[Terrapreta] More on clay/pottery etc

[rukurt at westnet.com.au]

Kevin Chisholm wrote:
>
>
> And very good ones!! Would it be possible or likely that TP evolved as 
> follows:
> 1: Trees (and other vegetation) toppled in wet areas, creating a carbon 
> similar to charcoal, during an uncommonly wet period. The wet areas then 
> eventually returned to normal, and people found they could grow crops 
> better in "black soil".
>
>
>   
I very much doubt that this would create charcoal or even 
"charcoal-like" material. In Tasmania people are 'mining' pine logs that 
have been in the water for hundreds of years and the timber comes up 
like it was cut yesterday. Wood that is kept wet and under water will 
last for a long long time. Alternating wet and dry, or just moist causes 
dry rot and the log is gone in no time, on the other hand.

Kurt