The Submerged City: Evidence and Questions Surrounding Nan Madol’s Origins

Nan Madol: A City Built During the Ice Age? Could a vanished civilization have built a city during the Ice Age, before the glaciers melted?

This is the startling conclusion reached by analyzing the ruins of the “Venice of the Pacific,” the semi-submerged city of Nan Madol. Nan Madol, like Venice, is built on hundreds of islets, located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, over 1,000 km from the nearest coastline.

Early studies suggested the city was built by the Saudeleur people around 800 years ago. However, later findings contradict this theory. Today, much of Nan Madol lies underwater, with only some ruins visible above the surface. The walls start below sea level, constructed with massive stones weighing up to 40 tons. This indicates that Nan Madol was built when sea levels were lower than they are today.

Geologists confirm that the islets on which Nan Madol sits have never sunk due to geological phenomena. If the islets didn’t sink, then the sea level must have risen, submerging the city. The last time the Pacific Ocean rose significantly (over 100 meters) was after the last deglaciation, around 14,000 years ago. This implies that Nan Madol must have been built before that time, making it over 14,000 years old.

If true, Nan Madol would be the oldest known city, a highly controversial claim. Wikipedia states that Nan Madol was built in the 2nd century AD, but this is based on the oldest human remains found, not the city’s construction date. How did the builders transport over 100,000 tons of volcanic rock “across the sea” to build Nan Madol?

All the rock used in Nan Madol is “magnetic,” causing compasses to malfunction nearby. Could the magnetism of the rock be related to the transportation methods used? Nan Madol is an enigma that challenges our current understanding of ancient history and technology. Could it be evidence of a lost advanced civilization from the Ice Age?