Before we examine some of the possible locations for Book of Mormon geography however, I would similar to stress the fact that as of today, the Lord has non revealed where the Nephites or Lamanites lived, and as such, the LDS Church building has taken no official opinion on anything related to Book of Mormon Geography; and until this changes, this subject will remain in the fallible hands of academic scholarship at all-time. Therefore, if yous happen to be on the other side of this particular debate, and disagree with whatever of the conclusions I make in this commodity, all the better. All it means is that we are both students trying to piece this puzzle together to the best of our ability, and hopefully, nosotros are each coming to capeesh the Book of Mormon more in the process.
With that said, I at present enter the controversial arena of Volume of Mormon geography. Wish me luck.
Lehi'south Route in the Wilderness
Thankfully most scholars at least agree on the general locations that Lehi traveled after he left Jerusalem. The Book of Mormon states that when Lehi left Jerusalem, he traveled with his family to the "borders almost the shore of the Ruddy Sea" (1 Nephi 2:five). From in that location, Lehi and his family "traveled three days in the wilderness" and made their army camp "in a valley by the side of a river of water" (one Nephi 2:6). Lehi named this valley Lemuel (ane Nephi ii:10) and the river Laman (ane Nephi ii:8).
As one might suppose, in that location are not very many places in this region that have a running body of water within a 3 mean solar day journey from the boarders of the Red Sea. In fact, nosotros can very speedily narrow it downward to nigh three. LDS scholar Brant Gardner summarizes the three best candidates for the valley of Lemuel:
"[Authors] Hilton and Hilton suggest wadi al-Bad. George Potter and Richard Wellington argue for wadi Tayyib al Ism. Chadwick prefers Bir Marsha… Each has the of import virtue of having attainable water, but but wadi Tayyib al-Ism appears to meet the most difficult requirement, a continually running river (1 Ne. two:9)."
In other words, Wadi Tayyib al Ism is the just one of these three locations that has a river that runs "continuously" [i.e., year circular] into the Red Ocean, which is a Volume of Mormon requirement (i Nephi 2:9). It was likely at this location that Lehi and Nephi beheld the vision of the tree of life, and as well where Lehi plant the Liahona.
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| Wadi Tayyib al-Ism (Valley of Lemuel) |
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| Wadi Tayyib al-Ism (River Laman) |
Shazer
Later returning to Jerusalem a few times from this location, the Volume of Mormon tells united states of america that Lehi and his family unit left the valley of Lemuel and traveled in a "south-southeast direction" to a identify they called "Shazer" (ane Nephi 16:13). Shazer is a little more difficult to pinpoint on the map because there is not as much information about the area. Nevertheless, the Book of Mormon does give the states a few clues. Kickoff, the closest known Arabic word to Shazer means, "A valley or area abounding with trees and shrubs." 2d, Nephi tells us that there is proficient hunting to be had near this location:
And it came to pass that nosotros did accept our bows and our arrows, and get forth into the wilderness to slay food for our families; and after we had slain food for our families we did return again to our families in the wilderness, to the place of Shazer (ane Nephi 16:14).
Therefore, when looking for a possible candidate for Shazer, we need to look in a "south-southeast management" from Wadi Tayyib al Ism (the valley of Lemuel), we need to discover a place with wild animals nearby, and hopefully this place will be "abounding with trees and shrubs" as its proper name likely suggests. George Potter and Richard Wellington are credited for finding a location that fits each of these requirements, which is a region called Wadi Agharr. To this date, it is the best candidate for Shazer.
The Camp of the Broken Bow
From Shazer, we are told that Lehi's party "traveled for the space of many days" and pitched their tents "for the infinite of a time" (ane Nephi 16:17). Information technology was at this new location where Nephi broke his bow (see 1 Nephi 16:17-18). Every bit information technology turns out, this broken bow gives u.s.a. our only clue as to where this campsite might have been located; for afterward Nephi's bow was broken nosotros read:
And information technology came to pass that I, Nephi, did brand out of wood a bow, and out of a directly stick, and arrow (i Nephi sixteen:23).
This pocket-sized detail is helpful considering, in the words of Hugh Nibley:
"According to the aboriginal Arab writers, the only bow-wood obtainable in all Arabia was the nab' wood that grew only "amid the inaccessible and overhanging crags" of Mountain Jasum and Mountain Azd, which are situated in the very region where, if nosotros follow the Volume of Mormon, the broken bow incident occurred."
