What ancient stone monument is on the flag of the Northern Mariana Islands?

A latte stone is on the flag of the Northern Mariana Islands. The gray stone sculpture stands at the center of the flag, inside a colorful floral wreath and beneath a white star.

Latte stones are traditional Chamorro architectural pillars, usually made in pairs with a supporting shaft and a capstone. Ancient Chamorro communities used them as foundations for important buildings, including homes and structures associated with community life. On the flag, the latte stone represents the Chamorro people and their deep history in the Mariana Islands.

The flag was adopted on July 1, 1985, under the Northern Mariana Islands’ second constitution. Its dark blue field symbolizes the Pacific Ocean and the Mariana Trench. The white star represents the United States, while the floral wreath, or mwarmwar, represents the Carolinian people.

The monument is sometimes mistaken for a generic statue or dolmen because it is shown in simplified form. A latte stone is more specific: it is a distinctive cultural and architectural symbol of the Marianas, not simply any ancient stone monument. The Northern Mariana Islands are a U.S. commonwealth in the western Pacific.