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Introduction: Why there is a need for
honest critiques and comparisons between the various theories. In the spring of 1999, a friend brought me a copy of an article she found in Double Take Magazine, Vol. 5. No. 2, which she thought might interest me knowing of my research into Book of Mormon geography. The title of the article read, "This Is Not the Place," in big bold letters, with the caption at the top reading: "For the last fifty years, Mormons have searched for proof of their Church’s mysterious origins—but is it there?" It was written by Hampton Sides, and published by the center of Documentary Studies at Duke University. It seems Mr. Sides, had been intrigued by the Hill Cumorah pageant put on by the Church near Palmyra, New York, in 1998, and decided to do more research about the religion that sponsored such a beautiful extravaganza. When he inquired about where the events depicted in the pageant took place, he learned that while the Church Authorities had made no official pronouncements on the subject, the prevailing view among some of the intellectuals of the Church was that Book of Mormon events did not take place in upstate New York around the Hill Cumorah, but in Mesoamerica, and had quietly been trying to prove it for over a half century. Unfortunately, mainstream archaeologists have scoffed at such attempts, calling them "patently absurd, procedurally flawed, even racist."1 Yet, recognizing that if the book is true, it had to have happened somewhere, Book of Mormon scholars and archaeologists continued their search. But, as Mr. Sides and others noted, "the ground refuses to cooperate." He commented further, that:
Unfortunately, anti-Mormon groups have also had a field day with the fact that so little of the terra firma in Mesoamerica fits the geographic descriptions given in the scriptures. The comment by the noted LDS archaeologist, John Clark, did not help the cause, for he openly suggested that the reason some things do not fit comfortably into the Mesoamerican setting is because the Book of Mormon was translated incorrectly. His comment to Sides on that subject was:
Now, even the lay membership of the Church know that such a thing cannot be, for the Book of Mormon was translated by divine means. The Angel, Moroni, himself, declared:
Unfortunately, the sentiments of Hampton Sides on the whole matter of Mormon archaeology reflect the sentiments of many. He comments:
After his interviews with Sorenson and accompanying LDS archaeologists to the lands in question, Mr. Sides then returned to the University and began his lengthy article entitled This is Not the Place! His article was not malicious, although some of his comments were stinging. Even so, I would not call Hampton Sides an anti-Mormon, but simply a journalist tackling what he thought was a worthy story. Yet, others use such matters as proof that the Mormon Church is not true, claiming that without proof of where the saga played out in the Book of Mormon actually took place, it can only be deemed a fraud. Because of the lack of evidence in Mesoamerica, new theories are coming to light, most of them fostering settings closer to the Cumorah lands of the northeastern United States. Because of the long held popularity of the older ideas, however, it is important to detail the differences between the older Mesoamerican setting and the newer ideas which place Book of Mormon territory around the Hill Cumorah in New York State, for in no other way can the lay member be informed on the matter. The first and foremost difference between the two settings, is that one is in Mexico, and the other in what the prophets refer to as the promised land, a land even the latter-day prophets insist is America. Because that subject is addressed in another segment on this web site, it will not be addressed here. Nor will the lengthy evolution of the various theories about Book of Mormon geography be addressed, for that subject, too, has been dealt with in a separate segment on this web-site. Suffice it to say that much of the interest in the Central American setting was due to a book entitled, Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas and Yucatan, by the explorer and author John Lloyd Stevens back in 1850. From his description of the exotic ruins found in those regions, the seeds were planted for the Central American theory which has continued to grow over the years to become the most accepted of the various theories of our day. As time passed and more emphasis was given the scriptures, scholars began to realize that the region described in the Book of Mormon was not as large as they had once supposed. Thus, in their efforts to reconcile the rather limited region described in the scriptures, Book of Mormon theorists narrowed their focus of archaeological research down from their original "two continent theory" to include only the small areas around Guatemala, part of Honduras, and parts of the Mexican states of Veracruz, Tabasco, Oaxaca and Chiapas. But, in doing so, they had to discount the Hill Cumorah in New York State as the hill described in the scriptures, for it was simply too far away from the limited region they had chosen to explore. Thus, Mesoamerica theorists invented a second Hill Cumorah closer to their field of study, a subject also treated in another of the Question and Answer segments on this site. Mr. Sides was not too complimentary of the lengths such theorists went to prove their suppositions, calling them incredulous, to say the least. I will not include the accusations made by Mr. Sides investigation here, nor voice my own opinions on the matter, other than to direct the reader’s attention to the promise of the New York setting, and the differences between the two. Critiques