Is Nan Madol a wonder of the world?
Nan Madol has been dubbed by some as the “eighth wonder of the world” and others as the “Venice of the Pacific”. Despite its undoubted historic and cultural significance, Nan Madol was only placed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2016.
What is Nan Madol known for?
Nan Madol became the most important political and religious center on the island. The social system at Nan Madol is the earliest known example of such centralized political power in the western Pacific.
How was Nan Madol created?
According to Pohnpeian legend, Nan Madol was constructed by twin sorcerers Olisihpa and Olosohpa from the mythical Western Katau, or Kanamwayso. The brothers arrived in a large canoe seeking a place to build an altar so that they could worship Nahnisohn Sahpw, the god of agriculture.
What is the population of Nan Madol?
1. Nan Madol is located on the island of Pohnpein, the main island of the Micronesian state of Pohnpein. The island is inhabited by the majority of the population of the state, about 34,000 people. It belongs to the Federated States of Micronesia and is the most cosmopolitan of the islands belonging to the federation.
How do I get to Nan Madol?
The hard part about visiting Nan Madol is getting to the island of Pohnpei. Micronesia gets very few visitors as it is far away from any major population center, and there is only really one way to get to the island. The only way to get to the island is via the “island hopper” flight run by United Airlines.
On what did the people of Nan Madol concentrate their resources?
Immense human power [3] The creators of Nan Madol managed to quarry columns of basalt from a site in Sokehs, on the other side of Pohnpei, and transport them more than 25 miles to the submerged coral reefs that are the foundations of Nan Madol.
What is Nan Madol made of?
The complexes were built primarily from columnar basalt, a volcanic rock that breaks naturally to form massive rodlike blocks that make an ideal building material. Encompassing more than ninety islets, at its peak Nan Madol may have been home to a thousand people.
Why did Nan Madol have openings?
The seawalls and breakwaters are 15 feet high and 35 feet thick, serving to protect the area from the ocean. When Nan Madol was populated, openings in the breakwaters gave canoes access to the ocean and allowed seawater to flow in and out with the tides, cleaning the canals.
Who owned Micronesia?
the United States
The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) emerged from the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI) which the United States administered on behalf of the United Nations from 1947 until 1978.