Nan Madol – Atlantis of the Pacific Pseudo-Claim, Pohnpei
Nan Madol · Nan Matol · Saudeleur Atlantis · Pacific Venice of Atlantis
Medieval Pacific (1180–1628 CE Saudeleur; 1628–1835 Nahnmwarki)·Pohnpeian / Saudeleur / Nahnmwarki·🇫🇲 Pohnpei, Temwen Island, Nan Madol, Micronesia
About
About Nan Madol – Atlantis of the Pacific Pseudo-Claim, Pohnpei
Nan Madol (8th–17th c. CE, 92 artificial basalt islets on Pohnpei reef, 18 km², canal city of the Saudeleur dynasty) is the Venice of the Pacific built with 750,000 tonnes columnar basalt logs (prismatic jointing from Pwisehn Malek mountain) and coral rubble forming seawalls to +5 m. Pseudoarchaeology (James Churchward Mu 1926–31, recent Atlantis documentaries) grafts Nan Madol as a Lemurian/Mu remnant 14,000 BCE with underwater flight. Excavations (W.
Ayres, J. S. Athens, 1970s–2000s) dated basalt platform 1180–1200 CE by 14C and corals 900 CE by U-Th, with no pre-Holocene layer; the 'sunken ruins' off Temwen are slumped basalt columns at −6 m from typhoon topple, not a 12,000 BCE city. The basalt columns show quarry feather-wedge marks from Pwisehn, matching columnar joints, not imported Atlantis ashlar. UNESCO 1503 while Atlantis graft is pseudo.
Why it mattersOnly Pacific canal city on basalt logs; pseudo-graft teaches columnar basalt quarry feather-wedge vs Mu import and typhoon slump vs Lemuria drowning.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01How 750,000 t basalt logs moved 15 km from Pwisehn without wheel
- 02Whether islets were built sequentially over 300 years vs single campaign
Theories
- 01Basalt transport via raft and coconut-fibre rope sledge on reef at low tide
- 02Saudeleur power was religious legitimacy via Nandauwas tomb, not Atlantis legacy
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 1180–1500 CE Saudeleur dynasty canal city
- Period
- Medieval Pacific (1180–1628 CE Saudeleur; 1628–1835 Nahnmwarki)
- Culture
- Pohnpeian / Saudeleur / Nahnmwarki
- Builders
- Saudeleurs / Pohnpeians with Pwisehn quarry chief
- Purpose
- Ceremonial, political and tomb centre on reef flat for Saudeleur dynasty
- Abandoned
- 1628 Saudeleur overthrow by Isokelekel; islets move to nahmwarki
- Rediscovered
- 1820s by Russian Krusenstern; 1970s Ayres excavations
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c. 1180
Saudeleur builds Nan Madol 92 islets with Pwisehn basalt logs
1628
Isokelekel conquers Saudeleur; Nan Madol power shifts
1926
Churchward grafts Nan Madol to lost Mu continent (pseudo)
1970s–2000s
Ayres 14C dates basal platform 1180–1200 CE
On the ground
Structures & features
6.8446° N · 158.3348° E · 1 m · 2 mapped features
Nandauwas royal tomb islet
tomb60x50 m basalt log tomb with walls 7 m high on reef
6.8430° N · 158.3360° ETyphoon slumped basalt boulders at −6 m
bouldersSlumped basalt logs at −6 m off Temwen claimed as Mu ruins (typhoon slump)
6.8440° N · 158.3330° E