Grassroots interpretations of the origins of geomorphological and hydrographic features, local knowledge, and the narratives associated with them – myths and legends – create a network of dependencies illustrating the interactions between humans and the environment. This synergy led to the emergence of a long neglected but now strongly promoted need for the protection of geoheritage. Incorporating a humanistic perspective into the study of geological processes, landforms, and hydrometeorological phenomena elevates the value of individual geosites to a much broader category: the geocultural heritage of civilizations. This approach supports the development of geotourism and holds potential for geoeducation.
The session aims to give new impetus to interdisciplinary discourse on the environment through the lens of geomythology.
We invite you to submit abstracts in the proposed thematic blocks; however, we are also open to new thematic proposals beyond those we have suggested:
• Meteor impacts, earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions in myths and oral tradition.
• The potential of research on local knowledge regarding geomorphological and hydrographic features, as well as geological processes and hydrometeorological phenomena.
• Oral tradition in the context of empirical evidence and the dating of geomorphological processes.
• Local knowledge about sudden phenomena and extreme events, such as rockfalls, landslides, extreme floods, karst phenomena, hailstorms, etc.
• Geomythical perspectives in oral traditions.
• From Geomythology to Geoheritage – exploring the often-elusive meanings of geosites.
• Geo-Mytho-Tourism – new types of local and regional geobrands.
• The potential of geomyths for geoeducation.
The Chřiby Mountains are a low-altitude, isolated mountain range in the Czech part of the Carpathians. Although the regional relief is not particularly conspicuous, many myths, legends and folk stories are associated with various minor geodiversity elements such as crags, springs, more distinctive terrain elevations, and valleys. They represent three types: (1) myths that directly explain the origin of a landform or a phenomenon; (2) stories that use a geodiversity element as a backstage of a supposedly historical event, and certain properties of the site are included as an important component of such a story; (3) other types of stories such as fake news, incorrect scientific interpretations, or popular tales. Altogether, 55 different sites with geomythological aspects were identified from an overview of regional literature. Sandstone crags, as the most striking landforms in the flysch landscape, feature in more than half of all stories, but only some of them are linked with the presence or activity of supernatural forces (devils, dwarves). Most stories recorded in the Chřiby area relate to various supposedly historical events, involving rulers of the Great Moravia kingdom in the 9–10th century, early Christian missionaries, religious refugees during the counterreformation period, and bandits. These old stories, passed from one generation to another, inspired the search for material traces of those events during the period of national revival in Czechia in the 19th century, leading to many erroneous interpretations of natural features as anthropogenic structures. The distinctiveness of the Chřiby area within the flysch Carpathians is manifested through many stories related to the period of Great Moravia, which have significantly contributed to the local identity. The mythical aura still surrounds the area and makes it a popular tourist destination, which is both an opportunity and challenge for geoscientific interpretation.
How to cite: Kubalíková, L., Migoń, P., Kirchner, K., and Kuda, F.: Devils, Missionaries, Bandits and Refugees - Geomythology of the Chřiby Mountains (SE Czechia), EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-4153, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-4153, 2025.
Megaliths are monumental structures that rank among the most fascinating and spectacular artefacts of European prehistory. The word “megalith” is derived from the Greek: megas, meaning “great” and lithos, meaning “stone,” thus literally translating to “a great stone.” The term “megalith” was first employed in the early 19th century to denote such monuments. Numerous megalithic constructions emerged not only across Europe but also in other parts of the world, including Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Oceania. In Europe, their chronology spans approximately from 5000 to 2000 BC, though their development persisted longer in some Mediterranean regions. For over 500 years, these monumental structures have captivated antiquarians and archaeologists alike, serving as key subjects of inquiry into prehistoric societies. The cultural context of megaliths is exceptionally intriguing. These monuments held immense significance not only for their creators and their immediate descendants but also for societies hundreds or even thousands of years later. Megaliths have inspired a wide range of emotional responses, awe, curiosity, fascination and fear. These reactions are reflected in diverse sources, such as archaeological evidence, written texts, iconography, folklore and toponymy. The aim of this presentation is to demonstrate, through selected examples from across Europe, how megaliths have persisted in cultural traditions and collective human consciousness. Furthermore, it explores their transformation into one of the most enduring and significant elements of European archaeological heritage.
