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Staff profile

Overview

Jordyn Patrick

Research Student

Affiliations
Affiliation
Research Student in the Department of Archaeology

Biography

Academic Biography

Jordyn Patrick (BA Hons, MLitt, FSA Scot) is an early medieval archaeologist, specialising in the history and archaeology of Britain, AD 500-1100, with particular focus on sculpture.

Before her doctoral studies, Jordyn completed a BA(Hons) in History at Palm Beach Atlantic University (USA), and a MLitt in Celtic and Viking Archaeology at the University of Glasgow. At Durham, her PhD studies are generously funded through a Durham Doctoral Scholarship (2021-24).

Research Topic

Provisional thesis title: The Past in Colour: Polychromy and Stone Sculpture in Britian and Beyond, CE 500-1100 (supervisors: Prof. Sarah Semple, Dr. Andrew Millard, Dr. Kamal Badreshany, & Prof. Andrew Beeby)

Abstract

The investigation into polychromy on early medieval stone sculptures is a new and cutting-edge area of research. In the 1st millennium CE in northern and western Europe, relief carved stone sculptures appeared in Scotland and England and inscribed stones in western and northern Britain, while runestones in Scandinavia emerged as a prominent monumental form. Finds like the Lichfield Angel demonstrate these were once highly coloured and ornamented, and modern use of photogrammetric recording has revealed many monuments still carry paint traces. Utilising techniques and approaches relevant to materials analysis and the archaeological study of objects, this project will analyse the paint traces that survive on these monuments using portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) and Raman spectroscopic analysis as non-invasive and non-destructive methods for the detection of surface treatments. Capitalising on Durham’s exceptional expertise in English stone sculpture and a major AHRC-funded project that has documented and recorded over 5000 sculptures, this project will achieve a new understanding of early medieval colour and visual aesthetics and result in the development of a method relevant to work on ancient carved stone monuments in a global context. Regional and temporal variations in techniques, palettes and aesthetics may be identified, while the results will dramatically help re-visualise how we might display and interpret these monuments for modern audiences. 

Awards

2018: Best Student Speaker, Scottish Student Archaeology Society Conference, University of Glasgow, January 2018

2016: Outstanding Graduate for History in the School of Arts and Sciences, Palm Beach Atlantic University, May 2016

2016: Best Undergraduate Paper, Phi Alpha Theta Regional Conference, University of Florida, March 2016

2016: Outstanding Presentation, Liberal Arts and the Social Sciences Track, Interdisciplinary Research Conference, Palm Beach Atlantic University, March 2016

Conference Contributions

Marlin, J. (03/2016) 'The Condemned Dead: A Look at the Tradition of Irish Cillin Burials.'PBAU Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Research Conference, Palm Beach Atlantic University.

Marlin, J. (03/2016) 'America, the Evil Empire: An analysis of George Lucas' Star Wars as a political criticism.' Phi Alpha Theta Regional Conference, University of Florida.

Marlin, J. (01/2017) 'Pictish Beasts and Where to Find Them: A discussion cocnerning the Pictish beast symbol, its distribution and utilization within the early medieval Scottish landscape.' Scottish Student Archaeology Society Conference, University of Glasgow.

Invited Talks

Marlin, J. (03/2017) 'An Introuction to Early Medieval Scotland.' Guest Speaker, Dunedin Rotary Club-Florida, USA.

Marlin, J. (03/2017) 'Roman Frontier: Late Antiquity Britian' & 'Rome in Scotland: Edge of the Civilized World.' Guest Lecturer, Palm Beach Atlantic Univeristy-History Department.

Marlin, J. (03/2017) 'Dalriadic Scots in Argyll: Migration or an Eite Construction.' Keynote Speaker, Phi Alpha Theta Regional Conference, Palm Beach Atlantic Univeristy. 

Patrick, J. (11/2020) 'Ask an Archaeologist: Celtic Crosses.' Guest Lecturer, Northbay Christian Academy. 

Associations

Society of Antiquaries of Scotland

University of Glasgow Archaeology Society

Phi Alpha Theta

Rho Kappa Honours Society

Research interests

  • Early Medieval History
  • Archaeology
  • Landscape Archaeology
  • Sculpture and Monumentality
  • Polychromy
  • Archaeology of Early Medieval Monasticism
  • Early Medieval Burial Practices
  • Pictish Sculpture