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. 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. The church takes no position on the specific geographic location of book of mormon events in the ancient americas. Instead, we are left to our own speculations concerning book of mormon geography. North america was home to some of the most highly advanced and well organized civilizations in the world complete with cities, roads, and commerce. Jun 12, 2016 joseph smith also seemed to believe that the united states was the book of mormon land. The conceptual map of the land of the book of mormon. May has been exploring the heartland of north america for evidences of the book of mormon for decades. See more ideas about archaeology, the book of mormon, book of mormon. Nor were there any animals in the americas which could be domesticated for food or milkthe peccary, or american hog, is irreclaimable in its love of freedom. Clair river, andor land between lake st clair and lake erie detroit river, andor ew pass between lake erie and lake ontario near niagara falls, andor ew pass south of lake erie and north of the.
Mar 23, 2017 wayne may presents archaeological support of the book of mormon to a group in malad, idaho in february of 2017. This is the main eastwest border between the nephites and lamanites from about adamondiahman to hill cumorah. Various apologists have claimed that events in the book of mormon took place in a variety of locations including north america, south america, central america, and even the malay peninsula. The lord has never revealed the specific location of book of mormon events. What the book of mormon says about america the book of mormon peoples were led to the american continent as a land of promise reserved for the righteous. Moronis america the book of mormon in north america. This and much more are all beautifully displayed in this book exploring the book of mormon in americas heartland. Book of mormon geography the encyclopedia of mormonism. An entirely new approach to the study of book of mormon geography. This land, north and south america, is the land of zion. The study of the ancient american horse and elephant points unavoidably to the north american setting for the book of mormon and adds strong supportive evidence that the book of mormon is true, contrary to the attacks of antimormons who say the absence of the horse and elephant in ancient america discounts the book mormons divine authenticity. According to book of mormon central, the most important material in volume 10 are the anonymous times and seasons articles.
Book of mormon tours lehitours guided tours of guatemala. Along with being a land of inheritance for lehis descendants, it will also be a land of freedom and liberty for all peoplea place where zion will be reestablished with the king of heaven as its king. In other words, since we believe main events of the book of mormon happened in a limited area of north america around the great lakes in the east, and ohio, indiana, iowa and missouri to the west, and south in tennessee, west virginia, georgia, and florida, all other areas will be discussed as the hinterlands. The true ties between the hopewell and the people of the book of mormon. I went digging and found much more evidence for the north american model of the book of mormon than i ever did in south america. The book of mormon is a book of scripture that details gods teachings to people who lived in the americas from about 600 bc to ad 400. I like to think that i am openminded, but proponents of south america as the book of mormon lands are going to have a difficult time convincing me. He revealed the site of the ancient manti city to be near huntsville, missouri history of js, vol 16, pg 296 smith also once identified some bones found in illinois during the zions camp march to be the bones of a lamanite whose name was zelph and who had died in one of the last battles.
A whole bunch of reasons why book of mormon geography could. Book of mormon geography in north america wayne may youtube. Jul 03, 2019 jacob declares gods will and voice concerning the promised land in the americas. The book of mormon says there were towers read pyramids throughout all of the lands. Book of mormon geography, the near cumorah setting. Of specific interest here are the widespread extinctions that occurred at the close of the pleistocene or ice age epoch, especially throughout north america.
New evidence for horses in america book of mormon central. For instance, assuming mesoamerica is the land of the book of mormon, the traditional belief that moroni left to survive with the gold plates after his father died about 400 a. For addition precolumbian dated horse bones, see miller and roper, animals in the book of mormon, 164. The west sea would be the salt sea or pacific ocean where lehi landed.
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 essay titled book of mormon geography. Now you can have wayne take you on a private tour of the sacred sites of the book of mormon through incredibly stunning, beautiful photography and video. The history of this land, as told in the book of mormon, was not questioned by josephs contemporaries. Phyllis carol olive, lost lands of the book of mormon, 83. Below is more detail about the above north american map of the book of mormon. Mar 06, 2012 the lost lands of the book of mormon phyllis carol olive on.
Stream tracks and playlists from mormon land on your desktop or mobile device. Mar 10, 2020 archaeology supporting the historicity of the book of mormon. Mormon land explores the contours and complexities of lds news. Mar 26, 2016 the material below covers the geography of the book of mormon in north america. As each new theory surfaces, we gain fresh hope of acquiring additional insights into it ancient location, but are all too often disappointed. Because of this theory, he wrote, some members of the church have become confused and greatly disturbed in their faith in the book of mormon. Book of mormon lands tour days12 nights guatemala, honduras and mexico aug 1st to aug. Gods word is to be established by two or more witnesses 2 cor.
The book of mormon does not say that the entire land northward resides in land occupied by the united states of america. Book of mormon in north america maps book of mormon evidence. The hill cumorah in ontario county ny is the hill where joseph smith found the golden plates and is the same hill where the civilizations of the nephites cumorah and the jaredites ramah fought their last battles. Proposed book of mormon geographical setting wikipedia. Touring book of mormon lands in north america by wayne may. As the above logo depicts, we do respect this mandate, and our model is. The book of mormon is full of references to technologies and species that are known to have not existed in precolumbian america. These finds are divided into competing models, most notably the hemispheric geography model, the mesoamerican limited geography model, and the finger lakes.
