Maamigili (Raa Atoll) Explained

Maamigili
Native Name Lang:dv
Settlement Type:Uninhabited island
Image Alt:Aerial shot of Maamigili Island
Pushpin Map:Maldives
Pushpin Relief:y
Pushpin Mapsize:250
Pushpin Label Position:right
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Maldives
Coordinates:5.6681°N 72.875°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Maldives
Subdivision Type1:Geographic atoll
Subdivision Type2:Administrative atoll
Subdivision Name2:Northern Maalhosmadulhu Atoll
Subdivision Type3:Distance to Malé
Subdivision Name3:186.92km (116.15miles)
Seat Type:Capital
Parts Type:Geographic atolls
Parts Style:list
Leader Title:Council
Leader Title3:Mayor
Leader Title4:Island Chief
Unit Pref:Metric
Length Km:0.700
Width Km:0.500
Population Density Km2:auto
Utc Offset:+05:00
Postal Code Type:Assigned Letter
Postal2 Code Type:Assigned Letter
Area Code Type:Area code(s)
Blank Name Sec2:Number of Islands
Blank1 Name Sec2:Inhabited
Blank2 Name Sec2:Uninhabited
Blank3 Name Sec2:Total

Maamigili is one of the uninhabited islands of Raa Atoll in the Maldives. The island measures 750 meters in length and 500 meters in width for 100 hectares of coral reef.

The island has three notable buildings. Loama Resort Maldives at Maamigili is a resort situated on the island. It has a collection of historical artifacts placed at Loama Museum. Loama Art Gallery is also created to show contemporary local art.

Loama Museum

The Loama Museum collection spans from the classical to the British colonial periods. These include native artifacts, foreign objects from the Early Modern or colonial period (1514–1828) and British colonial period (1828–1965), a bath from the classical period (500 BCE – 1153), and mausoleums from the Medieval Islamic period (1153–1514).[1] The museum leads to ancient baths and a traditional house, which are located at the heritage site.[2]

Exhibits include Chinese porcelain that arrived during the Indian Ocean trade between Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Other artifacts from the collection represent the lifestyle of these coral atolls for centuries in the Indian Ocean and include grain measures, coconut oil production methods, and equipment for lace.

Traditional house

Loama Museum shows a traditional Maldivian house with a history spanning over 125 years in Kandholhudhoo. The house features teak panels and coral stone walls. Its dimensions are approximately 20 feet by 12 feet, and it is furnished with items for daily living.

Vevu

Vevu (Dhivehi), also known as bathing tanks, were historically used as public baths and later for ablution. The construction period of these Vevu is uncertain, but the use of sandstone indicates a possibility in the pre-Islamic era (500 BCE – 1153 CE). The symmetrical layout suggests a potential association with a temple. Similar baths can be found in other parts of the Maldives, some also featuring coral stone. The Vevu's construction involved layering sandstone blocks below the waterline, up to half a meter above the ground. An octagonal ledge was cantilevered at low tide level to facilitate access to the well.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Jameel . Mohamed Mauroof . Ahmad . Yahaya . January 2015 . Architectural Heritage Of Maldives And Its Revival Through Tourism . live . ResearchGate . https://wayback-api.archive.org/web/20230320183235/https://maritimeasiaheritage.cseas.kyoto-u.ac.jp/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Jameel-Mohamed-M.-and-Ahmad-Yahaya.-2015.-Architectural-Heritage-of-Maldives-and-its-Revival-Through-Tourism..pdf . March 20, 2023.
  2. Web site: Bruce . 2016-05-18 . Best of the Maldives: Official Museum – Loama at Maamigili Maldives Complete Blog . live . https://wayback-api.archive.org/web/20240222015716/http://blog.maldivescomplete.com/2016/05/18/best-of-the-maldives-official-museum-loama-at-maamagili/ . February 22, 2024 . 2024-05-18 . en-US.