are an important part of discovery. Therefore, let them come, but honestly and without distortion or efforts to malign those whose views differ from another. The final view of things should always be left in the hands of the honest investigator, who, after piecing together all the pieces of the puzzle, and seeing which of the various theories fits the descriptions give in the scriptures, can choose for him or herself which one to embrace. If one theory does not work, check out another, and then another until one shows up which meets all the criteria mentioned in the scriptures. One who failed to look beyond the mark and thus lost his testimony, was Thomas Ferguson, an attorney and former FBI agent. In the late 1940's, flush with excitement over the new Mesoamerican parameters that had been staked out by various BOM scholars, Ferguson personally searched through the jungles of Chiapas hunting for suitable places for Nephite ruins. He continued his research from 1950 to 1970 and was as devoted to the "cause" as any who ever embarked on archaeological explorations. His zeal was untiring and his determination undaunted, but his mind was that of a lawyer, and he was determined to find concrete evidence of Nephite or Jaredite occupation. In 1952, Ferguson created the New World Archaeological Foundation and began to solicit funds to continue his research and explorations. The organization did such fine work it ultimately received international status in their expanded field of archaeology, for their work produced a great deal of worthwhile information for the world in general. Unfortunately, it did nothing to prove the Book of Mormon. In fact, the more time that passed, the more discouraged Ferguson became. In 1975, he wrote, "I sincerely anticipated that Book of Mormon cities would be positively identified within ten years--and time has proved me wrong." In 1975, he wrote a 29 page paper on the subject which expressed his deep disappointment at the results of his lengthy explorations. He said:
He then proceeded to produce a list of points he felt could not be reconciled. Not only had they not found the remains of many of the animals mentioned in the Book of Mormon, but neither had they found many of the grains, fruits or metals mentioned either. Commenting further he said: "Non-LDS scholars of first magnitude, some of whom want to be our friends, think we have real trouble here." Needless to say, Ferguson’s testimony was shaken over the whole ordeal and he went to his grave in 1985 a broken man spiritually. Rather than conclude the lands he and his colleagues had been investigating did not conform to the geographical and anthropological guidelines defined in the scriptures, he chose to conclude the authenticity of the Book of Mormon was in question instead. How sad. No, how tragic, for if square pegs don’t fit round holes, find round pegs, or in other words, look elsewhere. In spite of the troubles so many anti-Mormons, mainstream archaeologists, and many of the lay members of the Church find with the Mesoamerica theory, it still holds fascination for many of the Saints—probably because of the exotic ruins found in those regions. Obviously, the Book of Mormon took place somewhere, so why not there? The answer to that question is not an easy one, for many things have to be considered. Do those exotic stone ruins, which still reek with the blood of thousands upon thousands of sacrificial victims, fit the description of the wooden temples built after the manner Solomon’s by the Nephites? Do the animals, grains and fruits fit as well? Can the geographical descriptions be reconciled perfectly with a given area including the seas, rivers, and lands and their relative position to one another? Do the ups and downs of various lands described in the scriptures fit the topography of the region in question, and can the size of those regions be reconciled with the limited territory described within? If so, we have no problem. Unfortunately, in spite of the best intentions of men of renown, and untold numbers of dollars spent in research, they do not, for there are far too many inconsistencies between the lands chosen by Mesoamerican theorists and those described within the Book of Mormon. Yet, this author is prepared to suggest that a place does exist—but one in a totally different location, a region far to the north in what was designed to become a land of liberty to the great Gentile Nation of the latter-days, that being the United States of America. But, let it be known here and now, that if at any time in the future the Lord reveals that Book of Mormon territory is more eastward or westward than I have proposed, or even moves it to another location altogether, my testimony will remain unshaken and as immovable as it is today. The content of the Book of Mormon is the Word of God, of this I have no doubt whatever, and no piece of ground, no relic, no mummified remains, or gold or silver artifact, or lack thereof, will alter my testimony of the truthfulness of that sacred work in the least. But, until the time comes that the Lord reveals the true location to his servant, the Prophet, and thus sanctions one location or another, the region of western New York, as presented in this author’s The Lost Lands of the Book of Mormon, provides the most plausible site yet proposed; a site completely backed up by the scriptures and by modern archaeological evidence. By printing out the free map offered on this site and by following the movement of the Nephites and Lamanites from land to land and place to place during one’s daily study of the Book of Mormon, let the readers discern for themselves whether the map and setting measure up. Now, a few of the issues described by Mr. Sides will be addressed here for your consideration.
