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Nan Madol and Polynesia

Printed From: History Community ~ All Empires
Category: General History
Forum Name: General World History
Forum Discription: All aspects of world history, especially topics that span across many regions or periods
URL: http://www.allempires.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=37844
Printed Date: 25-May-2024 at 18:14
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Topic: Nan Madol and Polynesia
Posted By: thuy tien
Subject: Nan Madol and Polynesia
Date Posted: 28-Jan-2019 at 02:04

A while back I had a conversation with a fellow forumer and he scoffed at the notion that the Polynesians could have possible have had any notable civilization of their own. That reminded me of a documentary on the islands of Nan Madol, which are part of Micronesia, in the middle of the Pacific.

It is a group of 92 man-made islands, which are made of stone probably transported by sea, and on which there are massive megalithic structures dating to the 12th century AD. Archeologists believe that the structures had a religious purpose, and that they show a high degree of organization.

The islands were abandoned by the time of the European conquest. Later on, they inspired H.P. Lovecraft to create his mythical land of Chtulhu.

These islands together with the much better known Easter Island and the Polynesians' remarkable nautical skills, are in my opinion, proof that the Polynesians are underrated in world history.

What is history but a fable agreed upon? 
Napoleon Bonaparte 

Even if you are a minority of one, the truth is the truth.- Mohandas Gandhi 



Replies:
Posted By: Arthur-Robin
Date Posted: 29-Jan-2019 at 00:34

I'm not meaning any taking of sides against or for Malayo-Polynesians as civilized/cultured here (below) but there would need to be alot more research/study and evidences before one can be sure of who the builders of Nan Madol were. Just from the wiki articles and other sources i compiled these reference lists:

1. Timeline of Ponape/Nanmadol history:
Ice Age(s)
Megalithic culture
"built by Greek soldiers c 300 bc"
thermoluminescence dated Ponape pottery shards are at least 2000 yrs old "this pushes back the date by more than 1000 yrs"
"earliest settlement probably ca 1 ad"
"scene of human activity as early as the 1st or 2nd century ad"
"human activity starting ca 80-200 ad" (carbon dating)
"islet construction had started by the 8th or 9th century"
"Ponape fire pit ashes carbon dated to only 900 yrs old (1000 ad)"
Pre-Colonial from before 1100 to 1885
Kawa "building" / Aramas "peopling" before 1100
"megalithic construction dating to 12th cent ad"
Nahnisohn Sahpw god of agriculture (1100)
Olisihpa/Olo-sipa & Olo-so(h)pa the 1st Saudeleur (& flying dragon, & local woman) (1100)
12/several generations
8/16/17 SauDeleur "lord of the Deleur" rulers/chiefs/dynasty/ruins / Dipwilap "great" clan of foreign origin (& Pohnpeians) 500 yrs 1100-1500s/1628 (legends/archaeologists)
"construction began ca 1180 ad" (carbon dating)
"megalithic construction beginning 1180-1200 ad"
Spanish navigator Saavedra 1st European 1529
visited by Portuguese navigator Queiros 1595
Isokelekel/Icho-kalakal another foreigner, at NanMadol (1628)
Nahnmwarki(s) at NanMadol 1628-1885
Native period before 1825
Australian sailor Rowe arrived 1825
Pre-Spanish "before the Spaniards" 1825-1886
1st lengthly description of island by Russian explorer Litke (& Kittlitz) 1828
Capt JH Eagleston sighted island 1832
RC priest Maigret 1st missionary 1837-1838
group of Protestant missionaries 1852
drastic population decline occured after 1854
Confederate ship surpised Yankee merchant ships at Ponape 1865
1st detailed description 1874 (Kubary)
Spanish 1886-1899
Spanish-American war 1898
German 1899/1905-1910/1914 (Sokehs rebelion)
feudal system gradually replaced beginning in 1907
census 1911
Japanese 1914-1945
Merritt 1918
Churchward 1926
bypassed by US navy 1943-1945
US/UN 1945/1947-1986
census 1947
Price's adventure series books 1952
photo ca 1960
population nearly 10000 by 1963
Riesenberg 1968
Von Daniken 1973
US National Register of Historic Places 1974
Vesala 1974
Ballinger 1978
ruins declared a national historical landmark 1985
David Hatcher-Childress 1986
Independence since 1986
Ashby 1987
Hanlon 1988
Endura band album song 1996
Bell & Strieber 1999
Rollins 2001
population 34000 in 2010
song 2014
World Heritage Site 2016.

2. Geographical location (large/wide to small/narrow/local) :
UN/World/Global/International/Earth/Olympics
Asia & Pacific ; South Seas
Oceania
West Pacific ; Australasia; (Polynesian/Melanesian;) (Eastern) Micronesia ; Spanish East Indies
Caroline Islands
Senyavin islands / LosPintaos "the painted ones" / NanTauach islands
Pohn-pei/Ponape "upon a stone altar" / Ascension / SanBartolome (Sokehs Ridge, Mt Nanlaud, Kolonia/Santiago town)
5 tribes: Sokehs, Nett, U(h), Kitti, Madolenihm(w) district
Temuen/Temwen island
NanMadol/Matal "spaces between" / SounNangLeng "reef of heaven" / "Venice of the Pacific"
Pah & (Madol) Powe
Dapahu, Peinering, Peinkitel, Karian, Lemenkou, Nandauwas, Peiniot, Usennamw.

3. Peoples / Castes structure: (5 tribes:)
god/deities
king / 2 principal chiefs, dynasty
chiefs/nobility, priests
Pohnpeians/subjects/commoners, prisoners
foreign/outsiders.

4. Possible names/numbers matches candidates:

Pohnpei/Ponape : Pompey? Punt/Pwene? Punic/Phoenician? Puno (Peru)? Punjab?

NanMadol/Matal (Matang?) : NeterTo/ToNeter (Punt)? Maori? MenATol?

Kitti ~ Viti/Fiji? Kittim (Genesis 10)?

Beru (Micronesian myth) : Peru? Meru?

12/several generations &/or 8/16/17 SauDeleur ~ 10 kings Atlantis (memory copy)? 6/18 kings of Pirua dynasty of Peruvian?

5 tribes: ~ 5 cities Philistines? 5 cities (Sodom & Gomorrah)? 5 clans Hindu/Vedic? 5 deities of the Urus (Peru)? 5 x 2 sons/kings (Atlantis)? battle of 5 forts (Maori)? Punjab? Pentateuch?

2 principal chiefs: ~ 2 kings Atlantis? 2 consuls Rome? 2 co-kings Saxons? 2 kings Spartans?



-------------
NZ's mandatory fluoridation is not fair because it only forces it on the disadvantaged/some and not on the advantaged/everyone.



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