Commoners were required to show respect by crawling into Nan Dowas.
Nan Madol is made of natural basaltic "logs". Some are 30 feet long and weigh over 50 tons.
Long basaltic logs were laid next to each other and coral rubble was piled between them..
By putting the outer end of the short pieces on the outer-most log, and the inner end sitting on the rubble, an inward pressure is created. This inward pressure is what keeps the walls standing.
Nan Madol is truly out of this world ... this was the most enjoyable vacation we have ever taken. Mark and Sandra Fredricks
Nothing prepared us for what we saw. The trip to Nan Madol was one of the best experiences we have ever had. Charles & Julie Feinberg
According to the oral history of Pohnpei, Nan Madol was built by two brothers - Olosipa and Olosopa.
An old Japanese childrens story says two brothers, named Olosipa and Olosopa, were Japanese merchants who traded with the natives along the coast of the Americas.
When trading was finished, the ships didn't have enough fresh food and water for the long trip, so sailing across the Pacific was hard to do.
Could Nan Madol be just a watering station in the Pacific?
Only the Saudeleurs were allowed to use the front entrance
The rear courtyard of Nan Dowas has an underground hole big enough for several people
Some say it was a place for meditation. It looks more like a Saudeleurs prison to me.
The mystery still remains - how were the rocks carried ?
Nan Madol
Maps