[Terrapreta] The Science of Terra Preta Formation

[Greg and April]

What if it was not all at once?    Hundreds of years of making pots and when 
they broke they made new ones from specific sources of clay ( after all not 
all clay is suitable for pot making ) and those specific sources would 
probably be reachable by boat - a few days journey for enough clay to make a 
few hundred pots.

It is quite possable that the pot were made at the source of the clay, and 
then transported to where they were used - the fact that spiculas of 
freshwater sponge and the skeletons of fresh water diatoms were also found 
in TP pottery shards, makes me wonder if the source of the clay didn't come 
from a fresh water lake ( even one that was seasonal in nature ) or other 
still body or water.


Greg H.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jim Joyner" <jimstoy at dtccom.net>
To: "Terra Preta" <terrapreta at bioenergylists.org>
Sent: Sunday, April 06, 2008 16:06
Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] The Science of Terra Preta Formation



> Sean,
>
> Hmmm . . . interesting idea. I still have a hard time believing the
> shards themselves have much effect on the soil. But you may be
> indicating an altogether unconsidered source(s) of nutrient -- and
> concentrating scheme. That doesn't sound far fetched but it would take
> such huge quantities if we are talking about clay. It is hard to
> understand how they might have done it. I mean, they didn't have trucks,
> not even horses (lamas?). It is possible that they had a lot of human
> beings for such transport but even that seems uneconomical: to have all
> your people walking to the mountains (or where ever) with baskets. It
> would take a lot more calories than could be returned if the distance
> traveled was lengthy at all. Still, an interesting idea.
>
> Jim
>
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