This book locates everything from the narrow neck, to zarahemla, from cumorah, to the land of promise, bountiful. Byu library, an account of our book of mormon lands tour, 27 january to 16 february 1961. Even the hill cumorah, where joseph smith obtained the gold plates, is not really the same hill cumorah mentioned in the text. Unlike the humid jungles of mesoamerica, the desert lands of the bible tend to preserve artifacts. Since the publication of the book of mormon in 1830, mormon archaeologists have attempted to find archaeological evidence to support it. They discuss early church assumptions as to where the people of the book of mormon lived, and then discuss the plausible locale that is theorized by most lds scholars today. The book of mormon events did not occur in mesoamerica or anywhere south of texas. Wells jakeman claimed that a carved stone monument unearthed in izapa, mexico, in 1941 depicted lehis vision of the tree of life as reported in the book of mormon. The book of mormon geography lands and map with dna evidence. The name being a nahuatl word meaning cincorn and tepechill. Book of mormon central bomc is a team of ardent students of the nephite scripture working together to share the wonders of this inspired masterpiece with the world. Book of mormon societies parallel mesoamerican civilizations. Deseret book, 20, ably demonstrate that there is a plausible geographical and cultural setting that can. Archaeological sites in mesoamerica book of mormon central.
He is a great teacher, a brilliant scholar, and gifted with a sense of humor. On february 1, 2018, national geographic broke a story about some incredible new discoveries in mesoamerican archaeology using new technology. Below is the modern map of the area of smiths youth. Archaeological evidence has placed ancient american peoples such as the olmecs, teotihuacans, zapotecs, mayans, and chiapas in various general locations in mesoamerica. The book of mormon and mesoamerican archeology book of.
The church of jesus christ of latterday saints released a statement today concerning the geography of the book of mormon in the form of a new gospel topics. The interpretion of the image as referenced in joseph allens book exploring the lands of the book of mormon is listed below the image. The 10th annual book of mormon lands symposium was held in salt lake city to discuss the research and discoveries most recently made supporting. He has explored the anthropology of mesoamerica, which is southern mexico and northern central america and has found conclusive evidence to support his theories. The name mesoamerica is a term used to identify the heartland of a number of significant precolumbian cultures. Lunds love for history and the book of mormon has taken him to mexico, honduras, belize and guatemala more than twenty times. The book of mormon describes massive destructions when christ was crucified. Others argued for a setting in the american heartland. After several months of intense careful study of the text i have put together the following proposed map, showing the relative positions of book of mormon lands, cities, rivers, etc. Book of mormon tours 275 n e, orem, utah 84097 rated 4.
Book of mormon lands discovering the lost lands of the. Book of mormon geography, the near cumorah setting there have been numerous attempts to locate the long, lost lands of the book of mormon over the years. Made popular by his 1985 publication an ancient american setting for the book of mormon, sorensons geographic model for the book of mormon has withstood the test of time and remains the preeminent geographic model for book of mormon events. In 1978, the company was known as middle america tours and it became the largest company to conduct tours to the lands of the book of mormon, an area today known as mesoamerica.
We build enduring faith in jesus christ by making the book of mormon accessible, comprehensible, and defensible to the entire world. Others look to peru and south america, or to the baja peninsula, or texas, and some even propose the malaysian peninsula. Exploring the book of mormon in americas heartland. I had always felt that much of the book of mormon content could not be explained had its geography been set in the north climate, terrain, dress and this book. How a mormon lawyer transformed archaeology in mexicoand. Oct 31, 2012 the 10th annual book of mormon lands symposium was held in salt lake city to discuss the research and discoveries most recently made supporting the mesoamerican setting of the events of the book. The lands of te book of mormon are found in mesoamerica. Apr 07, 2011 if you would like consider the true book of mormon lands do some research from the author who wrote the book lehi never saw mesoamerica. How do these new discoveries relate to the book of mormon. Which is what makes the book of mormon all the more convincing.
