[Terrapreta] Terra Preta Signatures

[Saibhaskar Nakka]

Dear All,

If application of charcoal and other material generated by civilisations is
useful for application in the Amazon, I was searching for similar signatures
existing in India, which could be called "Terra Preta" ?! of India. Since
every civilisation would use all the best material available locally /
generated. http://e-terrapreta.blogspot.com/

The potters kiln, is found to be a natural contributer in this regard. The
left over material from the traditional potters kiln after baking pottery
items is a good additive for the soils. These kilns yield the following
material after burning, wood and straw (paddy straw), etc.

   1. Charcoal
   2. Ash
   3. Shreds of potter - some of them are broken during the baking
   process
   4. Brunt soil used to coverup the kiln

All the above components form a good additive for the acidic soils as it is.
The potter rarely shares this material with others, he uses it as the most
precious materail for his own fields.
The traditional Terra Preta in parts of India.

1. All the charcoal and ash collected from the respective stoves is dumped
into the Farm Yard Manure pits and then spread in the fields.

2. The ash collected after cremation is immersed into the streams or rivers,
by the sons. A traditional ritual followed by all in India.

For some more details, photos see the link:

http://e-terrapreta.blogspot.com/

We could explore / discover such traditional wisdom, for application to the
present problems mitigation including Climate Change.

Dr. N. Sai Bhaskar Reddy
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