Hunger Stones have been used as witnesses to droughts that have plagued Europe throughout history. They attest to the suffering experienced, the bad harvests and the famines that struck the populations during these disastrous events.
This type of hydrological benchmark is found particularly on the Elbe, the river that crosses the Czech Republic and Germany.
One of these “hunger stones” notably reappeared a few days ago in the Czech town of Děčín, a sign of the extreme drought that Europe is currently experiencing.
On the latter, an inscription from 1616 suggests the tragedies experienced during this period: “If you see me, then cry”. Other dates are also annotated: “Before 1900, the following droughts are commemorated on the stone: 1417, 1616, 1707, 1746, 1790, 1800, 1811, 1830, 1842, 1868, 1892 and 1893”, specifies a study carried out by Czech researchers in 2013.
The last time this stone resurfaced was only in 2018.
The European Drought Observatory indicates that 47% of Europe is currently in drought conditions. With global warming, these natural disasters could multiply.