Proposed book of mormon geographical setting wikipedia. You will walk away with a greater knowledge and appreciation of mesoamericans and their. Anthropologist mark wrights 2008 fair conference address on similarities between mesoamerica and the book of mormon. The maya and the olmec have a written languagea requirement for book of mormon peoples, who kept records. Book of mormon lands discovering the lost lands of the book. Deseret book, 1985 and his masterpiece, mormons codex. Book of mormon geography jeff lindsays site and the. Joseph smith did not receive revelation where book of mormon lands were located, but his last statements about book of mormon geography point us to mesoamerica. A book that introduces all the requirements of book of mormon lands. He also taught them that moroni had traveled from central america to palmyra, newyork dedicating future temple sites along the way. The 10th annual book of mormon lands symposium was held in salt lake city to discuss the research and discoveries most recently made. Oct 03, 2016 a comparison of book of mormon geographies showing new york to be the most viable setting for book of mormon events.
Oct 27, 2010 these man credited joseph smith with teaching them that the land of bountiful mention in the book of mormon was in central america. The hopewell when european colonists began to expand west beyond the allegheny mountains, they found tens of thousands of mounds scattered all across the land. This page is a supplement to my book of mormon evidences page. Book of mormon tours which take interested members to see the lands of the book of mormon in mesoamerica. The scientific legacy of a quest to prove the book of mormon. Mesoamerica, the region of southern mexico, guatemala, and adjacent nations. It uniquely goes about verifying each requirement, step by step. Have you ever wanted to visit book of mormon lands. Book of mormonlamanitesrelationship to amerindiansmaya. Book of mormon geography jeff lindsays site and the shake. All opinions, speakers and presenters represent and express their own individual opinions, and not necessarily the opinions of firm foundation, book of mormon evidence, or its employees, and no information or opinions represent the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. There is not a single authenticated or documented historical account, which has been verified by official church historians, that establishes that the prophet joseph smith relinquished his revelatory position that the heartland of north america were the lands of the book of mormon, or that its history occurred in mesoamerica.
Some place the geography of the book in upstate new york or near the great lakes. His dissertation was on the subject of the white god quetzalcoatl. Mesoamerica is the site of the only literate precolumbian population. Cities were burned, buried with earth, and sunk under water. It is clear that the primary reason mormon scholars wish to locate book of mormon lands in mesoamerica is the fact that this was the center of the maya civilization, the only precolumbian new world civilization that had a written language. Jan 22, 2011 anthropologist mark wrights 2008 fair conference address on similarities between mesoamerica and the book of mormon. As each new theory surfaces, we gain fresh hope of acquiring additional insights into it ancient location, but are all too often disappointed. See more ideas about book of mormon, america and ancient civilizations. This site can be used as a study guide to help understand the book of mormon. A summary of several theories of book of mormon lands in. Apr 06, 2007 i had the pleasure of being amongst many on a tour to mesoamerica with john lund.
Mesoamerica has become the focal point for understanding the book of mormon. Phyllis carol olive, lost lands of the book of mormon, 83. Many accounts of significant lands and cities are given in the book of mormon. Written records are a prominent feature of peoples described in the book of mormon. There were massive earthquakes, and darkness covered the land. If you arent familiar with the book of mormon, please see my book of mormon introduction page and get your own free copy at mormon. For the first 150 years of mormonisms existence, everyone thought it was a story about a people who left the middle east and came to south or central america, and who fought wars clear up into new york state where. Book of mormon and the ruinsthe main issues hugh nibley. The book of mormon is supposed to be a history of real people living in a real place. If you arent familiar with the book of mormon, please see my book of mormon introduction page and get your own free copy at. Archaeological evidence indicates that these ancient jaredite people, who according to the book of mormon lived on the western hemisphere from approximately 2500 b. The critics would have us believe that there is little if any difference between biblical archaeology and book of mormon archaeology. One hill is located in the land of desolation where the final battles of both the jaredites and nephites took place.