A Comparison
of Plants, Animals, and Metals Animals
Mesoamerican setting. Due to the lack of evidence of the
existence of any of the animals mentioned in the scriptures, John Sorenson has
prepared a list of animals he suggests might be those Book of Mormon authors
were referring to. Name Animal or suggested substitute Cow None, perhaps a Deer, Lama or Bison.Ox None. Horse None, perhaps a Tapir or Deer. Ass None, perhaps a Tapir. Sheep None, perhaps a Paca or Agouti. Goat None, perhaps a Brocket or Deer. Swine Peccaries (wild pig), Dog Dogs, found throughout the Americas. Elephant Mastodon, many roamed the Americas. New York setting This author feels the scriptures were translated into language that we can readily understand. Thus, the names of the animals specified in the scriptures would be the same as those we recognize today. Those we don’t recognize are undoubtedly extinct. Cow While no bones of more ancient specimens have been found,
Champlain speaks of immense Plants Plants mentioned in the Book of Mormon include corn, wheat, barley, plus neas and sheum (both of which are unknown to us.) As in the case of animal bones, the absence of archaeological evidence of any of these grains does not prove they did not exist in either setting, but only proves that such grains were simply too fragile to survive over time. Archeological evidence in Mesoamerica Corn Found in a variety of places.Wheat No evidence can be found. Because the soil conditions and climate are not conducive to wheat production, Sorenson suggests that Book of Mormon authors may have been referring to Amaranth instead of wheat. 7 Barley No evidence can be found. Archaeological evidence in New York Corn A corn cob was found in an archaic site in New York, although it disintegrated before it couldbe dated. Yet, new archaeological evidence proves corn was being used in Illinois and Ohio during the Hopewellian era, which is also the era of the Nephites. Wheat While no wheat kernels have been found, because of New York’s fertile lands and temperate climate, the state has been one of the country’s leading supplier of wheat over the years . Therefore, it would seem reasonable to suppose that wheat could have thrived in the ancient setting as well. Barley No kernels found. This grain flourishes today along the Mohawk valley in New York. Thus, since the climate and soil conditions are favorable for this plant’s survivability we can likewise assume that barley could have thrived during the Book of Mormon era as well. Grapes Mesoamerican setting Because vineyards are not present in Mesoamerica, their theorists speculate that: ‘Wine’ and the ‘vineyards’ in King Noah’s land (Mosiah 11:15) can definitely be clarified by attention to linguistic matters. Those terms seem puzzling at first glance, since wine was apparently not made from grapes in the New World. . . . various sorts of ‘wine’ were described by the early Europeans in Mesoamerica: one from bananas in eighteenth - century Guatemala, another from pineapples in the West Indies, palm wine from royal palm trunk (manufactured from Veracruz to Costa Rica), and the balche of the Mayan area, made from a fermented tree bark. Clearly Noah the ‘wine’- bibber in the book of Mosiah could have been drinking something intoxicating besides the squeezings of the grape. 8 In response to the unfavorable comments by anti-Mormon’s on this issue, William J. Hamblin comments: Book of Mormon authors could have meant any fermented liquid including, for example, dandelions.9 New York setting. Many vineyards thrive in New York state today. Thus we can easily reconcile any reference to wine in the Book of Mormon with the same wine we are familiar with today - that made from grapes. (Some historians relate that the Norsemen stumbled onto what they referred to as Vineland in the 11th century which they speculated may have been either New York or Florida.) Metals Mesoamerican setting. On the issue of the absence of metals in the ancient Mesoamerican setting, Dudley T. Easby, Jr. one of the most respected experts on ancient American metal technology, wrote in 1960: The majority of scholars, relying on circumstantial evidence, believe that a fine metallurgy in ancient Mexico was limited to a few centuries before the arrival of the Spaniards. Perhaps they are right, but it seems to me that their theory leaves much to be explained. 10 The recent discovery of a few metal artifacts indicate metals may have been used before that time. (To be fair, the mere fact that history paints the ancient Nahuas of Mexico as metallurgists would certainly suggest so, although confined to the metals on hand, such as silver and gold.) Gold- (Yes) New York Setting. The Great Lakes region is the manufacturing center of the country, and is rich in ores such as copper and iron. With so much ore available it is not surprising that such an abundance of iron, steel, copper and brass artifacts have been unearthed in the vicinity - some of which date back to 2,500 B.C. Gold- (Yes) A few rare artifacts have been found, with the suggestion that some deposits of gold and silver accompanied the copper veins around Lake Superior, although most gold was found in Canada and Georgia. Silver- (Yes) Many Artifacts, Cement Mesoamerican setting. New York Setting.
