Sternenfels near Maulbronn in Baden Würthemberg, Germany is surrounded by numerous ancient monuments as megaliths, cairns, barrows and even step pyramids. The name Sternenfels means „starrock“ and is probably derived from it’s location on a rocky plateau. Surrounding the town there are big quarries, used throughout ancient times until about 100 years ago. Inside these quarries stepped cairns or step pyramids have been discovered by the German historian and writer, Walter Haug in 1992. The pyramids themselves have been used as a stone quarry and are therefore hard to distinguish from the actual stone quarry. 

 

In the vicinity of Sternenfels one pyramid shaped hill stands rather free, although completely covered by vegetation – the „Burghälde“. This three-stepped hill dominates the whole plateau. It leans against the foot of the higher Stromberg-mountain. In former times there was a castle standing on top, but now only a look-out is left.

The crucial evidence that this odd looking hill could be a cairn or pyramid we found in a legend from immemorial times. The saga says that a „Kaiser“ (Emperor) is burried under this hill. An old funeral -trail started from there to the neighbour village on which the dead noblemen were transported to the burial vault in the local church.

No one, including historians knew anything about an Emperor of Christian times who was buried in the county of „Kraichgau“. The country name „Kraich“ is similar to „Cruachan“ the ancient capital of the kingdom of Connacht, the seat of Medb and her husband Ailill of Connacht in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology.