Declared a “World Heritage Site” by UNESCO in 2016, Nan Madol is also known as the “Venice of the Pacific”. Slightly smaller than New York, the ruins of this mysterious place date back to the distant past.
Constructed of 250 million tons of volcanic rock, Nan Madol is known as a “mysterious island” for now, as we know very little about it. Let’s see, what will you think after the information you will get about the mysterious city?
Its history and who played a role in its construction are still a mystery.
Located on the southern side of the Federated States of Micronesia, the ruins of Nan Madol lie between the main island of Pohnpei and Temwen Island. We know its location, but it’s not enough.
The weight of the gigantic cliffs in this city, which was built in a pond, surrounded by stone walls and covered with water on three sides, varies between 5 and 40 tons.
When the first European explorers arrived at Nan Madol in the 1800s, they were quite surprised by the sight they encountered. How was this place, whose foundations were under water, still standing?
Experts have different opinions about the city, which has become an unsolved mystery. Mainstream researchers think that Nan Madol was built in the 2nd century AD, but this date corresponds not to construction, but to the date of the earliest human remains found on the island.
One piece of evidence to support this theory is that the foundations of Nan Madol were submerged. They probably couldn’t have built such large rocks underwater… This detail indicates that the city was first above sea level and then sank. But this approach is not supported by geologists.
Was it normal for Nan Madol to stay while Pohnpei Island was not submerged?
Located near Nan Madol, Pohnpei Island has never been affected by an event that sank it. So, how did the mysterious city end up underwater? So far, 2 theories have been produced on this subject; The first is based on logical and scientific arguments about rising ocean waters, while the other corresponds to an old myth.
The flooding of streets and cemeteries also strengthens the possibility that the city was on the surface in the first place.
According to historians and geologists, the last large-scale glaciation occurred 14,000 years ago. The ice that covered most of the Earth melted, causing the Pacific Ocean to rise up to 100 meters. Therefore, although this theory is not accepted by the main researchers of Nan Madol, the construction dates back 14,000 years.
Examination by divers allowed the researchers to observe the submerged remains of the city. There are not only some of the old roads, but also streets and cemeteries that are part of the islets.
However, this raises other questions. How were more than 100,000 metric tons of basalt stones transported to the island?
According to legend, there are twin sorcerers named Olishpa and Olosohpa. They came to Nan Madol by canoe from a legendary place called “Western Katau”.
Once settled, they begin to build an altar to worship the agriculture god, Nahnisohn Sahpw. Legend claims that they used magical powers to control a flying dragon, causing huge stones to rise towards the island.
Whatever you believe, the story of the mysterious city of Nan Madol is still unknown.
If you have any ideas or theories about this subject, let’s meet in the comments.
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