Discover the spectacular earth pyramids of the Hungarian Great Plain
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The Hungarian Great Plain hides several historical treasures; among which we can discover the so-called “Kunhalom” (Cuman Mounds) that were built in the Yamnaya culture 5500-5700 years ago. The spectacular earth pyramids served as burial chambers at that time, constructed by all the members of the community.
The mysterious piles of land are called Cuman Mounds “Kunhalom” in the common language that were used for burial purposes; however, the name might be misleading. Accordingly, the Kun ethnic group has nothing to do with the tombstones that are still visible today. Furthermore, their age is also quite astonishing: many of them had been built more than half a millennium before the Egyptian pyramids, for the same purpose, similarly moving masses for the construction of the burial chambers.
The official name of the surviving, vast mounds of the Great Plain is “kurgans” that were created by successive ethnic groups from the 4th century BC until the end of the Roman era.
The oldest mounds of the Great Plain were erected by members of the Yamnaya culture 5500-5700 years ago. Despite their differences in material, size, workmanship, and splendour, kurgans were built based on the same idea as the Egyptian pyramids.
As the Hungarian news portal 24.hu reports, construction began with the excavation of a grave pit or chamber, above which a small wooden residential building was often erected with a roof and then made it comfortable with beds, upholstery, expensive leathers and utensils. It is not known what was placed in the central tomb chamber, as most of the objects have disappeared by the passage of time. The deceased was placed in a sleeping or fetal pose for eternal rest; his body was painted with red ochre.