The Book of Mormon mentions cement several times, however,
concrete is never mentioned. Carbonate rock is New York*s most valuable mineral resource, critical for building modern buildings and highways. Varieties of carbonate rock, such as limestone, and dolostone, are used today in making concrete, Portland cement, crushed stone, and highway paving materials. In the past, carbonate rock was used for natural cement, likely the material used by the Nephites. Natural cement is made by burning and grinding a special kind of limestone that contains just the necessary amount of clay minerals. The ground rock, mixed with water, will dry into a hard mass. Portland cement is different. It is made by heating a mixture of certain rocks and minerals, including limestone, together in a kiln. Clay is also found in abundance throughout the area. It was used in making bricks, pottery, stoneware dishes, and lightweight concrete. (Source: Geology of New York, a Simplified Account. - Educational leaflet #28, p. 202) Artifacts Although some of the metals found in the Book of Mormon cannot be found in Mesoamerica, they are found in abundance in the Northeastern United States. Jarom 1:8 clearly states that the Nephites made metal tools, and with those tools constructed temples and buildings and even machinery. The manufacture of steel alone implies great skill in metallurgy. And we multiplied exceedingly, and spread upon the face of the land, and became exceedingly rich in gold, and in silver, and in precious things, and in fine workmanship of wood, in buildings, and in machinery, and also in iron and copper, and brass and steel, making all manner of tools of every kind to till the ground, and weapons of war--yea, the sharp pointed arrow, and the quiver, and the dart, and the javelin, and all preparations for war. (Jarom 1:8.) Harvey Rice, author of Pioneers of the Western Reserve, was one of many of his day who was of the definite opinion that those whose bones were found buried beneath the earth all across the northeast also had a working knowledge of metals. He suggests a race of gigantic men once existed on this continent in the remote ages following the mastodon and the sourian. "Both plant and animal life assumed in many instances huge proportions, and in all probability, included in successive ages huge men." He maintained that these early people had acquired the art of manufacturing "edge/tools of copper and of tempering them that they would cut about as well as our modern steel implements." While it is suggested that some of the artifacts found in the region were created by simple hammering methods, the presence of such as brass and steel show they definitely had a knowledge of metallurgy. Josiah Priest comments on the discovery of such artifacts in his impressive book American Antiquities. In Scipio, (about 45 miles from Cumorah) on Salmon Creek, a Mr. Halsted has, from time to time during ten years past, ploughed up, from a certain extent of land of his farm, seven or eight hundred pounds of brass, which appeared to have once been formed into various implements, both of husbandry and war; helmets and working utensils mingled together. The finder of this brass, we are informed as he discovered it carried it to Auburn, and sold it by the pound, where it was worked up, with as little curiosity attending as though it had been but an ordinary article of the country’s produce . . .11
While gold artifacts are rare, a particularly beautiful relic was discovered in 1847, which provides evidence of the artistic skill of the one working the metal.
Iron is mentioned by De Roo, in History of America Before Columbus.
Other interesting artifacts were discovered in that same mound.
So far, gold, silver, iron, copper, and brass have been mentioned. Steel, the last in the list documented to have been in use by the Nephites, has also been discovered in the regions of the Mound Builders. Josiah Priest writes:
While some still try to persuade us that there is no evidence that the Nephites ever lived or thrived in the regions of New York, the evidence is overwhelming and speaks out loudly from the dust of the earth to be heard and from the graves of the ancients who once occupied that region. Thus it is time to turn our attention to the first hand accounts of those who actually walked the lands before the encroachments of our modern day destroyed the overwhelming evidence that the Nephites and Jaredites of the Book of Mormon once lived there. Such powerful descriptions of the condition of the land and the artifacts found, including the thousands of bones found in the region, is overwhelming evidence of the presence of an ancient people exactly like those described in the Book of Mormon and simply cannot be dismissed anymore.
End Notes: 1- Hampton Sides, This is Not the Place, Double Take Magazine, vol. 3,
No. 2, p. 48, Published by the Center for Documentary
Copyright © 1998 by Phyllis Carol Olive
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