Nahom
From the camp of the broken bow, it was onto a place "which was chosen Nahom" (1 Nephi 16:34). It is interesting to note that Lehi and his party did non name this location similar they did previous locations along their journey (such as the valley of Lemuel and Shazer). Instead, the tape states that Lehi's party came to a place "which was called Nahom" (i Nephi 16:34). This suggests that this place was already in beingness at the time of Lehi.
If this is true, is there whatsoever evidence of an ancient place in this region with the name Nahom? As it turns out there is. In 1994 archeologists began excavating this expanse and discovered several ancient temple ruins that date back to this very time flow. At 1 of these temples was an altar with the word Nahom inscribed on it.  |
| The Chantry at Nahom |
What is more, we have since learned that this surface area was an ancient burial ground for the locals in this region. This is significant because this is where Lehi'south party carried Ismael to be buried when he died:
And it came to laissez passer that Ishmael died, and was buried in the place which was called Nahom (1 Nephi 16:34).
As far every bit we can tell, this ancient identify of Nahom is the best (and
mayhap only) candidate for the Book of Mormon's Nahom.
Bountiful
When Lehi's party left Nahom, the tape states that they "did travel nearly eastward from that time forth" (1 Nephi 17:1) until they arrived at the sea. This route would have taken them across Arabia's Empty Quarter.
The text then states:
And nosotros did come up to the land which we called Bountiful (i Nephi 17:five).
Hither is what we know about this land Bountiful, as taken from, Lehi in the Wilderness:
(i) It was "nearly east" from Nahom. (i Nephi 17:ane)
(2) It had arable and a broad diversity of fruits. (17:5; xviii:vi)
(iii) Information technology had wild honey. (one Nephi 17:5)
(iv) Information technology had an accessible seashore. (1 Nephi 17:six)
(five) It was adjacent to "many waters." (ane Nephi 17:6)
(6) There was a mountain nearby. (1 Nephi 17:seven)
(7) There was ore available. (i Nephi 17:7)
(eight) In that location were stones available to make fire. (1 Nephi 17:11)
(9) At that place were beasts ("skins") available for Nephi to brand bellows. (i Nephi 17:eleven)
(ten) At that place was "meat from the wilderness" available. (1 Nephi eighteen:six)
(11) Such things as were required to build & sail Nephi'southward ship. (ane Nephi 17:eight)
(a) A harbor to build it and launch it from.
(b) A protected port to outfit the transport.
(c) Materials to construct the ship…
(12) Cliffs directly above deep water. (1 Nephi 17:48)
As it turns out, in that location is simply one area in this entire region that fits all of these descriptions. This satellite photo below shows a small green area known equally Dhofar, which is completely surrounded past desert.
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| Satellite Photograph of the Land Bountiful |
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| Dhofar (The State Bountiful) |
Because this small oasis is the only expanse in the unabridged Arabian Peninsula that matches the description found in the Book of Mormon, it is the best on virtually only candidate for the country Bountiful. It was at Dhofar where Nephi built the ship that carried him and his family to the Promised Land. Merely after the ship was launched, where did information technology become from at that place? What route did they take?
Unfortunately, the Book of Mormon gives us virtually no information that helps us reply this question. All we tin can do is brand our best educated guess. While there are many possible routes Lehi'south party could have taken, at that place is one route that seems more logical than others, which is that Lehi and his family unit followed the coastline for every bit long every bit possible, before making the long voyage across the Pacific Ocean. Why? According to Joseph Allen, "they stopped for provisions along the way." Similarly, LDS historian Kelly DeVries stated:
"Nephi, no dubiety, kept close to shore when he could. This was not something that was only tradition among shippers, this was used for safety, and besides used for re-supply purposes."
LDS anthropologist John L. Sorenson agreed:
"Did they finish on the style? Surely! Why go without water when you can go ashore and get it?"
On a second occasion, Sorenson likewise added:
"Since boats routinely had to exist beached for repairs later storms, or to take their bottoms scraped, or to expect favorable winds, it is reasonable to presume that Lehi'south party would accept stopped from time to fourth dimension on their journey [along the coast line and] through [the Pacific] islands."
Thus, Nephi's route to the Promised Land may have looked something like this:
Once Nephi's send left the last island in the Pacific Ocean, it becomes much more hard to predict where they would have landed in the New Earth, and as such, in that location are countless theories that range from North to South America and everywhere in between.
