Earth pyramids in the Wieser Lahn
Geological formation from the last ice age
Jenesien also boasts earth pyramids, the Wieser Lahn, near the Wieser inn. The red clay soil of the large area susceptible to landslides stands out clearly from the pastures and forests, and the earth pyramids are widely visible. The river Lahn is the source of the Rio Margherita that flows down into the Etschtal and on to Siebeneich.
How do earth pyramids come into being?
Today we know how earth pyramids came into being: the prerequisites for the formation of earth pyramids are certain properties of the material (not too hard and not too soft), regular rainfall, a location protected from the wind and the presence of larger stones or boulders in the fine-grained material. Where the clay-like subsoil is not protected from rain by the stone, it melts and thus forms the pyramid. If the capstone falls, the pyramid melts away in a short time the next time it rains.
The legend of the earth pyramids
In the past, when there was no scientific explanation for this natural phenomenon, people explained this occurrence as follows:
When the boy from the "Schwarz" farm, the most beautifully situated farm of the four farms in Nobls/Montoppio at the time, lost both of his parents the boy's guardian came to stay with him at the farm. The guardian, the "Trifaller" farmer from Zenesi, wanted the beautiful farm for himself, he treated the boy very badly and made him work as a farmhand. When the boy came of age, he could have taken over the farm, but the "Trifaller" farmer did not give it to him. The boy became very angry, took a stick and dug into the ground in front of the house: "At this point, a mudslide should break out and sweep away the "Schwarz" farm with all its buildings and livestock. And so it happened! During the night, a terrible thunderstorm broke out, a mudslide broke out and swept the farm away with it.
To this day, the mudslide still breaks off a piece of meadow every year.