In the middle of the vast Pacific Ocean, in the Caroline Islands archipelago, lies one of the most enigmatic and fascinating archaeological sites in the world: Nan Madol. This complex of ruins, located off the island of Temwen, in Pohnpei (Federated States of Micronesia), has captured the imagination of explorers and archaeologists for centuries due to its impressive construction and mysterious history.

Nan Madol, whose name means “between spaces” in Pohnpeian (in reference to the canals), is a city built in the lagoon of an atoll on a set of 92 artificial islands, all interconnected by a series of canals. The arrangement of these islands and canals has led many to call it the “Venice of the Pacific”.

Each of these islands was constructed using basalt and coral blocks, some of which weigh up to 50 tons, something astonishing considering that the structures date from between the 8th and 13th centuries.

Plan of Nan Madol
Plan of Nan Madol. Credit: Hobe / Holger Behr / Public domain / Wikimedia Commons

The origin of the city is intimately linked with the Saudeleur dynasty, a line of rulers who unified Pohnpei under their control around the year 500 AD. According to oral tradition, the Saudeleur, whose name means “Lord of Deleur”, established a strictly structured hierarchical society that was reflected in the architecture of Nan Madol, where the larger and more elaborate islands were reserved for the nobility and religious elite, while the smaller ones were for commoners.

The Saudeleur began constructing Nan Madol to serve as the ceremonial and political center of their kingdom. They used a building technique known as “cyclopean walls”, with large stone blocks arranged without mortar.

The basalt blocks used were quarried and transported from several miles away, adding an element of mystery about how they achieved such a feat without modern technology.

Aerial view of one of the areas of Nan Madol
Aerial view of one of the areas of Nan Madol. Credit: Maria Kottermair / Cultural Heritage Center / Flickr

The most prominent structures in Nan Madol include Nandauwas, a royal funerary enclosure, and Pahn Kadira, a site for sacrifice and ceremony. Nandauwas, in particular, is impressive for its 7.5-meter-high walls, built with basalt columns precisely arranged to form an imposing structure.

The Saudeleur’s rule over Pohnpei, which according to tradition had 25,000 inhabitants (recent studies estimate fewer than 1,000), lasted until around 1628, when they were overthrown by the warrior Isokelekel who, according to legend, came from the island of Kosrae.

The fall of the Saudeleur marked the end of Nan Madol as a political center, although its ritual importance continued for some time. It is believed that the rigid religious and political structure of the Saudeleur, based on spiritual and ceremonial control, was one of the main reasons for their collapse, as they could not adapt to social and economic changes.

Nan Madol's walls are made of large blocks of basalt
Nan Madol’s walls are made of large blocks of basalt. Credit: ajdemma / Flickr

Nan Madol is surrounded by numerous legends and myths about the city’s construction, a feat that even today is difficult to fully explain with the technology available at the time. One of the most popular stories among locals is that of the sorcerer brothers Olisihpa and Olosohpa, who supposedly used magic to move the enormous stone blocks that make up the structures, and were the first rulers of the place.

Additionally, human remains have been found on several of the islands, suggesting that Nan Madol also had a significant funerary function. The large funerary platforms, known as Luhlung or Lolong, and the ossuaries, were intended for the highest members of society, while simple burials were reserved for common people.

Some islets had special purposes such as food preparation, canoe building, or coconut oil preparation. Others had a funerary character and were mainly occupied by the priests’ dwellings. The royal mortuary islet of Nandauwas has walls 5.5 to 7.5 meters high surrounding a central tomb enclosure within the main courtyard.

In some areas the walls reach several meters in height.
In some areas the walls reach several meters in height. Credit: Wayne Batzer / Flickr

In Nan Madol, there is no fresh water and no food was produced, so everything had to be brought from other islands. Carbon dating indicates that the oldest settlement in the area was around the year 1 AD, while the construction of the city likely began around 1180 AD, with large basalt stones brought from a volcanic plug on the opposite side of Pohnpei Island.

Today, Nan Madol forms an archaeological district covering more than 18 square kilometers, and includes stone architecture built on a coral reef platform along the coast of Temwen Island, several artificial islets, and the adjacent coast of the main island of Pohnpei. The core of the site with its stone walls encloses an area of approximately 1.5 by 0.5 kilometers that contains 92 artificial islets, with stone and coral platforms bordered by tidal canals.

Nan Madol is declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognized for both its historical value and its vulnerability. Dense vegetation and the tropical climate have seriously affected the structures, and erosion threatens to destroy what remains. Various international organizations have initiated conservation efforts to protect and restore this archaeological treasure, ensuring that future generations can study and appreciate the magnitude of this ancient achievement.

This article was first published on our Spanish Edition on July 12, 2024: Nan Madol, la antigua ciudad levantada sobre 92 islotes interconectados por canales en el océano Pacífico

SOURCES

Jennifer Wagelie, Nan Madol

Paul Rainbird, The Archaeology of Micronesia

Bill Sanborn Ballinger, Lost City of Stone: The Story of Nan Madol, the “Atlantis” of the Pacific

National Park Service, Nan Madol

William S. Ayres, Nan Madol, Micronesia

Wikipedia, Nan Madol

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