Projects per year
Personal profile
Academic Qualifications
Fellow of The Higher Education Academy
PhD in Archaeology from the Univeristy of the Highlands and Islands/Open University
Teaching Expertise
I started teaching at the UHI in the latter stages of my doctoral research in 2004. I taught modules for Tourism and Culture Studies before joining Archaeology in 2008. I am a part-time lecturer and I mainly teach medieval and later archaeology and research skills on our Masters programmes.
Research Expertise
My research focuses on landscapes of religion and power in the North Atlantic with specific reference to the joint Orkney and Caithness Earldoms. My theses and subsequent research looks into castles and high status buildings, churches, parochial organisation and pilgrimage. Another of my research strands is the history of traditional song with specific reference to the journeys of songs within the Orcadian diaspora. I am currently CoPI on a 3-year AHRC-DFG funded project researching the commercialisation of trade in the Northern Isles in the early modern period.
Fingerprint
Dive into the research topics where Sarah Jane Gibbon is active. These topic labels come from the works of this person. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
- 1 Similar Profiles
Collaborations from the last five years
Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or
-
YAARP: Yesnaby Art & Archaeology Research Project
Moore, J. (PI), Hammond, R. (PI) & Gibbon, S. J. (CoI)
20/07/15 → …
Project: Research
-
Identifying the medieval landscape of Deerness, Orkney
Gibbon, S. J. (PI)
15/02/21 → 26/04/23
Project: Research
-
Is the Wirk a Castle?
Gibbon, S. J. (PI), Lee, D. (PI), Gee, C. (PI) & Brend, A. (PI)
6/02/20 → 21/11/22
Project: Research
-
Looking in from the Edge (LIFTE): The impact of international commercialization on north-west Europe's peripheral communities 1468-1712: production, commerce and consumption in Orkney and Shetland
Gibbon, S. J. (PI), Mainland, I. (CoI), Harland, J. (CoI), Gibson, J. D. (CoI), Lee, D. (Researcher), Sharman, P. (Researcher) & Cussans, J. (Researcher)
1/02/20 → 31/01/23
Project: Research
-
-
Landscapes of Change - Skaill farmstead
Lee, D. (PI), Mainland, I. (PI), Gibbon, S. J. (PI) & Harland, J. (PI)
1/06/17 → 31/03/18
Project: Research
Research output
-
He fared to Caithness, and was there worthily received of all: Visualising the Impact of the Cult of St Magnus in Caithness
Gibbon, S. J. & Moore, J., 2026, The Apardjón Journal for Scandinavian Studies . Aberdeen, Vol. 4: Connections and the Church in Late Norse Scotland. p. 17-50 35 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (peer-reviewed) › peer-review
Open Access -
Small Churches in Orkney
Gibbon, S. J., 31 Jan 2025, Small Churches and Religious Landscapes in the North Atlantic c.900-1300. Arneborg, J. & Vésteinsson, O. (eds.). Turnhout: Brepols Publishers, p. 111-138 28 p. (The North Atlantic World Land and Sea as Cultural Space, AD 400-1900; vol. 9).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (peer-reviewed) › peer-review
-
Trade and markets in early modern Orkney (Scotland)
Gibbon, S. J., Rendall, J., Mitchell, A. & Harland, J., 7 Sept 2025, RURALIA XV: Farmers' trade and markets. : Social and economic interaction in the medieval and early modern European countryside. Ødegard, M. & Theune, K. (eds.). Sidestone Press, Leiden , p. 175-186 11 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (peer-reviewed) › peer-review
Open AccessFile21 Downloads (Pure) -
Deer sound Deerness Orkney Archaeological Desk-based Assessment and Coastal Walkover Survey
Gibbon, S. J., Lee, D. & Brady, O., Nov 2023, (Unpublished) 75 p. UHI Research Repository.Research output: Other contribution
File147 Downloads (Pure) -
Is The Wirk a Castle? Re-evaluating previous excavations: geophysical survey and excavation 2020-21
Lee, D. & Gibbon, S. J., 10 Jun 2023.Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster
-
Orkney Trading Families
Cussans, J., Gardiner, M., Gibbon, S. J., Grassel , P., Harland, J., Holterman, B., Lee, D., Mainland, I. & Rendall, J., Nov 2023, Orkney Looking in from the Edge Shetland: Early Modern Trade in the Northern Isles. Holterman, B. & Grassel, P. (eds.). Bremerhavn, p. 44-47 4 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Other chapter contribution
Open Access -
Rousay Egilsay Wyre Stepping Back in Time: Archaeology & History Booklet 2023
Castle, H., Lee, D. & Gibbon, S. J., 1 Mar 2023, 20 p. UHI Research Repository.Research output: Other contribution
Open Access
Activities
-
Looking In From The Edge (LIFTE): Traders and Produce in early modern Orkney
Harland, J. (Speaker) & Gibbon, S. J. (Speaker)
30 Jan 2026Activity: Talk / Presentation / Podcast / Webinar › Oral presentation
-
The LIFTE Historical research volunteer programme: Making the most of covid lockdowns
Gibbon, S. J. (Speaker)
12 Jun 2025Activity: Talk / Presentation / Podcast / Webinar › Oral presentation
-
Looking in from the edge (LIFTE): a historical archaeology project researching early modern trade in the Northern isles
Gibbon, S. J. (Speaker)
14 Nov 2025Activity: Talk / Presentation / Podcast / Webinar › Invited talk
-
'The ghost of something big': spaces and places in medieval Orkney
Gibbon, S. J. (Speaker)
8 Nov 2025Activity: Talk / Presentation / Podcast / Webinar › Oral presentation
-
Ragna's World
Gibbon, S. J. (Participant)
1 Apr 2025 → 2 Apr 2025Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in workshop, seminar, course
-
Light of the North: Medieval Christianity and the Cult of St Magnus in Orkney
Gibbon, S. J. (Speaker)
5 Aug 2025Activity: Talk / Presentation / Podcast / Webinar › Invited talk
-
Light of the North: Medieval Christianity, Pilgrimage and St Magnus in Orkney
Gibbon, S. J. (Invited speaker)
2 Jun 2025Activity: Talk / Presentation / Podcast / Webinar › Invited talk
Press/Media
-
Student archaeologist was digging a trench when something incredible stared back at her
6/09/25
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research
-
Creepy, Ancient Head Carving That “Stares Back At You” Discovered On Farm By Archaeology Student
1/09/25
2 items of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research
-
Student finds creepy, ancient head that ‘stares back’ at her on remote farm
28/08/25 → 29/08/25
2 items of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research
-
'Very unusual' ancient head with eerie smile unearthed by archaeology student at Scottish farm
28/08/25
3 items of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research
-
Archaeologists Dug Beneath a Farm—and Found a Smiling Ancient Face
19/08/25
3 items of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research
-
900-year-old Viking-era carved head unearthed in Orkney
30/07/25
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research
-
900 year old carved stone head found on Scottish island in 'find of a lifetime'
27/07/25
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research
Thesis
-
The Origins and Early Development of the Parochial System in the Orkney Earldom
Gibbon, S. J. (Author), Lamb, R. (Supervisor), Crawford, B. (Supervisor) & Downes, J. (Supervisor), 9 Aug 2006Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis › Doctor of Philosophy (awarded by OU/Aberdeen)
File