Скачать или смотреть Mysterious Ancient Structures in Poland

These structures are mistakenly called Polish pyramids, although in fact they are something like rectangular trapezoidal Cromlechs. The group of megalithic tombs that have been discovered in Wietrzychowice, Poland. They are elongated mounds with a length of up to 150 m and a height of 2-3 m, probably belonging to Funnelbeaker culture. It is sometimes called "Kujawian mounds." There are more of them near Izbica Kujawska, with a second cluster nine in Sarnów, and individual tombs in the villages of Gaj and Obałki.
These monumental earth mounds resemble elongated trapezoids tapering towards the top. They are constructed of massive boulders, some weighing several tons. They were intended to protect the graves from being washed away and to delimit the area dedicated to the deceased. Massive earth mounds were built over the graves, measuring over 1,000 cubic meters in volume, over 100 meters in length, and up to 3 meters in height.
Only high-ranking men were buried in the graves. They were buried upright, on their backs, at the forehead of the tomb. Sometimes one, sometimes two, or even three people were buried. Clay vessels and spoons, flint artifacts, including arrowheads, axes, and battle axes, were also found in the graves. A valuable item is the granite knob of a stone mace with grooves carved into it, likely inspired by early copper artifacts.
The long barrows of Wietrzychowice were erected by the tribes of shepherds and farmers living in the surrounding areas around 3500 BC. Their builders belonged to the Funnelbeaker culture, formed in connection with the abandonment of the hunting way of life in favor of a settled, agricultural one. They created a system of religious beliefs, which was manifested in the construction of huge stone and earth structures.
Neolithic, megalithic tombs probably were the places of eternal rest for chiefs, local rulers, priests, or tribal elders. Celebrations in honor of the deceased were organized near them, so it is possible that they were also a place of worship rituals performed with the participation of the entire community. As tombs were a distinctive element in a space inhabited and developed by farmers, they could also serve for Neolithic communities as a visible symbol of ownership of a specific area. Moreover, by lying next to communication routes, they may have played the role of sort of signposts.
Megalith tombs were erected for over a thousand years, until the middle of the third millennium BC, when their construction was suddenly interrupted. Presumably, it was the result of the invasion of the lands of farmers by nomadic tribes dealing mainly with the shepherdess and war. With the newcomers, new beliefs probably emerged that superseded the old building tradition. Only the tombs located in forests saved. It was built by tribes of shepherds and farmers who inhabited the area 5,500 years ago. Due to their size, the tombs found there, also known as Kujawy mounds, are referred to as Polish pyramids.
These advanced tribes developed a religious belief system, manifested in the custom of erecting massive stone and earth structures. These enormous mounds, shaped like elongated triangles and often reaching 150 meters in length, 6.5–10 meters wide (at the front), and 2 meters high, were lined with boulders and larger stones, the top of which weighed 7–10 tons. As the tomb narrowed, the stones were progressively smaller. This prevented them from sliding, and these structures could survive almost unchanged for millennia. There are gaps in the stonework at the front of the structure. These were likely entrances to wooden chambers intended for burial rites. On average, approximately 150 m³ of stone and approximately 1,000 m³ of earth were used to construct a single tomb. Due to the size and considerable weight of the stone blocks, the material was likely transported by oxen. These graves, known as "żółki" ("serial graves"), according to Oskar Kolberg, contained only men. Research has shown that these were single burials, although there are instances where two men were found buried at the same time. The deceased were laid in an upright, supine position, with their heads facing the front of the tomb.
The grave goods, usually modest, were usually limited to a single flint tool, part of a vessel, or a lump of limestone, indicating their symbolic nature. The tomb itself, the immense work that went into constructing the massive earthen mound of the grave, in accordance with prevailing burial custom, was a manifestation of concern for the deceased and an expression of tribute from the surviving relatives.
They date from the Neolithic period and constitute the oldest funerary mounds in our lands, associated with the Funnel Beaker culture (late 4th and early 3rd millennium BCE). In terms of their construction period, they predate the construction of the Egyptian pyramids.