Archaeologists Unearth Two Ancient Pyramids In Poland Dating Back 5,500 Years

Archaeologists working in Poland made a stunning discovery as they unearthed two massive prehistoric structures, dubbed the "Polish pyramids". The tombs, with Neolithic burials, were found in the General Dezydery Chlapowski Landscape Park in the village of Wyskoc, Wielkopolska region. The discovery was announced on Facebook by the Complex of Landscape Parks of the Wielkopolska Voivodeship.  

The archaeologists from Adam Mickiewicz University revealed that the megalithic tombs date back over 5,500 years to the 4th millennium BCE, roughly contemporary with Stonehenge and predating the Egyptian pyramids.

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The tombs were built using massive stones, some weighing up to 10 tonnes, which were transported with the help of tools and labour, Archaeology News reported. The structures are elongated trapezoidal shapes, up to 200 meters in length and 4 meters in height.

The tombs are carefully aligned with the directions, hinting at a sophisticated understanding of astronomy among the builders.

The tombs likely contained single skeletons, laid on their backs with legs pointing east, and were accompanied by grave goods such as pottery, stone axes and opium vessels.

The archaeologists noted that the tombs were constructed by the Funnelbeaker Culture, a Neolithic society known for its monumental burial architecture and agricultural practices.

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"Although the Funnelbeaker cultures were quite egalitarian societies, the tombs held important figures for the community—the leader, the priest, the shaman," said Artur Golis from the regional landscape park association.  

"Each generation of a given community built its own megalith," he told PAP, Poland's press agency.  

The discovery provides valuable insights into the social, religious, and architectural sophistication of Neolithic Europe. It also challenges our understanding of early European civilisations.

Many of the tombs have been lost or degraded over the centuries, with only those hidden in forested areas surviving into the modern era.

"Potentially, these might include stone axes, hatchets, pottery, or characteristic clay vessels, including ones used for opium," Golis told TVP World.