Great Famine of Estonia (1695–1697)

Peasants, orphans and the elderly began to die en masse of starvation and the spring snow-melt of 1697 revealed many corpses.

In the previous years of 1692 to 1694, harvests in Estonia were poor due to the shorter than normal summer growing seasons and longer winters.

By the end of the summer in 1696 many peasants were destitute and hungry, farmhands, servants and even some members of the nobility were reduced to begging.

The shortage of salt meant that meat and fish produces could not be preserved, reducing stockpiles available for consumption.

At the time Estonia and Livonia were seen as the granaries of the Swedish Empire and large quantities of grain were shipped to Sweden and Finland.

Due to the low status these provinces held in the empire, priority was given to the fulfilment of these export quotas.

According to folk stories, these stones in Palmse were gathered from the fields as a sign of gratitude to the local baron, von Pahlen, who gave out grain for the people during the time of the Great Famine.