From the 5th to the 10th century AD, Scotland was home to a variety of peoples and cultures competing for land and supremacy, yet by the 11th century it had become a single, unified kingdom, known as Alba, under a stable and successful monarchy. At the heart of this mystery lies the extraordinary influence of the Picts and their neighbours, the Gaels, who were originally immigrants from Ireland. Drawing on recent archaeological evidence and historical research, this book examines the origins of the Picts and the Dal Riata (Gaels), and how they became Scots. It explores the significance of the remarkable Pictish symbols and other early sculpture, and looks at other aspects of this period of Scottish history such as the art of the war and role of kingship, religion and the impact of Christianity, and settlement, agriculture, industry and trade.