Plausible locations in mesoamerica for book of mormon. Numerous observers have suggested that the book of mormon appears to be a work of fiction that parallels others within the 19thcentury moundbuilder genre that was pervasive at the time. This book of mormon map along with a wall map are available for down loading in color and the book of mormon geography book a promised land, the land of promise with all the mormon maps and details is also available at alpha publishing at. Exploring the lands of the book of mormon, by joseph allen, sa publishers, orem, utah, 1989, pp. Virtual book of mormon book of mormon maps and learning.
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. Book of mormon tours 275 n e, orem, utah 84097 rated 4. This book was a common household reference in young joseph smiths time and place. The geographical setting of the book of mormon is the set of locations of the events described. Cheesmans, the world of the book of mormon, deseret book, 1978. This site can be used as a study guide to help understand the book of mormon. These finds confirm scriptures found in the book of mormon. Many accounts of significant lands and cities are given in the book of mormon. For me, any map that doesnt put cumorah in new york is not useful or even. While nothing can take the place of a spiritual witness of the truthfulness of the book of mormon, an understanding of the correlating evidence of the book of mormon, especially as it relates to geography, can provide greater.
I had the pleasure of being amongst many on a tour to mesoamerica with john lund. In this book are a number of future book of mormon names, which appeared within alphabetized lists. 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. Why did moroni include mormons condemnation of infant baptism. Sorenson attempts to reconstruct that mental map mormons map using information in the text. A complete description of the book of mormon geography bomgeography, including an internal map model, external map model i. They would ask him, on the map, why is the sea east on the. Daniel johnson in his 2010 book of mormon archaeological forum presentation.
As mormon edited the book of mormon, he must have had a map in his mind of the places and physical features that were setting the events described in that book. Graphics processing with supercomputers then yields highly accurate 3d maps of the. I am very much a proponent of a more limited geography, and i believe the best available evidence places the core narrative of the book of mormon squarely in mesoamerica. In addition, the entire story of the book of mormon occurred within a small 500mile radius within mesoamerica. Metals and golden plates in mesoamerica, daniel johnsons. 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. How a mormon lawyer transformed archaeology in mexicoand. After years of studying maps, mormon scripture, and spanish chronicles. Plausible locations in mesoamerica for book of mormon places.
Oct 03, 2016 a comparison of book of mormon geographies showing new york to be the most viable setting for book of mormon events. How does the book of mormon help date the first christmas. Mesoamerica, the region of southern mexico, guatemala, and adjacent nations. Instead, we are left to our own speculations concerning book of mormon geography. Mesoamerica has highly varied landforms with elevations ranging from sea level to 5,600 meters. Apr 06, 2007 i had the pleasure of being amongst many on a tour to mesoamerica with john lund. Those that show cumorah in new york, and those that dont. The book of mormon is a highly controversial book in the light of mesoamerican archeology. A detailed map for the book of mormon has been produced by archaeologist garth norman which may solve a longstanding puzzle.
Lund is a motivational speaker, author, tour guide, scholar and consultant. Muleks party first arrived in the land north see helaman 6. Anthropologist mark wrights 2008 fair conference address on similarities between mesoamerica and the book of mormon. We build enduring faith in jesus christ by making the book of mormon accessible, comprehensible, and defensible to the entire world. May 21, 2018 the book of mormon describes mountains, hills, and valleys with significant elevation differences between them. A dna study by emory university, accepted by the smithsonian, acknowledges that some native americans have ancestry in common with the peoples in modern israel and the mediterranean area. While nothing can take the place of a spiritual witness of the truthfulness of the book of mormon, an understanding of the correlating evidence of the book of mormon, especially as it relates to geography, can provide greater appreciation for this inspired book of scripture. Maps moronis america the north american setting for. Buried beneath the jungle vegetation lie sprawling ruined palaces of fine masonry architecture, still magnificent and beautiful despite the ravages of over a millennium. A summary of several theories of book of mormon lands in. A comparison of book of mormon geographies showing new york to be the most viable setting for book of mormon events. For that reason, our design team has chosen to develop an internal map that shows relational directions and approximate distances that match the. 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.
The church and byu stay neutral in questions of exactly where the book of mormon took place. Any book of mormon lands proposal must be able to demonstrate all. Mesoamerica and heartland book of mormon geographies. Guatemala, honduras, belize, and mexico mesoamerica 2021. The name mesoamerica is a term used to identify the heartland of a number of significant precolumbian cultures.
