5,500-Year-Old ‘Pyramids’ With Ancient Tombs Discovered in Poland

A set of massive, triangular burial mounds believed to be 5,500 years old has been uncovered. Dubbed the “Polish pyramids,” the newly discovered structures found near the village of Wyskoć in the Chłapowski Landscape Park, located in the Wielkopolska province of Poland, contain ancient tombs tied to one of the region’s earliest farming communities.

Researchers from Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań came across the site during a routine field survey.

Monumental size and distinct shape

Each of the five mounds stretches up to 200 meters (656 feet) in length and is shaped like an elongated triangle. The broad front of the structure rises nearly four meters (13 feet) high and faces east. From there, the mound tapers gradually into a narrow tail pointing west.

Linked to the Funnelbeaker culture

Excavations at two of the sites revealed that the tombs date back to the late Stone Age. They were built by the Funnelbeaker culture, an early Neolithic society known for establishing the region’s first permanent settlements.

“Although the Funnelbeaker cultures were fairly egalitarian communities, individuals important to the population—a leader, a priest, a shaman—were buried in tombs,” said Artur Golis, a senior official with the Wielkopolska Province Landscape Parks Complex, in a statement to the Polish Press Agency.

Burial customs and grave goods

Each tomb was likely intended for a single person. The body was placed on its back with legs pointing east, toward the front of the mound. The grave was often enclosed with stones and included personal items.

“In the case of this megalith, the skeleton probably no longer survives, but the burial offerings might,” Golis said. But the burial goods—such as stone axes, pottery, or copper ornaments—might still be found.

Unique to the region and damaged over time

Due to their distinctive form and size, the tombs are locally known as “Polish pyramids” or “giants’ beds.” However, experts refer to them as megalithic tombs of the Kuyavian type, named after the Kuyavian-Pomerania region, where most similar structures have been found. This is only the second time such tombs have been identified in Wielkopolska, the first discovery occurring in 2019.

Unearthing ancient secrets :

Unveiling the “Polish Pyramids”!
Deep within the Polish landscape, slumber a cluster of enigmatic structures known as the “Polish Pyramids.” These aren’t your typical Egyptian pyramids, but rather elongated mounds stretching up to 150 meters and… pic.twitter.com/iQMuhk4Mwz

— Dr. M.F. Khan (@Dr_TheHistories) December 30, 2024

Large boulders, some weighing several tons, were originally placed upright at the front of each mound. Many have shifted or disappeared due to natural erosion and human activity over thousands of years.

Public access decision still pending

“For thousands of years, people have needed the stones, so they have taken them, split them, hence the object has been quite heavily degraded,” Golis said. The site is currently closed to the public. Officials will decide whether to open it after excavation and preservation work is complete.