The ancient ruins are located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and could be the remnants of a long lost ancient civilization. Some even say it was one of the many cities belonging to the mythical Lemurian empire.
Science channel’s series What on Earth analyzed the mystery behind the ancient city ruins located off the coast of Micronasia—a subregion of Oceania, comprising thousands of small islands in the western Pacific Ocean.
The ruins are located on the remote island of Pohnpei, where we find NanMadol, an archaeological site of great importance. Curiously, the name Nan Madol means “Space in between.”
But despite the fact that Nan Madol has attracted researchers, scholars and authors, little is known about the ancient structures and the people who once called it home.
The entire city of Nan Madol appears to sit on top of a lagoon, connected by a number of different canals and massive stone walls.
According to reports by Research Gate, the entire archaeological site could date back to around the first or second century AD. But there is very little verified information about the ruins.
As noted by Atlas Obscura, human activity dates back to around the first and second century AD, but the site was probably erected around the 12th or 13 the century.
The ancient structures are clearly visible on Google Earth if anyone wants to take a look at the archaeological site from the air.
The archaeological site covers an area of around 1.5 kilometers and contains around 100 artificial islets.
The legend behind Nan Madol is fascinating.
Locals believe that Nan Madol began with the arrival of twin sorcerers Olisihpa and Olosohpa from the mythical Western Katau.
They are said to have been much taller than the local inhabitants. The two brothers erected an altar on Nan Madol in order to worship Nahnisohn Sahpw, the god of agriculture.
They performed numerous rituals at the altar and LEVITATED massive stones with the help of a FLYING DRAGON.
This brings us to one of the greatest mysteries surrounding Nan Madol. How on Earth did the ancients build this ancient city? And how did they manage to transport the massive blocks of stone across nearly inaccessible terrain?
Researchers suggest that the massive rocks were most likely ‘floated’ via rafts to the different islets.
But, this remains only a theory as the exact means by which the ancient managed to transport the massive stone from distant quarries, over land and water, and then erect them on reef complexes remains a profound archaeological and architectural mystery.
