Warnings
The Hunger Stones have appeared.
Severe drought has caused water levels of the river Elbe to drop, exposing centuries-old “hunger stones”.
One stone, now visible in Děčín, where the Elbe flows from the Czech Republic into Germany, was carved with a warning in 1616 which reads: “If you see me, weep.”
The stones, embedded into the banks to mark water levels during famines, have been exposed as drought continues to afflict Europe. Other stones, which were common in German settlements from the 16th to the 19th century, were inscribed with similarly macabre warnings in the event of falling water levels.
Water levels during famines – not something we can technology our way around. Crops need water, and if the water isn’t there, the crops fail. We can point to our driverless cars and wireless communications all we want, but if the crops wither and die in the fields, famine ensues. We can put rovers on Mars, but we can’t stop destroying the planet we depend on for life.
The Elbe is important, as the last big river in Europe that is left in its natural state. When I was in Magdeburg a few years ago they told me that it was the last wild river in Europe. I’m not certain if that was strictly true, but what’s important is that if you see the hunger stones you can’t blame human activity up-river.