The Painting Picti? Colour And Early Medieval Sculpture In Britain

The investigation into paint and decoration 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, inscribed stones in western and northern Britain, while runestones in Scandinavia emerged in a prominent monumental form. Finds like the Lichfield Angel in 2003 demonstrate these were once highly coloured and ornamented, and the modern use of photogrammetric recording has revealed many monuments still carry paint traces.

Archaeologist Jordyn Patrick will explore a new understanding of early medieval colour and visual aesthetics, this talk will discuss the paint traces that survive on these monuments and the non-destructive methods for their detection. This new approach will dramatically help to re-visualise how we might display and interpret these monuments for modern audiences.

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).

In partnership with the Institute for Northern Studies University of the Highlands and Islands