Foundation for ancient research and mormon studies. Includes every geographical place mentioned in the book of mormon. Mayan civilization and parallels to the book of mormon. John sorensons landmark works, an ancient american setting for the book of mormon salt lake city. To help with the increasing amount of new information, a blog site has been setup for research relating to the book of mormon lands in baja california. Tres zapotes is close to where the final jaredite and nephite battles are. Claims the narrow neck of land is the isthmus of tehuantepec, and the basic area is that of mesoamerica. In addition, the entire story of the book of mormon occurred within a small 500mile radius within mesoamerica. The main passage mentions the land of nephi bordering on the seas, a narrow strip of wilderness, the land of zarahemla, and the headwaters of the river sidon see alma 22. Dec 02, 2016 to help with the increasing amount of new information, a blog site has been setup for research relating to the book of mormon lands in baja california. Why did snakes infest jaredite lands during a famine. See my answers to questions about the book of mormon here. However, when serious book of mormon students first begin with a detailed consideration of the internal map implicit to the book of mormon and then search for a plausible location that fits the book of mormons map, there has consistently been one general result. We build enduring faith in jesus christ by making the book of.
Ever since it was first published in 1830, claiming to contain the word of god as recorded by precolombian americans in a golden bible, it has had its passionate defenders and equally adamant critics. Sorenson is convinced that the events in the book of mormon took place in a much smaller area than many believe. Cheesmans, the world of the book of mormon, deseret book, 1978. In this page, i discuss the recent discoveries in mesoamerica which have caused a complete paradigm shift in the thinking of scholars. This over 2000 year time period, allow them to spread out over the land from at least as far south as peru, traveling by boat along the west coast. Lund, mesoamerica and the book of mormon is this the place. This fact alone virtually eliminates any other geographical area from being considered as lands of the book of mormon 7 socalled dna proofs use unsubstantiated theories. I purchased this book a few days prior to leaving, had it personalized and signed by him, and read it before, during, and after my adventure in the book of mormon lands. There are several theories held among latterday saints for the location of book of mormon lands. The three authors of an lds guide to mesoamerica, walk us through the lands of the book of mormon. The olmecs are thought to have been contemporaries with the jaredites, while the chiapas may possibly have been associated with some of the nephite peoples. What could joseph smith have known about mesoamerica. A summary of several theories of book of mormon lands in mesoamerica the contents of all bmaf publications are the sole responsibility of the individual authors and therefore do not necessarily represent the views of bmaf or the church of jesus christ of latterday saints.
View the original article at the book of mormon resources blog. By the 1930s, when ferguson learned about mesoamerican. That sound made its way into later book of mormon languages and survived the centuries until today. The book of mormon and defensive fortifications in mesoamerica. The fight over book of mormon geography deseret news.
The land of zarahemla is at a lower elevation relative to the land of nephi. Massive structures of every conceivable type were found, including pyramids, cone shaped mounds, hilltop forts, terraced platforms, and effigy mounds in the shape of various animals. Tres zapotes is close to where the final jaredite and nephite battles are believed to have been fought. Critics have long focused on the inconsistency between book of mormon claims the mesoamerican setting that has long prevailed in the church. Book of mormon difficulties, contradictions and explanations. Read the s of posts he has made over the last three years explaining why south america is the book of mormon lands yet the land of promise is both north and south america. Some placed the nephite capital city zarahemla in mesoamerica, others in south america. Archaeological and historical evidence jareditesolmecs. The book of mormon and mesoamerican archeology the book of mormon is a highly controversial book in the light of mesoamerican archeology. A complete description of the book of mormon geography bomgeography, including an internal map model, external map model i.
I had the pleasure of being amongst many on a tour to mesoamerica with john lund. A comparison of book of mormon geographies showing new york to be the most viable setting for book of mormon events. Although historians and archaeologists consider the book to be an anachronistic invention of joseph smith, many members of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints lds church and other denominations of the latter day saint movement believe that it. Finally there is a way to really explore john sorensons book of mormon geography. Unfortunately, exploring and testing his geographic. This is a touchy subject since so many people are convinced joseph said the final nephite battle was in new york. On subsequent days, the story was picked up by other major media outlets such as bbc, washington post, npr, the new york times, and. The main passage mentions the land of nephi bordering on the seas, a narrow. Book of mormonlamanitesrelationship to amerindiansmaya and. Mesoamerica and the book of mormon linkedin slideshare. The 10th annual book of mormon lands symposium was held in salt lake city to discuss the research and discoveries most recently made supporting the mesoamerican setting of the events of the book.
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