The drought gripping large parts of Europe has pushed water levels down to rarely seen lows.
Hunger stone at Pirna-Oberposta becomes visible
The persistently low water of the Elbe has exposed a historic hunger stone near Pirna, close to the border with the Czech Republic. The stone in the Oberposta district bears numerous dates carved into its surface, recording past episodes of extreme low water. The oldest markings go back to 1707.
For centuries, such hunger stones were seen as warning signs of drought and the hardship that came with it. Extreme dryness could threaten harvests, disrupt shipping and, in earlier times, even trigger famines. The stones become visible only when river levels drop particularly low.
The Pirna-Oberposta hunger stone is regarded as one of the best-known and largest of its kind in Germany. Its reappearance makes the current drought visible in a striking way and at the same time recalls historic dry spells.
