Smertae facts for kids
The Smertae were an ancient group of people who lived in Britain. We only know about them because a geographer named Ptolemy mentioned them around the year 150 AD.
Based on Ptolemy's descriptions and where their neighbors lived, the Smertae likely lived in what is now central Sutherland, a region in Scotland. Ptolemy didn't mention any specific towns or main places for them.
Who Were the Smertae?
The Smertae are thought to have been an ancient tribe connected to the Picts and Celts. They were believed to be a group of people who herded sheep and worked with metal. Over many centuries, due to events like Viking invasions and changes in how land was ruled, the name Smertae became less common.
A Place Named After Them
There's a place called Càrn Smeart which helps remember their name. It's an old burial mound located on a ridge between two rivers, the Carron and the Oykel.
What Does Their Name Mean?
The exact meaning of the name Smertae isn't fully known. However, some language experts believe that part of their name, *smert-, might be connected to old words that mean 'to provide' or 'to prepare'. For example, in the Welsh language, there are words like darmerth (meaning 'to provide') and armerth (meaning 'provision') that seem to share this root.
