, without success. These symbol stones appear mainly in Scotland; they are said to be unknown in Western Europe.''
The Message of Scotland's Symbol Stones, with over 100 bw photographs and sketches, is published in hardback by PCD Ruthven Books, Aberuthven, priced £15.
Anyone outwith the UK wishing to order a copy should add on an extra £5 to the price to cover postage and packing. Cashier's cheques and postal orders to be made payable to Catalyst (Highlands) Ltd. For reasons of security, credit card details should be FAXED to 01997 421153 (please use your international code if necessary).
