In Polynesia, there is a unique stone structure of the XI century - the Tonga Gate. According to local legend, at a certain time of the year, passing through these gates, you can go to the habitat of the local god and return back this way.
According to other beliefs, this is a place where dead leaders were burned, a symbol of family ties. Ufologists are convinced that there were some aliens here. The Tonga Gate is located in the eastern part of Tongatapu Island, known as the treasury of the historical past of Polynesia, its cradle. Currently, it houses an archaeological reserve.
This part of the island is wild and deserted. The uninhabited white shores and bays stretch out for many kilometers. The tidal wave murmurs on the coral shallows, the hard palm leaves crunch in the wind.
And I can’t believe that many centuries ago life was in full swing in these deserted places. Evidence of this is the remains of the "mua" settlements scattered throughout the island, most of which are located in the east. The largest of these ancient settlements is called Muu and is located on the shores of the inner lagoon.
Photo: dic.academic.ru
Next to it is a memorial plaque dedicated to the landing on James Cook Island. Apparently, the island has changed little in appearance since the 18th century, when the legendary traveler, seeing it for the first time, called Tongatapu "a continuous garden". At the same time, Cook met with the local leaders and noted that they know their genealogy well, they are the keepers of the legends and traditions of the people.
According to these legends, the first Tongans were created from the larvae by the god Tangaloa and he himself became the father of the first king. Then Tangaloa sent to earth from heaven the guilty little gods to help his son. It is believed that this myth formed the basis of the modern social structure in the Kingdom of Tonga. Until now, the archipelago is a constitutional kingdom, on the upper step of which is the king himself, below - a layer of nobility, and then - the rest of the Tongans.
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Photo: travelblog.org
The current king Tubou IV issues expensive stamps with the inscription under his portrait: “Tonga. Where time begins. " Indeed, the archipelago is located at the very line of change of dates: a few tens of miles east of Nuku'alof, "today" is considered "yesterday."
The king is revered in this island nation almost like a god, and when his big limousine with a fluttering flag rides along the road, everyone crouches and then sits on the side of the road with crossed legs and folded palms. This is not just a beautiful custom, it is a law that is strictly enforced by the local police.
But the archaeological sites in the kingdom are not given due attention, and they are poorly studied, including the unique heritage of the island of Tongaputu. For example, the burial complex, laid out of limestone coral blocks in the form of four-meter pyramids, up to 4 m high. It is still unknown how the building blocks were brought here. It is believed that they were brought to Tangaputu in huge canoes from other islands. After all, there is no suitable building material on the island itself.
Photo: anamaraboli.blogspot.com
But it is from the mysterious megalith - the Gate of Tonga that any foreigner begins to get acquainted with Tongatapu. The structure consists of stone blocks, folded in the shape of the letter "U", standing in the palm thickets. On two pillars made of coral limestone, about five meters high, there is a six-meter stone crossbar, fortified in grooves hollowed out in the upper part of the pillars. According to rough estimates, the three massive blocks weigh at least 40 tons.
Scientists are perplexed: how was such a strange structure built 1200 years ago, and what is its purpose? Part of the archaeologist believes that the megalith is the entrance to the royal territory that existed in the past, but no other buildings have been found in the area - only a gate. Where did they lead? It is also unclear why the buildings, roads, household items of the mysterious palace disappeared without a trace. The only thing left is a large vertical slab towering nearby, which allegedly served as the back of the throne of Tuyitatui.
Photo: guide-planet.info
Scientists have come to the conclusion that the stone blocks had been carefully polished earlier. The bar has neatly carved marks for the shortest and longest days of the year. It has been suggested that this was an ancient observatory designed to calculate the days of the equinox and solstice. It is likely that at first the building served as a gateway leading to the residence of the kings. And then it turned into a solar observatory.
According to another version, the building was built by the ruler of Tuitatui in order to reconcile his warring sons, and the trilith was supposed to symbolize the family ties between them. There is another legend that the Tonga Gate is dedicated to the Polynesian god Maui, who, according to legend, raised the archipelago from the ocean.
The mystery also lies in the fact that in some parts of our planet there are also similar structures. For example, Japan is dotted with many thousands of gates that mark sacred sites. Only the material differs - the Japanese gate is made of wood. Near Okinawa, there are flooded structures - massive masonry gates that are not connected to anything.
The famous gates of Teotihuacan
The Romans also liked to decorate their empire with free-standing ceremonial gates. There is also Stonehenge, and a gateway to Polynesia could be part of it.
All these intriguing parallels between similar monuments of completely different cultures convinced researchers that, perhaps, a powerful "X - culture" existed in the Pacific Ocean, which had a civilizing influence in all directions.
To confirm this, a thorough scientific study of the oldest stone structure is required. In the meantime, the mysterious historical monument stands alone on the island of Tongatapu, and does not want to reveal the designs of the ancient builders.