How to cite: Matuszewska, A.: Life after Life. Cultural Context and Perception of Megaliths in Prehistory and Modern Times Based on Selected Sources. , EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-2003, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-2003, 2025.
Since when together with A. Negrete we theorized the efficaciousness of using geo-myths in a classroom for Earth education purposes (Lanza, T. &Negrete, A. 2007) we have experimented the use of them in different science narratives context. We have used geo-myths in science theatre experiences (Lanza, T. et al 2014), including open-air museum (Lanza, T. 2014). More recently, we have involved scholars of secondary schools for readapting myths and transforming them in fairy-tales for primary school children (Lanza,T.& D’Addezio, G. 2021). The students came from the Classical high school and for this reason they had a suitable background for our purposes. At the same time, it was an opportunity for them to learn about the geology of the area where they live and to pass it on to the little ones through their work. At present we have a repertory of five fairy –tales that we use during outreach events. The next step will be to involve students from Art high schools to illustrate the content in an original way in anticipation of future editorial products for primary school teachers.
How to cite: Lanza, T. and D'Addezio, G.: Fairy-tale planet: readapting geo-myths for primary school children to expand the knowledge of the Earth., EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-6621, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-6621, 2025.
From the soils that sustain our crops to the homes we've built, the technology we rely on, our biological makeup, and even the tea or coffee you drink, rocks have had a profound influence on human life for as long as we have existed. No wonder rock has inspired art, folklore, beliefs and scientific study across the ages. Stories of Mother Earth were passed down by our ancestors, who spoke of creation, destruction and a deep connection with the rhythms of our planet. But today these whispers risk being quietened forever. We have stolen from the earth and the people who have revered it, causing destruction and erasure in pursuit of wealth and progress. It has never been more urgent to ensure the stories held by rock are preserved and heard once more.
The Whispers of Rock is a new book (released in the USA and UK on 4th September 2025) which explores how the wisdom that lies in the 'whispers' we hear from rock can personally connect us with land and nature leading to a more empathetic and ethical relationship with our planet. Blending together different ways of knowing from scientific research, ancient wisdom, spiritual and cultural practice from across the world, this new work offers the hope of reconnection with the earth, as we recognise and appreciate our role in the continuous cycle of creation and reinvention.
How to cite: Khatwa, A.: The Whispers of Rock: How different ways of knowing can enhance our understanding of the Earth, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-2149, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-2149, 2025.
The dual forces of a warming climate and rapid urban growth are increasingly rendering cities vulnerable to flooding. Despite warnings embedded in oral histories and folk literature, indigenous knowledge is often overlooked, leaving cities to grapple with annual floods and underscoring the urgent need to identify critical areas for urban planning. This study addresses the issue in Tamil Nadu's coastal regions, employing proximity analysis, a GIS-based technique, to identify flood-prone areas by examining the spatial relationships among water bodies, settlements, and infrastructure. By integrating geospatial data with historical flood narratives and community oral histories, the research grounds technical findings in local experiences. The results highlight spatial vulnerability patterns, stressing the importance of protective zones and informed policy recommendations, including zoning laws, infrastructure planning, and community adaptation. This study adopts an interdisciplinary approach, combining insights from humanities and urban planning to bridge technical analysis with local knowledge, demonstrating how digital humanities can enhance sustainable flood management and climate resilience.
How to cite: Dave, N., Pratishtha, V., Kushwah, S., Joshi, P., and Kakkai, B.: Integrating Spatial Analysis and Community Knowledge for Identifying Flood-Prone Areas in Tamil Nadu, India, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-7137, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-7137, 2025.
Mythological narratives of reglaciation are found in story collections all over the Eastern Alps. For glaciers like the Marmolada (IT), Übergossene Alm, Gurgler Ferner (AT) and many others, almost identical story lines describe heavy thunderstorms during summer that covered fertile alpine pastures with large amounts of snow. Snow that did not melt in the following years, burying huts, hay storage barns and people. Snow heights could range from buried cooking huts, which can be as low as 1.5 m to hay storage barns of several metres height. Interestingly, there is still an ongoing discourse whether Ötzi, the ice man, was covered by such a type of event after dying on snow-free ground, based on radiocarbon dating and pollen analysis, as well as on an analysis of his last meal. As historical pendant to prehistoric findings, the written history of mining activities, together with dendrochronological findings, shows that mining sites were buried under snow and ice during the Little Ice Age.
From a glaciological perspective, the potential course and pace of reglaciation is significant for several reasons. First, the variability of snow cover and extreme events is important for the interpretation of Alpine (and potentially discontinuous) ice cores. Second, the chance of an Alpine reglaciation at the end of this century is small, but cannot be ruled out, so that it is vital to understand the potential course and role of mean and extreme precipitation events. Moreover, finding out whether those myths could be tied to volcanic events would help to capture the potential information that has survived for centuries in oral tradition. A prominent and recent example of climate events alive in oral tradition is the story of 1816, the year without summer. Third, in terms of hazard research, events as described in the mythological narratives could highlight major issues for modern mountain societies.
Geoarchives, such as ice cores, dendrochronology and radiocarbon dating, can help to verify hypotheses derived from the myths by constraining a potential timing. Datings of the oldest ice of Weißseespitze and Schladminger Glacier confirm a reglaciation of the Eastern Alps, with the timing depending on elevation. In addition, radiocarbon dating of organic material close to recently deglaciated summits points to potential periods of reglaciation, the latest one occurring at lower elevations just before the Little ice Age. By that time the Alps had already been converted to Christianity, so the religious framing with reference to Christian festivities could fit that outermost and recent layer of those stories.
In the light of the modelling scenarios pointing to a potential sudden change in Atlantic ocean currents, with rapid climate changes for Northern and Central Europe, the key features of the myths could reoccur: Heavy thunderstorm events during summer in warm air bringing in a cold front with extreme precipitation, followed by a lasting drop in summer mean temperature or decreased solar radiation, with a snow cover that fails to melt for years. Myths like that could offer a potential synoptic scenario related to global climate change.
How to cite: Fischer, A., Spagnesi, A., Bohleber, P., Wachs, D., Festi, D., Stocker-Waldhuber, M., and Reitmaier, T.: Stories of Alpine neoglaciation: Scientific framings by isotope datings and scenarios of rapid climate change, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-7083, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-7083, 2025.
Geomythology is a hybrid discipline combining geology and mythology, invented in 1973 by geologist Dorothy Vitaliano. It aims to glean scientific information from legends and stories. One set of legends that has been fruitfully examined from a geomythological perspective is the Arthurian tales. While most mainstream historians believe that King Arthur never existed, there are facets of truth related to some of these narratives that have to do with natural, often geological, phenomena. This poster explores some of these connections by synthesizing current research on the topic, then offering hypotheses on the subject. Regarding present research, one claim is that the global volcanic winter caused by the eruption of the volcano Ilopango (El Salvador) in 535-536 A.D. may have influenced the Arthurian stories, particularly those of the alleged battles in which the monarch fought. A second claim is that Arthur’s favorite hunting dog, Cavall, who took part in the hunt for the great boar Twrch Trwyth, putatively left a mark in stone during one hunt. This mark may in fact have been caused by erosion or was the print of a large mammal such as a bear, mis-identified as that of a massive canine. A third conjecture pertains to the king’s battle against the monster of Mont Saint Michel, an episode recorded in Geoffrey of Monmouth’s History of Britain. Originally published in 1136, the History was a best-seller in the middle age and a key source of Arthurian lore. According to Geoffrey, Arthur slew a noxious giant who was terrorizing the island, and the method by which he kills the ogre may owe something to the practice of trepanation, a medieval surgical procedure in which a hole was drilled or bored into a skull. Fourth, the supposed bones of the king, which were unearthed during an 1191 exhumation of his corpse (in Glastonbury, England), may in fact have belonged to that of a large mammal. Summing up, while Arthur’s existence has never been proven, the stories surrounding him may shed light on geological and osteological events.
