A new study reveals that the ancient site of Nan Madol in the Pacific was profoundly shaped by climate changes, including rising sea levels and variations in the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). This fascinating history offers valuable lessons for modern-day Pacific island communities facing similar environmental challenges.
Uncovering Nan Madol’s Past
Nan Madol is a mysterious ancient site on the Pacific island of Pohnpei. These ages, obtained by applying sophisticated dating techniques to blocks used in an imposing complex that was constructed from stone and coral rubble.
Published in the journal PNAS Nexus this week, the study details how Nan Madol was constructed over two major building phases: the first through the 10th to mid-12th centuries and thereafter from around the late 12th to early 15th century. That was centuries earlier than previous estimates, and the discovery provides key details on how climate changes played out in the site’s past.
riding the wave of change
The researchers connected the story of Nan Madol with evidence of an ENSO-muffled record which contains range in attorneys general local sennight tendencies. The sea level is estimated to have risen from −126 cm at CE 800 to −90 cm by CE 1180 and −70 cm by 1380. Due to the rising waters, some of them, even those that were occasionally inundated by up to 70 cm of seawater at mid-tide; the site sea-walls washed out and necessitated significant repairs as well as new construction.
A sequence of repair and enhancement of coastal defence investment would have played a role in the decline and eventual fall of the Saudeleur Dynasty, which controlled Pohnpei. The authors point to the Nan Madol story as a lesson for contemporary Pacific peoples dealing with climate change and other environmental issues.
Lessons for the Future
The story of Nan Madol has important lessons for the Pacific island nations… and our global, fossil fuel-burning society. Cities and villages will face the same problems that eventually destroyed the Saudeleur Dynasty as sea levels rise and ENSO events become more frequent and severe because of climate change.
These point to the necessity for proactive and adaptive management responses to ameliorate these environmental challenges, according to the authors. Such solutions may encompass aspects of coastal infrastructure management, economic diversification or building community resilience. The experience of the past, and the lessons learned, can help Pacific communities be more resilient to the future and ensure that they are sustained well into generations to come.