Unlike Geography Models in the New Earth
Because in that location are and then many different models pertaining to Book of Mormon geography in the New World, it can often become overwhelming for most people to try and sort through each of them. However, for me personally, this is where the fun begins. Why? Because it forces me to really know my Volume of Mormon. In other words, each new proposed model of Book of Mormon geography brings with it a new set up of ideas, and new challenges to sort through. Whether it is Orson Pratt's Hemispheric model, George Potter's Peru Model, Rod Meldrum or Wayne May's Heartland/America model, John Sorenson and BYU's Mesoamerica model, or any of the many others countless models out there, ane thing is certain: if you do non know your Book of Mormon, you will not become much of anything out of any of these proposed models. That is where the fun lies for me. I have studied  |
| Mesoamerica Map |
each of these models over the years and have had an enjoyable fourth dimension coming to my own conclusions. My conclusions at the current time, favor a Mesoamerica model. This does not necessarily hateful that the conclusions I take come to over the years are correct; after all, I am still in the process of learning my Book of Mormon. All it means is that I currently favor a Mesoamerica model, and here is why.
The Jaredites
The main reason for my belief has to do with the Jaredites. In fact, it is much easier to locate where the Jaredites lived in the New Earth, than information technology is the Nephites or Lamanites. Later all, the Jaredites were a massive civilization numbering in the millions (see Ether xv:2) and occupied the Promised Country from approximately 1500 B.C. to approximately 250 B.C. How many civilizations could in that location be in the Americas that fit both of these criteria? As it turns out, there has just been 1 civilisation that archeologists have been able to locate: the Olmec'south of Mesoamerica. For case, LDS anthropologist John Sorensen stated that "Southern Veracruz [Olmec territory] is perhaps the simply area that ecologically would have likely have supported and then large a population in the centuries shortly after 1000 B.C ."
As it turns out, there are some other striking similarities between the Olmec's and the Jaredites equally well. For case, both are said to come from a smashing belfry in the Old World. In 1568, the famous Catholic priest and Mexican historian Fernando de Alva Ixtlilxochitl, wrote that afterward the great flood, the ancestors of the Olmec's "built a Zaucalli very high and strong, which means the very high tower to protect themselves against a second destruction of the world…. Every bit time elapsed, their language became confounded, such that they did not sympathise i another; and they were scattered to all parts of the globe." Furthermore, information technology is interesting to annotation that both civilizations ended all of a sudden, effectually 250 B.C ., by a fierce internal civil state of war that destroyed millions on both sides. Needless to say, each of these examples show striking similarities between the Olmec's and Jaredites, and until a improve candidate for the Jaredites is discovered, the Olmec's remain the best fit in my opinion.
Find the Jaredites, Detect the Nephites
The reason why this is relevant is considering once we locate the Jaredites, locating the Nephites becomes much easier. The Book of Mormon states
that the Jaredites lived in the state Northward in proximity to the Nephites. Later on in Nephite history, the Nephites were driven by the Lamanites into this land northward, into Jaredite territory. In fact, the Book of Mormon tells us that the Jaredite hill Ramah "was that same hill where…Mormon did hibernate up the records unto the Lord" (Ether 15:eleven). Because the Jaredites and Nephites occupied much of the same area, locating Jaredite lands means that we also locate Nephite lands.
Then was in that location a civilization that proceeded the Olmec civilization in the state due south from approximately 600 B.C. to 400 A.D. ? As it turns out, the Maya civilization satisfies each of these requirements, making them a neat candidate for the Mulekite/Nephite, and Lamanite civilizations.
A Written Language
A second reason why I currently prefer the Maya civilization as the Nephite civilization is because archaeology has been able to determine which big ancient civilizations located throughout Due north and Southward America had a written language between the years of 600 B.C ., and 420 A.D ., and which civilizations did non. As far as I know, the Maya civilization is the only known civilization to date that can pass this examination. LDS scholar Joseph Allen stated:
"The Book of Mormon was fabricated possible as a result of a written language… Scholars accept adamant that the just place on the American continent where a written language was in apply during the time period in which the Volume of Mormon history, coupled in the context of a high civilization, was in Mesoamerica….This fact alone virtually eliminates any other geographical surface area from existence considered as lands of the Book of Mormon."
Geography
One last reason I currently favor a Mesoamerican setting for the Volume of Mormon is that the geography in this area fits very nicely with what is described in the Book of Mormon.