How to cite: Burbery, T.: Using Geomythology to Examine the Claims of the King Arthur Legends , EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-7160, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-7160, 2025.
The Dartmoor massif, occupying 954 km2 of central Devon (SW England), is dominated by Variscan granite with a narrow aureole of Devonian-Carboniferous metasediments. Rising to around 500-600m asl, typically 250-300m above its hinterland, this difference in geology and altitude has led to the development of a very distinct landscape. In particular, extreme climate cycles of the Quaternary, fluctuating from humid, warm temperate to glacial created the perfect environment for landscape evolution, with phases of periglacial solifluction acting on deeply pre-glacially and interglacially weathered bedrock leading to widespread tor formation – the region being famous for the development of models for such processes. Crucially, the generally thin, acidic and poor soils, extensive areas of surface rock - have meant that human intervention in the landscape - especially cultivation - has been limited and consequently extensively areas of periglacial features remain spectacularly well-preserved. In addition, the high relief gives the massif a distinctive climate to much of the surrounding area, being cooler, wetter and more prone to mist and cloud. When combined with the distinctive landforms and landscapes such as tors, block-fields, valley mires and blanket bog – the latter often with an important Holocene climate record- it is not surprising that Dartmoor is a land of myths and legends with a strongly geomorphological inspiration. Although the origins of many of these stories will be pre-Christian, they have been lost and too often assigned an evil character connected with devils and witches, as a way of ‘burying’ any latent connection with ancient gods and spirits… Hints of some of these origins exist in Saxon words and place names such a local name for the (or ‘a’?) devil, ‘dewar’, or spectral hounds known as ‘wisht’. However, as settlements on the moor date back to at least the Neolithic have been identified, some of these legends will undoubtedly have much older origins. These early farming cultures, however, had the most dramatic effect on the landscapes of Dartmoor, leading to an almost complete deforestation, hence re-exposing periglacial landforms and landscapes, but also leading to an irreversible deterioration of surviving soils due to leaching and acidification, especially as a result of subsequent climate cooling and increased rainfall. These changes led to an abandonment of many higher moor settlements during the Middle Ages and hence only some lower areas of the moor, have been modified by post 17th century enclosure, and much of the area remains as open moorland revealing a wide range of well-preserved landforms. Some ancient myths and legends also persist, however, as they have inspired classic literature and ultimately film and television, most famously Arthur Conan-Doyle’s, Sherlock Holmes story, ‘The Hound of the Baskervilles’, where a spectral dog and ancient curse haunt an aristocratic family. Today, the unique features of Dartmoor are protected by a wide range of conservation designations from site and feature-specific to whole landscape as a National Park.
How to cite: Page, K. and Migoń, P.: Dartmoor, SW England – a uniquely well-preserved Pleistocene periglacial landscape and an inspiration for myth and legend, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-2777, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-2777, 2025.
Elements of the landscape and conceptions of the supernatural world often formed inseparable correlates. Erratic boulders, end moraines, eskers, kames, and peat bogs evoked interest as well as fear. They were associated with uncanny events and were also places where demonic figures resided. These symbolic landscape creations for the young glacial area in Pomerania were presented in the form of a map.
