Meteu 'L Klechem
| Meteu 'L Klechem | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| National Register of Historic Places | |||
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| location | Melekeok, Babeldaob , Palau | ||
| Coordinates | 7 ° 29 '33 " N , 134 ° 38' 10" E | ||
| NRHP number | 76002197 | ||
| The NRHP added | September 30, 1976 | ||
Meteu 'L Klechem is a historical monolith in Melekeok , a part of the island republic of Palau , on Babeldaob , the main island. The stone is more or less octagonal, 2.1 m long and 0.61 m thick and weighs around 1.4 t. When it was discovered in 1976, it served as a bridge over a stream. The monolith is historically significant due to its association with Metau , a warrior of the late 18th century. In 1785 Metau was ambushed and killed on Koror in revenge for attacks he had made on boat crews from Yap . His body was withheld as a pledge and placed on this stone. Metau's brother Reklai paid the ransom (then the equivalent of $ 60,000 ) and in 1795 the stone and body were brought to Melekeok for burial. The stone stood at the main pier in Beriber until 1948 , after which it was moved to its current location.
The site with the monolith was added to the United States ' National Register of Historic Places in 1976 when Palau was part of the United States ' Trust Territories of the Pacific .