Ossa
‘Ossa’ from the Latin meaning bones, stone or heart also refers to one’s soul or the bones of a discourse. These bones are the remains of coccoliths; the skeletons of tiny sea creatures that form the pure white chalk of Itford Hill on the South Downs, where this work was made. Researching the hill’s history unveiled a forgotten Bronze Age settlement which had been excavated over five seasons from 1949-1953 by Burstow, Holleyman and Holden. I came across their archaeological report which led to a meeting with two women who were child volunteers at the dig and the daughters of the lead archaeologists. Through their photographic archive and the artefacts from the dig I have been able to forge a deeper connection with this ancient chalk landscape and examine the intricate web between archaeology, wildlife, habitats, history and folklore. Hans Helbaek discovered in 1957 that the 3,000-year-old carbonised barley grains, found in a pit on the site, contained wildflower seeds such as Poppy, Ribwort Plantain, Barren Brome, Cleavers and Marsh Woundwort, all of which thrive today.
Photographs arrest time and as with finds from a dig, they allow us to look into the past, and envision what the world looked like when the great wildwood forest of oak, elm and hazel blanketed the land. Throughout history we have listened to the song of the skylark, felt the north winds, and glimpsed the wool snagged on the Hawthorn.
Bone to bone, past, present and future. The cycles of seasons, births and deaths, phases of the moon, tides on the turn. In the middle of all this activity is Itford Hill, a symbol of permanence, an overseer, a comfort and a constant. It is home.
Kathryn Martin
Ossa book is now available to order from Jane&Jeremy and will soon be available from:
Setanta Books (UK)
Same Dust (Korea)
Book And Sons (Japan)
Micamera (Italy)
Echo (Paris)