The 1:720,000 map ‘A New and Extensive Geographical Description of Supernatural Phenomena in Polish and German Pomerania’ (POMERANIÆ POLONICÆ ET GERMANICÆ PHÆNOMENA SUPERNATURALIA NOVA ET EMPLA DESCRIPTIO GEOGRAPHICA) presents the spatial distribution of supernatural beings along the Polish-German borderland (Juśkiewicz et al. 2025). Depicted phenomena include devils, spirits, wild hunters, gnomes, will-o'-the-wisps, giants, dragons, mermaids, ghosts, werewolves, apparitions, and nightmares, based on the 19th and 20-century folkloric sources compiled into a geospatial database. The map combines GIS and linocut techniques with graphic symbols inspired by Renaissance cartography, including decorative cartouches and vignettes. Integrating modern cartometric methods with traditional styles, the map is both artistic and rich in information on cultural beliefs, blending historical and contemporary cartography for a unique perspective on folklore in this culturally diverse region.
The final form of the map was created in a multi-stage process. For twelve depictions of supernatural beings, along with the title cartouche, general sketches were generated first using AI tools. After re-composition and corrections, they were transferred to the linoleum matrix. Following the carving, the matrices were printed and the prints scanned. In the final stage, the cartographic component developed using GIS tools was assembled with scans of linocuts and Renaissance ornaments using 2D graphics editing software.
References:
Juśkiewicz, W., Jaszewski, J., Brykała, D., Piotrowski, R., Alexander, K.M., and Juśkiewicz K.B. (2025). Supernatural beings of Pomerania: postmodern mapping of folkloristic sources. Journal of Maps 21 (1): 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/17445647.2024.2434015
This work was supported by the National Science Centre, Poland (grant No. 2023/49/N/HS3/02181).
How to cite: Jaszewski, J., Juśkiewicz, W., Brykała, D., Piotrowski, R., Alexander, K., and Juśkiewicz, K. B.: Supernatural beings as creators of young-glacial landscape of Pomerania, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-7189, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-7189, 2025.
Erratic boulders are among the most spectacular geological phenomena left in the landscape by past ice sheets. In Central Europe, the Fennoscandian Ice Sheet (FIS) advanced and retreated several times during the Pleistocene, depositing thick layers of clastic sediments and fragments of Scandinavian bedrock of various sizes, including large erratics. Northern Poland, in particular, features a landscape rich in erratic boulders deposited by the last FIS around 24–15 ka. These large erratics are fascinating geological objects, providing valuable information about the flow directions of the last FIS (through petrographic properties) and the timing of the ice sheet's retreat (via cosmogenic nuclide inventories). They also hold significant societal importance, serving as natural resources, providing notable landmarks, and serving as a fantastic source for geomythology.
In this study, we present the occurrence and characteristics of erratic boulders within the area covered by the last and penultimate glaciations in northern Poland. Large erratics were identified using books, maps, and catalogues dedicated to environmentally protected sites (e.g., lists of natural monuments). We compiled all available information about large erratics into a GIS database and screened it to identify the largest in situ boulders potentially suitable for surface exposure dating with cosmogenic ¹⁰Be. In subsequent phases of our study, these boulders were used as key dating sites for reconstructing the chronology of the last FIS retreat in northern Poland. Additionally, some of these boulders hold significant cultural importance for local communities, paving the way to legends and myths, serving as esoteric places, or becoming locations commemorating important historical events.
This work was supported by the National Science Centre, Poland (grants No. 2023/49/N/HS3/02181 and 2022/46/E/ST10/00074).
How to cite: Tylmann, K., Woźniak, P. P., Rinterknecht, V., and Piotrowski, R.: Great glacial giants: erratic boulders of northern Poland as witnesses of the Pleistocene ice age and beyond, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-5845, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-5845, 2025.
