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Nan Madol Ceremonial Centre
SE coast of Pohnpei (Madolenihmw), Federated States of Micronesia
Micronesia (FSM)
Customarily protected (Nahnmwarki)
Historical / archaeological
- Location
- SE coast of Pohnpei (Madolenihmw), Federated States of Micronesia
- Coordinates
- ~6.84°N 158.33°E
- Elevation
- Tidal islets (basalt/coral)
- Size
- >100 islets (basalt & coral megaliths)
- Age / Founded
- Built ~1200–1500 CE (Saudeleur dynasty)
- Status
- Customarily protected (Nahnmwarki)
- Deity & Religion
- Saudeleur sacred chiefly cult & ancestors; Pohnpeian traditional religion
- Community & Guardians
- Pohnpeian (Nahnmwarki Madolenihmw)
- Vernacular name
- Sacred ceremonial city (Saudeleur)
- Record type
- Historical / archaeological
Cultural practices & uses
Sacred ceremonial centre — temples, tombs, palaces; chiefly ritual; customary Nahnmwarki control continues
Plant species
Mangrove & dense vegetation overgrowing the megaliths
Biome & fauna
Tidal mangrove/islet ecosystem
Threats & protection
UNESCO World Heritage (2016) & List in Danger; vegetation overgrowth, sea-level rise
Source
Nan Madol (UNESCO #1503); FSM National Archives