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. Sorensons geographical model in his other books point to mesoamerica. Mesoamerica and the book of mormon is this the right place. We are the pioneers of the book of mormon tour concept. The lord has never revealed the specific location of book of mormon events. Revisiting the seven lineages of the book of mormon and the seven tribes of mesoamerica diane e. This map shows what some think as original settings for the book of mormon. Finally there is a way to really explore john sorensons book of mormon geography. Wirth the number seven had several connotations to the precolumbian communities of mesoamerica. In those roles, he has been approached with difficult questions about book of mormon geography. Bmaf supports a mesoamerican context for the major book of mormon sites. Oct 02, 2014 finally there is a way to really explore john sorensons book of mormon geography. This map plausibly positions these and other book of mormon locations in the general mesoamerican arena. Book of mormon geography your site for lds theology.
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. I agree that the book of mormon describes mountains, hills and valleys, but the text also refers to plains e. Mormon s map is book of mormon scholar john sorenson s reconstruction of that. I would recommend that the reader keep a book of mormon map close by. New revelations of the americas before columbus by charles c.
For me, any map that doesnt put cumorah in new york is not useful or even relevant. In this book are a number of future book of mormon names, which appeared within alphabetized. The scientific legacy of a quest to prove the book of mormon. Because the book of mormon, the keystone of our religion, is a record of some of the ancient inhabitants of mesoamerica, the ruins and artifacts of this region of the new world hold a special fascination for latterday saints. Hemispheric models take specific, named cities in the book of mormon and disperse them far and wide across the whole of north and south america. The three authors of an lds guide to mesoamerica, walk us through the lands of the book of mormon. Claims the narrow neck of land is the isthmus of tehuantepec, and the basic area is that of mesoamerica. We have taken more tours to mesoamerica to compare the ancient sites and civilizations with the book of mormon than any other tour operator. Includes every geographical place mentioned in the book of mormon. 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. The lord could have removed all questions regarding the exact locations of these events but he did not. You will be astonished with the amount of concrete scientific parallels between mesoamerica and slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising.
This page is a supplement to my book of mormon evidences page. Archaeological evidence seems to indicate that the main core or center of the jaredite civilization was located on the mexican gulf coast, in what are now the southern. 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. The book of mormon geography lands and map with dna evidence. This book locates everything from the narrow neck, to zarahemla, from cumorah, to the land of promise, bountiful. 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. Book of mormon tours has been operated by the allen family since 1970.
Palenque the ruins of palenque lie in the shadow of a lush mountainside east of. The book makes a lot of seemingly good approximations of where the book of mormon predominately took place. A strange aura of mystery and excitement seems to hover about the crumbling monuments of those almost unknown people. A limited geography model for the book of mormon is one of several theories by latter day. Based on the reasons i listed above as well as others, i currently favor a mesoamerica setting for book of mormon geography, similar to the map presented below. Havent you always wanted to have a detailed map of just where everything is in the book of mormon. Archaeology research in precolumbian americas and the book of mormon.
Proposed map of the lands and sites of the book of mormon. Other locations may meet some of the following criteria, but only mesoamerica meets all these elements required by the book itself. I purchased this book a few days prior to leaving, had it. 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 mormon s map, there has consistently been one general result. Revisiting the seven lineages of the book of mormon and the. The book of mormon and defensive fortifications in mesoamerica. After all, when you read the bible, you can turn to the maps and see where everything happened. Oct 27, 2010 mesoamerica and the book of mormon is this the right place. Since the days of joseph smith most saints believed that the book of mormon took place across the entire expanse of north and south america. Proposed book of mormon geographical setting wikipedia.
By the 1930s, when ferguson learned about mesoamerican civilizations as an. Book of mormon geography jeff lindsays site and the shake. So, if im understanding you correctly, you are dismissive of vogels workclaims on the subject because so much remains undiscovered. Because we cannot expect to find textual proof of the nephites in mesoamerica, we must. Archaeological and historical evidence jareditesolmecs. The archaeological and historical evidence indicates that the ancient people that we call olmecs in our day are the same people, called the jaredites in the book of mormon.
The book of mormon and mesoamerican archeology book of. But i emphasize, thats because i think knowing the realworld setting is important. Because the book of mormon, the keystone of our religion, is a record of. I am very much a proponent of a more limited geography, and i believe the best available. 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. Book of mormon geography jeff lindsays site and the. In my view, there are two categories of book of mormon maps. 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. This book of mormon map along with a wall map are available for down loading in color and the book of mormon geography book a promised land, the land of promise with all the mormon maps and details is. You will be astonished with the amount of concrete scientific parallels between mesoamerica and slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and. This map plausibly positions these and other book of mormon locations in the general mesoamerican. Even the hill cumorah, where joseph smith obtained the gold plates, is not really the same hill cumorah mentioned in the text. Virtual book of mormon book of mormon maps and learning tools. I would recommend that the reader keep a book of mormon map close by such as the one shown above the next time you read through the book of mormon.
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