Nan Madol
On a Pacific reef stand the ruins of a city built from stacked basalt columns. Legend says two sorcerers flew the stones into place.
What was reported
Off the island of Pohnpei in Micronesia lie the ruins of Nan Madol: nearly a hundred artificial islands linked by canals, with walls built of huge, dark basalt columns stacked like logs, some weighing several tonnes. It was the seat of the Saudeleur dynasty that ruled Pohnpei for centuries.
Pohnpeian legend says it was built by twin sorcerers, Olisihpa and Olosohpa, who used magic to fly the stones through the air. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Explanations offered
Archaeologists say the basalt came from natural columns on the island, and was moved by raft and lever, probably over generations. Exactly how the heaviest stones were moved and lifted is still debated. The ruins are threatened today by mangroves and rising seas.
- When
- Built from about the 1100s
- Where
- Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia
- Witnesses
- Pohnpeians, archaeologists and visitors
- Status
- Mostly explained
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.