While I do not take the time or infinite to become into much detail on this subject here, suffice information technology to say that every known city, lake, river, hill, sea, wilderness etc. mentioned in the Book of Mormon is in great relation to one another on our present Mesoamerican map. In fact, Mesoamerica is the only place in North and South America that has a "narrow strip of wilderness" [i.e. narrow mountain range] that fits the requirement in Alma:
[The land of the Lamanites] was divided from the land of Zarahemla by a narrow strip of wilderness, which ran from the body of water east even to the sea due west…and thus were the Lamanites and the Nephites divided (Alma 22:27; emphasis added).
Joseph Allen explains:
"Without question, the near reliable and meaning geological statement regarding Volume of Mormon geography is a narrow mountain range that runs from the east to the west and touches two oceans. The Book of Mormon says that the Lamanites were divided on their due north from the Nephite land of Zarahemla "by a narrow strip of wilderness, which ran from the sea due east even to the sea westward" (Alma 22:27; emphasis added)…. The only identify in the New World where a narrow mountain range runs in an east-due west direction and touches ii oceans—both Book of Mormon requirements—is the Cuchumatanes Mountains.
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| The Cuchumatanes Mountains, or "Narrow Strip of Wilderness" |
If nosotros are correct in our interpretation that a "narrow strip of wilderness" is a narrow mountain range, so we can say with relative certainty that the Cuchumatanes Mountains in Mesoamerica was the "narrow strip of wilderness" spoken of in the Book of Mormon. If true, the Nephites would have occupied the land north of this mount range, and the Lamanites the country south.
Proposed Book of Mormon Sites
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:
I would recommend that the reader proceed a Book of Mormon map close past—such equally the one shown above— the next fourth dimension you read through the Book of Mormon. Doing and then may help its contents come to life.
A Annotation on the Heartland Model
Recently, a new model of Book of Mormon geography has been gaining some traction among some Latter-mean solar day Saint circles, which has come up to exist known as the heartland model. Heartland, refers to the heartland of the The states. In other words, those who advance this model believe that the majority of Book of Mormon sites are located in the "heart" or middle of America.
After I had finished writing my book Before the 2d Coming, I was approached past Digital Legend, a publisher interested in publishing my book. What fabricated this publisher interesting to me was the fact that Digital Legend also publishes the books of Rod Meldrum, the main proponent of the heartland model. While in discussion with Digital Legend Press, I was asked to become more familiar with Rod Meldrum work and the Heartland theory before publication, which I gladly accustomed. Over the adjacent few months I very much enjoyed my time studying this model, and although I ended up using a unlike publisher for my book, it was nevertheless a worthwhile investment of my time.
After researching this item model however, while interesting, I was unable to exist convinced that the Book of Mormon could take identify in North America, mainly for the same reasons that Sorenson outlined on the Book of Mormon Archology Forum a few years ago. Here are a few of the reasons Sorenson cited that I am in agreement with:
one. The "promised land" occupied by the Nephites was characterized for many centuries as an area of "civilization." As indicated by archaeology and related studies, no identify in North America in the catamenia of Volume of Mormon history contained any cultures at the level of "culture."
ii. The population of Book of Mormon lands over much of the period of its history totaled from hundreds of thousands up to millions. The areas of N America touted as occupied by Nephites, Lamanites and Jaredites cannot be shown from objective evidence to have been anywhere near that level.
3. Many "cities" and fifty-fifty "swell cities" are reported by the Nephite record between 1500 BC and AD 400. Non a single such city has been documented in North America in that period.
14. People of Book of Mormon areas were often literate, in fact several scripts are reported. No North American cultures take been shown to have had any system of writing whatsoever.
15. At least the Nephites are said to have possessed "many" books roofing many subjects. No aboriginal Northward American books at all are evidenced.
19. There is no mention nor even hint of cold, snow or ice in the Book of Mormon account of its peoples. In the Slap-up Lakes or Prairie regions winter storms are and were so common that it is unthinkable that they would non exist a prominent mentioned feature of the climate.
xx. It is obvious from the description of the peachy catastrophe at the crucifixion of the Savior that volcanism must exist involved as a natural crusade (of at to the lowest degree the "darkness"). In eastern North America that is out of the question; at that place are no volcanoes there.
24. The country of Zarahemla is said to be "nearly surrounded by h2o" (i.eastward., seas). No North American geography qualifies.
