As with most burial mounds scattered throughout much of Europe, the two that are still preserved in the Polish city of Krakow hold more questions than answers. They are known by the name of Krakus (in Polish Krakusa) and Wanda (in Polish Wandy), and they were originally accompanied by four other smaller burial mounds that surrounded the first one, but which were demolished during the 19th century to build the city walls.
Krakus is located about 3 kilometers south of the center of Krakow and has an altitude of 16 meters above the surrounding terrain (271 above sea level) and a base of 60 meters in diameter. Wanda is located further east, about 10 kilometers from the Krakus, and rises 14 meters above the surroundings with a base 50 meters in diameter. Nothing is known about who could have built them or what function they could have, nor has it been possible to determine their exact age, so it is not clear if they are prehistoric or more recent.
Excavations carried out in the mid-1930s at the Krakus found that the interior consists of a wooden structure later covered with earth to give it its characteristic shape. Objects were also found, such as a bronze belt found in the lower part of the tumulus, which were dated as belonging to the 8th-10th centuries AD, which would indicate a relatively recent date, at least in terms of use. However, some authors have proposed the 2nd-1st centuries B.C. as reference dates, attributing to the constructions a Celtic origin . Others, such as Professor Wladyslaw Szafer, believe that they are the work of Slavic peoples settled there from the 7th century AD
Both burial mounds are associated with paths legends related to mythological kings, collected by the medieval chronicler Jan Dlugosz. In the case of the first, it would be the tomb of the legendary king Krak or Krakus, while the second would be that of Princess Wanda, who would have committed suicide by throwing herself into the Vistula River. This latter mound was first inspected in 1913, and then again in the mid-1960s. Archaeologists found no traces of burials in either.
However, researchers have been able to verify that, like other ancient structures such as Stonehenge or the Cromlech of Nabta Playa, both burial mounds were not raised randomly, but their location responds to astronomical issues . Thus, if we stand on the top of Krakus looking towards Wanda during sunrise on Beltane Day (the second most important Celtic festival, which celebrated the beginning of the pastoral summer, more or less at the beginning of May), we will see the sun appear just above it. And if we stand on top of the Wanda at dusk, we will see that the sun sets in a straight line behind the Krakus.
The Wanda tomb is today crowned by a monument erected in 1890 that represents an eagle on a pedestal decorated with a sword and a spinning wheel, bearing the inscription Wanda.