So where did the knowledge about the mountains come from?, about their insides? Of course, first of all from these, who ventured into them. However, there were few of them, and even fewer of these, who were interested in the mountains at all. The mountains were rather avoided then. However, they were visible, huge, dominated the terrain. It is not surprising then, that in many religions and beliefs they became the seat of deities, secret powers, often personified forces of nature. It gave them a mystery, it was scary, even horror, it scared away potential daredevils. Over time, numerous stories were written in the Karkonosze Mountains, legends and tales about the mysterious, dangerous, sometimes coarse, but mostly a malicious lord of these areas, bearing different names on both sides of the border, depending on the language and culture of the population. It was the Mountain Spirit, Giant Mountains, Crackling (Giant Mountains), Rywecal, Pan Jan (Lord Johannes), Riibezahl, finally, the ineptly Polonized Rybecal, Turnip, Treasurer and Liczyrze-bye. Later stories and legends related to it were even transposed into other regions of the Sudetes, for example in the Table Mountains, Adrśpach, and even Rudawy Janowickie.

However, the top, besides the horror, they also aroused interest in their mere presence in the landscape (famous saying of Edmund Hillary: “I climbed Everest, because it is"). The forests that grow on them, rich in wood and game, sooner or later aroused interest. Attempts were made to use them. It turned out too, that there are other "treasures" in the mountains – also the literal ones. Settlement developed around most of the mountains, cities were springing up, villages were founded, the network of roads connecting them grew denser. Mountains, even high and borderline, they couldn't just keep people separate, they also had to connect them.

All this undoubtedly influenced at the end of the Middle Ages the already lively penetration of the Sudetes, including the Giant Mountains.

Undoubtedly, the local population played a significant role in this: hunters, woodcutters and dusty (woodcutters who burn charcoal), but the most famous in time turned out to be the activity of gold and treasure hunters.

It is not known, when the search for gold and precious stones began in the Karkonosze Mountains. Some researchers, for example, Heinrich Quiring, they even applied this to ancient times and, following the etymology of the name Karkonosze and the faint traces of these works, they suggested connections with the ancient Cretans, later the Celts. However, these are hypotheses that raise considerable doubts. However, they are not aroused by the presence of gold in the Karkonosze streams (however, the assessments of its quantity and prevalence differ). This is confirmed by modern finds and discoveries, as well as numerous traces left in the field and in archives by former explorers. The names of many streams and places are associated with gold and its washing. Just rinsing, because in the Karkonosze Mountains gold is only found in sedimentary deposits (secondary crumb deposits): in river sands and gravels.

At present, it is difficult to define the scope and size of gold mining at that time, but, according to specialists, in the Middle Ages, mining in the Karkonosze Mountains could be as high as 3 tons of ore, with mining on the south side (in the Czech republic) it was much higher.

Gold panning, at least from the 12th century, at first it was probably associated only with newcomers from Wallonia, hence called Walloons or Walloons. They did not always have to come here directly from Wallonia, they probably came more often from the Walloon colonies and settlements, np. from Wroclaw. Later, the name was used to cover all gold prospectors, regardless of their origin. That is why native Silesians were also called so. Along with the penetration of the Karkonosze and recognition of their resources, competition was increasing – more and more people wanted to quickly gain a fortune. Anyway, it was also favored by the stories circulating among the local population, and even in remote parts of Europe, about the immeasurable wealth of these mountains and the examples of the instant enrichment of happy explorers. The story of a banker's house in Venice is commonly cited, which was supposed to grow on the fabulous wealth acquired by the owner in the Karkonosze Mountains.

The owner was to express it by placing an inscription on the front of the seat: The mountains of Korkonosch have made us masters. As if during this search, iron ore deposits were discovered near Kowary, which allowed this city to grow up in two hundred, three hundred years for one of the largest iron and steel industry centers.