Past knowledge, legends and inspirations for the future. The geo-cultural value of erratic boulders in the Southern Baltic Lowlands
Erratic boulders represent an important element of the Southern Baltic lowland landscapes. A network of dependencies and interactions developed between erratic boulders and humans. These relationships were both pragmatic and symbolic. Erratic boulders were attributed supernatural qualities – they were revered, perceived through the lens of demonic worldviews, and associated with epiphanies and manifestations of beings/entities deemed dangerous to humans (Juśkiewicz et al. 2025). Since the Neolithic period, erratic boulders were used in sepulchral rituals (Matuszewska 2022, 402, 408). Stone tombs were constructed from them, symbolizing the ‘stone sky,’ a concept present in Indo-European cultures. Erratic boulders were also used as a source of building materials and millstones. In the latter case, narratives exist in which the process of material extraction and production was linked to the supernatural (Piotrowski & Wróblewska 2024).
Erratic boulders with distinctive forms were given names, and their origins were interpreted. Most commonly, they were associated with giants or devils who transported them from distant lands, including Norway and Sweden. These interpretations, strikingly similar to contemporary data, are a compelling example of pre-scientific intuition. Analyzing these narratives helps uncover the cultural phenomenon of erratic boulders.
The combination of traditional local knowledge, legends, and contemporary scientific data provides a comprehensive – both holistic and inclusive – understanding of the geo-cultural phenomenon that erratic boulders represent. Only by integrating geological values with both tangible and intangible cultural values can a new geo-cultural quality be achieved, enhancing their significance. The geo-cultural potential of erratic boulders offers an excellent foundation for creating local and regional branding. Erratic boulders can be utilized in geo-cultural tourism, education, and regional promotion.
A holistic approach that combines geological and cultural values not only deepens our understanding of the phenomenon of erratic boulders but also creates opportunities to use them as symbols of local and regional identity.
References:
Juśkiewicz, W., Jaszewski, J., Brykała, D., Piotrowski, R., Alexander, K.M., and Juśkiewicz K.B. (2025). Supernatural beings of Pomerania: postmodern mapping of folkloristic sources. Journal of Maps 21 (1): 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/17445647.2024.2434015
Matuszewska, A. and Schiller, M. (2022). Is It Just the Location? Visibility Analyses of the West Pomeranian Megaliths of the Funnel Beaker Culture. Open Archaeology 8: 402–435, https://doi.org/10.1515/opar-2022-0236
Piotrowski, R. and Wróblewska, V. (2024). “Memory of stones”. The motif of millstones production from erratic boulders in folk narrations from northern Germany and Poland: between a memory of craft and an object of memory. Fabula 65 (3-4): 334-355, https://doi.org/10.1515/fabula-2024-0017
This work was supported by the National Science Centre, Poland (grants No. 2023/49/N/HS3/02181 and No. 2019/35/B/HS3/03933).
How to cite: Piotrowski, R., Brykała, D., Czubla, P., and Tylmann, K.: Past knowledge, legends and inspirations for the future. The geo-cultural value of erratic boulders in the Southern Baltic Lowlands , EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-6226, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-6226, 2025.
To understand the surrounding world - for millennia man has tried to interpret natural hazards, geological processes and geomorphological forms. This attempt to understand and order the surrounding environment manifested itself in the emergence and long functioning of legends and beliefs (Juśkiewicz et al., 2025). This applied to the entire spectrum of the world that surrounded humans. One unique example of narratives specific only to Pomerania (NE Germany and NW Poland) are the legends written down by ethnographers at the turn of the 20th century relating to the so-called Hünenhacken - stone imprints of the heels of giants. Although they are indisputably the products of human hands - so far their purpose has not been clarified. They are most often considered the prehistoric and early historical grinding objects - the so-called “trough mills” or “grinding troughs.” Found in megalithic tombs and in agricultural fields among other erratic boulders, they were collected by local people, secondarily used to feed domestic animals, and even built into the walls of Christian churches as stoups - containers for holy water (Becker, 2020). The authors identified dozens of examples of such “sacred” use in Germany and Poland.
Communities that are looking back to ancient tales and legends for their own local identity and uniqueness - are paying attention to the mystery of these unusual stones. Because they were made of erratic boulders - mainly Fennoscandian granites - they have great potential to become important artifacts of Pomerania's geocultural heritage.
This work was supported by the National Science Centre, Poland (Grant No. 2019/35/B/HS3/03933).
References:
Becker, E. (2020). Das Mahlsteinmuseum Neu-Kleinow : Von Reibplatten, Handmühlen und Hünenhacken. Norderstedt: Books on Demand.
Juśkiewicz, W., Jaszewski, J., Brykała, D., Piotrowski, R., Alexander, K.M. and Juśkiewicz, K.B. (2025). Supernatural beings of Pomerania: postmodern mapping of folkloristic sources. Journal of Maps 21 (1): 1-15, https://doi.org/10.1080/17445647.2024.2434015
How to cite: Brykała, D., Becker, E., and Jaszewski, J.: Stone footprints of giants in the young glacial landscape of Pomerania (NW Poland and NE Germany), EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-5937, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-5937, 2025.
We can say that the economy from medieval times till the beginnings of 20th century was managed in a nearly zero-waste manner. Every tool or utensil was used until it was worn out. In many cases, this „useless” items were re-used, often in an original or unobvious way. The great examples are quern stones and millstones, which were expensive both to produce or to buy. On Southern Baltic Lowlands they were mostly made in situ of commonly available materials, such as erratics brought in by Scandinavian ice sheet in Pleistocene. For thousands of years quern stones were one of the most common, and at the same time, most important tools used to meet one of the basic needs – food production. It is therefore not surprising that there was a specific emotional bond between man and these stones. These works of human creativity were immortalised in folklore[1] and often carried symbolic values – for example, in a biblical meaning millstone symbolises death, rebirth or transformation. Semi-finished or worn millstones were used as altars, ciboria, grave stones on Jewish and Christian cemeteries, as well as a material for monuments and sculptures. They also were embedded into church walls, which is a local phenomenon in Northern Poland and Northeastern Germany[2]. In recent years, however, they have also become a desirable material for creation of small architecture in public and private places, like parks or gardens. Some of them can be found in museal collections or in lapidaries, where they serve as geoeducational or geoturistic objects.
This work was supported by the National Science Centre, Poland (Grant No. 2019/35/B/HS3/03933).
[1] Piotrowski, R. and Wróblewska, V. (2024). “Memory of stones”. The motif of millstones production from erratic boulders in folk narrations from northern Germany and Poland: between a memory of craft and an object of memory. Fabula 65 (3-4): 334-355, https://doi.org/10.1515/fabula-2024-0017
[2] Czubla, P., Brykała, D., Dąbski, M., Gierszewski, P., Błaszkiewicz, M., Mosakowski, Z. and Lamparski, P. (2024). Unobvious geoheritage in sacral buildings: millstones in churches of NE Poland from a geological and geomorphological perspective, Geographia Polonica 97 (3), 327-354, https://doi.org/10.7163/GPol.0282
How to cite: Mosakowski, Z., Brykała, D., Czubla, P., Piotrowski, R., and Juschus, O.: Geocultural significance of millstones within the Southern Baltic Lowlands, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-6023, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-6023, 2025.
The young glacial landscape of the Southern Baltic Lowlands contains a large number of erratic boulders with which local folk tales are associated (Juśkiewicz, et al. 2025; Piotrowski & Wróblewska 2024). There are motifs referring to the origin of the boulders and all kinds of traces - cracks, scratches, depressions, cup marks, holes were interpreted as the effect of supernatural interference. They were seen as traces of a devil's chain or of being struck by a devil's whip. Depressions and holes were interpreted as the marks of claws, hooves or even the devil's buttocks or a giant's hand. In the case of some of these boulders, the belief that they had a cultic purpose became firmly established, e.g. as pre-Christian sacrificial altars (so-called Opfersteine) or solar cult objects. Local names for these stones alluding to the intervention of saints, angels or demonic beings have survived to the present day. We will try to identify both anthropogenic and natural processes that led to the formation of microforms on the surface of the boulders, considered 'supernatural' in folk tradition.