25. The state northward supported a population of millions (Ether 15: 2) in late Jaredite times. Not simply is it manifestly absurd that any "land northward" around the Great Lakes, given the climatic conditions at that place, could accept supported fifty-fifty ane-hundredth every bit many people, but also the archaeology of that region shows but a tiny fraction of the history'south stated number ever to have dwelt there, permit alone in Jaredite times when no 1 lived there but a few hunting tribes.
30. The hill Cumorah in New York could not plausibly have been a refuge for the 23 survivors of the final battle who were institute atop information technology on the twenty-four hours after the groovy battle. Had they then much as sneezed their presence would have been detected by the Lamanites.
31. Had New York'due south loma been the site of the last boxing, the 230,000 Nephite expressionless (not to mention a big number of Lamanite expressionless—up to half a million total corpses) would have left behind over one-half a meg weapons. Remains on any such scale would have get obvious long since to archaeologists. In fact no weapons of the right flow have been constitute near the place.
37. Any attempt to put a country northward in, say, Ontario, must confront the fact that at that place is no trace of anything budgeted what the Volume of Mormon represents as Jaredite society in that area.
An Overlap Between Models?
However, with that said, I practise believe that in that location can be some overlap between the Mesoamerica and the heartland models, and that there is truth to exist establish in each model. In short, I am in agreement with Dr. Mark Wright who spoke on this subject at a Off-white conference in 2013. Hither is an excerpt from his talk:
"My bones thesis is this: The core locations and events detailed in the text of the Volume of Mormon took identify in Mesoamerica, but many Nephites and Lamanites migrated and established settlements far northward of the core expanse and are thus merely exterior the scope of the text.
[Subsequently siting several examples of Nephite and Lamanite migrations to the lands north, Wright continued:]
"To be clear, I am non arguing for a return to a "hemispheric" model of Book of Mormon geography. Hemispheric models take specific, named cities in the Volume of Mormon and disperse them far and wide across the whole of North and South America. I am very much a proponent of a more express geography, and I believe the all-time available evidence places the core narrative of the Book of Mormon squarely in Mesoamerica….
"What I am suggesting is in that location were likely endless Nephite and Lamanite settlements spread across the continent, including inside the so-called "Heartland," whose history is not contained in the Volume of Mormon; they are but external to the text. It doesn't make them any less Nephite or Lamanite, it just ways their history is non recorded in that book."
For those who are interested in learning more well-nigh Dr. Wright's thesis, I recommend you lot reading the entire extract as there is some mutual ground to be found between these two models of Book of Mormon geography.
Moroni & The Hill Cumorah
In my opinion, one of the more than confusing aspects of the Mesoamerica model is that of Moroni and Hill Cumorah. It is often asked, "If the Nephites lived in Mesoamerica, how could Moroni have buried them in upstate New York?" I thought it would be helpful for clarification purposes if I stated my current opinion on this subject, which is that I believe in that location were ii Hill Cumorah'southward. I in Mesoamerica, and one in Palmyra, New York. I believe that before Mormon died, he buried all of the plates that he had in his possession in the Mesoamerica Loma Cumorah, except for the gold plates, which he would give to his son Moroni:
Behold I, Mormon...fabricated this record [the Gilded Plates] out of the plates of Nephi, and hid up in the hill Cumorah all the records which had been entrusted to me by the hand of the Lord, salvage it were these few plates which I gave unto my son Moroni (Mormon 6:six; emphasis added).
This took place in 385 A.D. However, Moroni did not bury the gilt plates until 421 A.D. During this 36-year menstruum, Moroni stated, "I wander whithersoever I can for the safety of mine own life" (Moroni i:3).
I believe that Moroni spent these 36 years "wandering" from Mesoamerica to New York. We know from Brigham Young that Moroni did travel through the State of Utah, and defended the sites of the Manti and St. George temple grounds along his journey.
Old after this event, I believe Moroni continued his journey to upstate New York's Hill Cumorah to bury the plates.
Decision
In decision, I would similar to repeat many of the same statements I fabricated in the opening paragraphs of this article. As of today, the Lord has not revealed where the Nephites or Lamanites lived, and as such, the LDS Church building has taken no official stance on annihilation related to Volume of Mormon Geography. Therefore, the conclusions I have fabricated in this commodity does not hateful that we have located the ancient Nephite and Lamanite lands. Information technology merely ways that this is what I currently believe based on the information I accept been given. If you are on the other side of this particular debate, and have disagreed with whatever of the conclusions I made in this article, all the better. All it means is that we are both students trying to piece this puzzle together to the best of our ability, and hopefully, we are each coming to capeesh the Book of Mormon more in the process.
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