‘Hunger Stones’ Reappear in Drying European Rivers as Droughts Intensify, Carrying Centuries-Old Warnings

Low water levels in the Elbe and Rhine rivers this summer have exposed carved stones known as “hunger stones” (Hungersteine), which have not been seen since the severe droughts of 2018 and 2022. These stones, inscribed with warnings of famine and hardship dating back to the 15th century, are a stark physical record of past hydrological crises in Central Europe.

The reappearance of these markers is a direct consequence of the ongoing drought across the continent. The European Drought Observatory classified the summer of 2022 as the driest in 500 years, and the 2026 dry spell is now revealing these historical warnings once again.

What are the hunger stones?

The stones are found primarily in the riverbeds of the Elbe and Rhine. For centuries, local inhabitants carved warnings, dates, and initials into rocks that were only exposed during periods of extreme low water. The most famous of these is the stone in Děčín, Czech Republic, which bears the inscription “Wenn du mich siehst, dann weine” (If you see me, weep), carved in 1904 by a boatman and tavern keeper named F. Mayer.

Other stones have been sighted this year in Oberposta, near Pirna, Germany, with inscriptions dating back to 1707, as well as near Leverkusen on the Rhine and in Dolní Žleb near the German-Czech border. The director of the Regional Museum of Děčín, Vlastimil Pažourek, explained to Smithsonian magazine that these stones served as a primitive but effective form of hydrological record-keeping, marking years of drought and hardship for future generations.

A surprisingly accurate historical record

While they appear as folklore, the hunger stones function as a remarkably precise historical dataset. A research paper that analyzed 11 inscriptions from the Děčín hunger stone, carved between 1868 and 1957, found that the water levels indicated by the stones deviated by less than 4 centimeters from official hydrological records of the same periods. This accuracy underscores their value as a pre-instrumental record of drought frequency and intensity.

The stones are not isolated markers. The current drought has also revealed other artifacts from the riverbeds, including World War II-era ships, and even a Pleistocene-era mammoth skeleton, as reported by Xataka. This is not the first time these stones have been seen in recent memory. They were also visible during the droughts of 2018 and 2022, which were each described as the worst in five centuries.

What this means for the future

The increasing frequency of these reappearances is a clear signal. The European Environment Agency has documented that drought events are becoming more common and severe, particularly in southern Europe. The hunger stones, once a rare warning, are now becoming a more regular sight, suggesting that the region is entering a period of more persistent water scarcity.

For readers of ReviewArticle, this story highlights how historical data, even from non-digital sources like carved stones, can be a powerful tool for understanding long-term environmental trends. The accuracy of these stones as hydrological markers offers a unique dataset that can be compared with modern climate models and satellite-based drought monitoring systems. The reappearance of the stones is not just a curiosity; it is a data point in a larger, accelerating pattern of climate change.

Key facts

Source: Xataka IA, “Si me ves, llora”. La sequía europea está haciendo reaparecer piedras grabadas hace siglos para advertir de futuras hambrunas, https://www.xataka.com/magnet/me-ves-llora-sequia-europea-esta-haciendo-reaparecer-piedras-grabadas-hace-siglos-para-advertir-futuras-hambrunas