This work was supported by the National Science Centre, Poland (Grant No. 2019/35/B/HS3/03933).
References:
Juśkiewicz, W., Jaszewski, J., Brykała, D., Piotrowski, R., Alexander, K.M. & Juśkiewicz, K.B. (2025). Supernatural beings of Pomerania: postmodern mapping of folkloristic sources. Journal of Maps 21 (1): 1-15, https://doi.org/10.1080/17445647.2024.2434015
Piotrowski, R. & Wróblewska, V. (2024). “Memory of stones”. The motif of millstones production from erratic boulders in folk narrations from northern Germany and Poland: between a memory of craft and an object of memory. Fabula 65 (3-4): 334-355, https://doi.org/10.1515/fabula-2024-0017
How to cite: Czubla, P., Brykała, D., Pogodziński, P., Tylmann, K., and Piotrowski, R.: Traces of supernatural beings or attempts to produce millstones from erratic boulders?, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-8101, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-8101, 2025.
ToPoTown analyzes the feasibility of using precarious housing conditions for sustainable tourism in the “Katatura” township in Windhoek, Namibia. The focus is on economic feasibility, environmental relevance and acceptability among the population. Tourism should lead to an improvement in living conditions, which in turn has a positive impact on environmental conditions. With GIS-supported inventories, surveys of new data and their spatial analyses, the feasibility and environmental situation is being researched and at the same time a database is being created that can be used as a starting point for a web-based portal solution for structured resource management.
With just under 500,000 inhabitants, Windhoek is home to almost 20% of Namibia's total population. The city is experiencing rapid growth due to people whose hopes for work and a better life are based on its proximity to the capital. As a result, the urban area continues to expand. Overall, the living conditions of around 60% of Windhoek's inhabitants can be described as extremely precarious. Katatura is Windhoek's best-known and oldest suburb. It was created in the 1950s during apartheid in order to forced relocate the colored population from the city center according to ethnic groups. The City of Windhoek's pilot program to encourage the owners of historic houses in Katutura, which were built between 1959 and 1960, to exchange them for new, modern houses represents a unique opportunity to preserve Windhoek's cultural heritage and at the same time boost the local economy through tourism. Based on these buildings - which are very important for the people's consciousness - tourism could develop, which would help to improve the precarious situation of the inhabitants. This would also have very strong environmental aspects, as the disastrous pollution and land degradation resulting from this living situation could be significantly mitigated.
The aim of ToPoTown is to assess the feasibility of sustainable tourism, research the environmental conditions and thus create a database on the country's socio-cultural and natural resources. The content focus relates to the following points:
- Inventory (socio-cultural and natural parameters)
- Perspective of the residents
- Environmental aspects (e.g. land use, pollution, degradation)
- Designation of potential tourist centres
In terms of methodology, the focus is on analyzing remote sensing data in order to obtain information about relevant natural (e.g. climate, soils, terrain morphology, water) and technical parameters (e.g. water supply, health, infrastructure, electricity). On the other hand, socio-cultural parameters are collected through extensive qualitative and quantitative surveys. The results lead to the realization of a GIS with emotional aspects (“emotional GIS”). Finally, based on these principles, a site location analysis is developed as a generic model for a multi-criteria analysis to identify potential tourist centers.
ToPoTown provides an excellent starting point for conducting similar studies in other regions of Namibia and southern Africa, focusing on the following specific aspects of the regions:
- Cultural-historical parameters,
- Natural resources and environmental conditions,
- Colonial historical parameters.
How to cite: Löwner, R. and Mwando, S.: ToPoTown: Tourism Potential of Townships - example of Katatura, Windhoek, Namibia, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-13289, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-13289, 2025.
