Charlene Jordan
2024

Charlene’s PhD research in History of Art (University of Glasgow) investigates the provenance and cultural significance of natural red dyes in the production of Winti textiles in Suriname during slavery.It seeks to analyse the chemical composition of natural dyeing materials and the historical and cultural context of their use by the enslaved population.

This project applies methodologies from chemical heritage science, textile history and ethnobotany in the analysis of materials from museums, botanical collections, and archives. By investigating traditional resources and dyeing methods, this project aims to reproduce the colours that have historically characterised Winti textiles to recreate a significant element of Suriname’s cultural heritage. 

Charlene Jordan obtained her Bachelor and Master of Science in Chemistry with Colour Science from the University of Leeds. After 6 years of working as a professional colour chemist, she decided to return to the academy: she is currently a doctoral student in the History of Art department (University of Glasgow) working on chemical analysis of natural dyes used on historical textiles using 17^th – 19^th century literature.