[Terrapreta] The Reason for Pottery Shards in Terra Preta. Re: Char and compost ( was Char made made under pressurized conditions? )

[Greg and April]

Mea Culpa.    


I re-watched the show last night, and the terrain does vary.

OTOH we still don't know what the terrain is at the places where the pottery makes up a large percentage of the terra preta.

According to this article: http://terrapreta.bioenergylists.org/actaminerology 
analyzed pottery show indications that they were used as cooking pots, so the slop pot theory does not exactly hold up.

I did find interesting that chem. analyst showed traces of feldspars ( which are normally based on the alkaline minerals Ca, Na, and K ), 3 different types of iron minerals, and traces of Ma, all in the ceramic it's self - and all of them are plant nutrients to one extent or another ( either a macro nutrient as in the case of Phosphate and Potassium, a micro nutrient as in the case of Calcium and Iron, or as trace element as in the case of Manganese and Sodium )

Now there are certain gravels made for aquarium use, that are based on fired clay that contains iron ( among other minerals for plant use ), and it's made and targeted for use with planted aquariums.    http://www.seachem.com/products/product_pages/Flourite.html 
Doesn't the mineral list bear a striking resemblance to the list of elements found in the pottery?


I still believe that the shards are refuse in nature as the expense of making decorated pottery just to break it, would be horrendous

Greg H.

  
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: lou gold 
  To: Greg and April 
  Cc: Terra Preta 
  Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2008 19:27
  Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] The Reason for Pottery Shards in Terra Preta. Re: Char and compost ( was Char made made under pressurized conditions? )


  actually the terrain varies a great deal. lots of the sites are along high bluffs. makes sense for people to choose non-flooding sites if they are available and there is plenty of high ground along the rivers.  i think the main region where this no-flood option is not available is in the Bolivian plain.

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