The Ha’amonga Trilithon in the Kingdom of Tonga

December 1969 Issue

The Ha’amonga Trilithon in the Kingdom of Tonga

The Ha’amonga Trilithon, a 5-meter-high limestone coral “gate” whose purpose is not known.

Very early in the 13th century, inhabitants of what is now known as the Island of Tongatapu, Kingdom of Tonga, built this impressive 12-ton structure. It is the Ha’amonga Trilithon, a 5-meter-high limestone coral “gate” whose purpose is not known. (Some think it may have been the entrance to the king’s palace-and-garden complex.)

Twenty-five readers sent in correct answers, and STAN BACH of Washington, D.C., won the drawing. We thank Phyllis Tapscott of Indianapolis, Indiana, for sending in the photo.