  Location in Tuvalu | |
| Location | off the northern shore of Nanumanga |
|---|---|
| Region | Tuvalu in western Polynesia |
| Coordinates | 6°16′7.32″S 176°19′15″E / 6.2687000°S 176.32083°E / -6.2687000; 176.32083 |
Caves of Nanumanga is an underwater cave off the northern shore of Nanumanga, Tuvalu, in western Polynesia. It was discovered by two scuba divers in 1986.
Legend
The discovery of the Caves of Nanumanga was made because of interest aroused by a local legend. According to this legend, there existed "a large house under the sea". The existence of this legend led to the scuba diving expedition in 1986, during which the caves were discovered. These are sometimes referred to as the Fire Caves of Nanumanga.
Sea level debates
The caves are currently submerged underneath the ocean, highlighting the profound change in sea level over time. Public controversies regarding sea level changes in contemporary Tuvalu are thus set against this background.
Footnotes
- ^ The Age (Melbourne, Australia), Monday 13 April 1987
- Gibbons, John R. H.; Clunie, Fergus G. A. U. (1968). "Sea Level Changes and Pacific Prehistory: New Insight Into Early Human Settlement of Oceania". Journal of Pacific History. 21 (1–2): 58–82.
External links and sources
- History of the Tuvalu islands at the Wayback Machine (archived 2020-09-26)
- O'Neill, Graeme (1987-04-13). "Fire cave points to early mariners". The Age. Retrieved 2023-06-26.
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