Europe is experiencing an intense ongoing dry spell. It's showing long-submerged traces of the past.
By the end of August, almost half of the continent was in a warning condition, which is marked by a lack of soil hydration and negative effects on vegetation. In August, a senior researcher at the European Commission's Joint Research Center told Sky News that Europe could be in for a bad year.
As climate change pushes temperatures to new extremes, a growing body of research suggests that the one sweeping Europe are becoming more intense.
The sites and artifacts from megalithic monuments to ancient bridges are still being unearthed by the Europeans.
The Dolmen of Guadalperal, dubbed "Spanish Stonehenge", were revealed when the water levels in Spain's Valdecanas reservoir dropped to 28% of their capacity.
An archaeologist from Madrid's Complutense University said it was a surprise to be able to access it. Cedillo would like to study the monument before it is submerged again.
Dozens of megalithic stones are believed to date to 5000 BC. It was discovered by a German archaeologist in the 1920's and is normally underwater. It has only been fully visible four times since then.
Angel Castao, president of Races de Peralda, told Atlas Obscura that he had been told all his life about the dolmen. I had seen some of it peeking out from the water, but this is the first time I've seen it completely. You can appreciate the entire complex for the first time in many years.
In August, The Miami Herald reported that centuries-old boulders, known as "hunger stones," reappeared as rivers in Europe ran dry due to the lack of rain.
The banks of the Elbe River are home to one such stone. According to a translation from a study, the boulder is engraved with a warning in German: "If you see me, weep"
The Czech researchers wrote in the study that the boulders were "chiselled with the years of hardship" and warned of the consequences of a dry spell.
A bad harvest, lack of food, high prices and hunger for poor people were all said to have been caused by the dry spell. The stone commemorates 1417, 1616, 1707, 1746, 1790, 1800, 1812, 1830, 1842, 1868, 1892, and 1893.
Italy's largest river is experiencing its worst dry spell in 70 years. The barge, which was used during the World War II, was found in June.
A 1,000-pound bomb from World War II was found by fishermen in July by the Italian river.
The bomb was found by fishermen on the bank of the River Po due to a decrease in water levels caused by the dry spell. More than 3000 people were evacuated so the bomb could be removed.
The bridge is said to have been built during the rule of Roman Emperor Nero. The bridge is usually under water in Italy.
The bridge is thought to have had four piers, but two were dismantled in the 19th century. During the dry part of the year, one of the bridge's piers can be seen.
"Because the water level of the river is so low, we're able to see a lot more of the piers of the bridge that we normally could," Majanlahti said.
After a dam on the Spanish-Portuguese border was drained due to a lack of rain, a once-submerged village came back to life. The ruins of the ancient village of Aceredo in Spain's northwestern Galicia region are attracting tourists after being submerged in water for decades.
Some locals think it's a sign of what's to come.
I feel like I'm watching a movie. The 65-year-old from the area said that he felt sad. "My feeling is that this is what will happen as a result of climate change."
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