Jan 12, 2026
Archive Soil – Soil of the Year 2026
Charcoal kiln floor under a freshly set-up kiln for the production of charcoal, an archival soil of cultural history.
Archive Soil: A Storage of History Beneath Our Feet
The "Archive Soil" was ceremoniously named Soil of the Year 2026 on World Soil Day, December 5, 2025. This special type of soil preserves traces of past eras and tells stories of natural and cultural history. Whether ancient climate phases, evidence of early settlements, agriculture, or craft sites like charcoal kilns – archive soils are living witnesses of the past. The Chair of Forest Growth at TU Dresden is involved with the history beneath our feet. The focus is, among other things, on the traces of historical charcoal kilns, which are made visible through our anthracological research. These efforts are part of the Interreg project ArchaeoTin.