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Smoke, scent and steam conjure the sweathouses of ancient Scotland and the mysterious painted Picts who gathered there. Traditional sauna rituals invoke our legendary ancestors who congregated in the dark of underground shelters to summon spirits and tattoo each other with magical symbols. In the warmth of our modern-day sauna theatre, stories emerge like hazy memories in Highlands mist and the mysterious symbols and vanished kingdoms of the Pictish slowly reveal themselves. A show about how sauna rituals can connect us with traditions that history forgot, forged in heat and steam.
This is an archived listing from the 2026 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Mysteries of the Picts is by Sauna Sessions Arts Club, listed under Theatre in the Fringe programme. It plays at Summerhall, 1 Summerhall, EH9 1PL, 6 August to 31 August.
The show runs 90 minutes and is suitable for ages 18+. Tickets are £25.