Nan Madol, off the island of Pohnpei in Micronesia, is made of nearly 100 small islands built from stacked basalt columns. Construction began around 1180 CE. How the heavy columns were moved is still unclear.
Truth label: Established. Strong evidence and broad agreement among experts.
Go deeper
Log-cabin stone
Long six-sided basalt columns were stacked crosswise like logs, filled with coral rubble.
Local legend
Pohnpeian tradition says two sorcerers flew the stones into place. It is a reminder of how remarkable the feat seemed.
Learn
- A seat of power. It was the centre of the Saudeleur dynasty, which ruled the island for centuries.
Test yourself
What is Nan Madol built from?
Basalt columns. Natural basalt columns were stacked to build the islets.
Sources
Swipe more like this
CurioUS is a feed you steer. Pick what you're curious about and every swipe tunes what comes next.
Open this card in the appMore from Hidden History
- Someone built a stone temple 6,000 years before Stonehenge.
- Woolly mammoths were still alive when the Great Pyramid was built.
- 9,000 years ago, a town of thousands had no streets. People walked on the roofs.
- The first writing wasn't poetry. It was receipts.
- The Library of Alexandria probably didn't burn in one great fire.
- Roman concrete heals its own cracks.