However, as time went on, i heard rumblings about the book of mormon happening in the united states and in north america. There are times when there is not the opportunity to get a clear understanding of what the traveler saw and these bulletins will help with that understanding. North american book of mormon geography the interpreter. See more ideas about book of mormon, america and ancient civilizations. Although the book of mormon is primarily a religious record of the nephites, lamanites, and jaredites, enough geographic details are embedded in the narrative to allow reconstruction of at least a rudimentary geography of book of mormon lands. The prophet joseph smith himself accepted what he felt was evidence of book of mormon civilizations in both north america and central america. Book of mormon archaeology in north america the lost. The book of mormon describes migrations of people from the middle east to central america, and further describes some features of their civilizations in the new world. Much of the heartland of the united states may then correspond to the book of mormon south county or south countries. Purpose of the book of mormon tour helps these single page descriptions of a specific book of mormon site are designed to provide pertinent information to the traveler about the site.
Book of mormongeographynew worldgreat lakes geography. Sep, 2012 journey of faith the new world, chronicles the book of mormon, another testament of jesus christ. Book of mormon lands were longer from north to south than from east. This will give you the chapter summary and show you on the map where that chapters events occurred, what year or range of years they covered, and any traveling that took. America promised land messages of the book of mormon. Donors interested in supporting this work can do so through book of mormon central. Joseph smith also seemed to believe that the united states was the book of mormon land. Mar 27, 2016 some students of the book of mormon have speculated that the record is a history of the ancient peoples of central or south america notwithstanding the fact that their record was recovered from a stone box in a hill near palmyra, new york, usa and church leaders have maintained for over 100 years that this was the location of that hill called cumorah. Book of mormon geography in north america wayne may. That the small neck of land was at the southern end of the island continent is also evidenced by moroni burying the gold plates in north america. Naturally some people applied this to the language in the book of mormon. Wayne may presents the supporting evidence for the heartland model, that the book of mormon nephites and jaredites lived in north america. Thoughtful insights from 32 top scholars continue the jou. The book of mormon serves as a companion to the bibles teachings.
The book of mormon and the hopewell of ancient north america. The view of book of mormon geography taught by joseph smith and subsequent presidents and apostles of the mormon church includes three major, closely related points. A whole bunch of reasons why book of mormon geography could not have included north america 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 book of mormon tells us that the idle lamanites were on the west in the land of nephi, in the land of their fathers first inheritance, and thus bordering by the seashore alma 22. The book of mormon is more than a history book of two ancient civilizations, it reveals the covenant land of joseph, the favorite son of jacob, israel who was sold into egypt by his brothers that being the promised land of america. When mormon was a boy, he lived in the area of the hill shim mormon 1.
This book introduces the reader to an authoritative hierarchy of internal and external witnesses beginning with the 36 prophecies and promises that its ancient writers originally intended latterday readers to use in identifying the promised land of their day. The latest archaeology information on the lands of the book of mormon in north america. Church releases statement on book of mormon geography. Lost civilizations of north america documentary4, deborah bolnick on haplogroup x. The land of zarahemla is at a lower elevation relative to the land of nephi. The heartland model or heartland theory of book of mormon geography states that the book of mormon events primarily occurred in the heartland of north america. Its hosted by awardwinning religion writer peggy fletcher stack and salt lake tribune managing editor david noyce salt lake city. The united states is the promised land foretold in the book of mormon a place where divine guidance directed inspired men to create the conditions necessary for the restoration of the gospel of jesus christ. Geographical, and other evidences in support of the book of mormon landscape, as found in north america. There is an inherent improbability in specific items that are mentioned in the book of mormon as having been brought to the new world by. I have watched more than 20 hours of wayne may book of mormon lecture videos and conversed with both wayne may and rod meldrum in person.
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. Hinterlands lamanites in north, south, and central america. The phrase, whiteness of the driven snow is nephis description, recorded forty years after arriving in the promised land, suggesting that he lived somewhere in north america where blizzards drive the snow, providing an analogy that had a special and understandable meaning for those who witnessed snow driven by strong winds. Many have wondered where this land of promise might be physically located in the americas. Indians would portage 1 mile to get from the mohawk river to wood. Church releases statement on book of mormon geography book. Book of mormon archaeology in north america home facebook. Book of mormon evidence in american archaeology wayne may.
Book of mormon lands encompassed all of north and south america. See my answers to questions about the book of mormon here. The book of mormon geography lands and map with dna evidence. The publisher of ancient american magazine and renown book of mormon scholar wayne n. May 26, 2018 in other words, since we believe main events of the book of mormon happened in a limited area of north america around the great lakes in the east, and ohio, indiana, iowa and missouri to the west, and south in tennessee, west virginia, georgia, and florida, all other areas will be discussed as the hinterlands.
Watch as wayne may presents the parallels in geography, archaeology and timelines between the jaredites and the adena civilization of north america. Book of mormon geography in north america the products services offered by wayne may are neither made, provided, approved nor endorsed by intellectual reserve, inc. Mormon tells us the head of the sidon was south of zarahemla. For a long time, few people seemed to see any difficulty in setting the book of mormon in all of north and south america.
Some believe that the history depicted in the book of mormon occurred in north america, while others believe that it occurred in central. These covenant lands are in the borders of the prophetic united states of america. The book of mormon lands will be dotted by pyramids. Fort stanwix was a major revolutionary war fort as well as the. Could the book of mormon events have taken place in south. Moronis america today in 1936, when lds scholars first began accepting the twocumorah theory, apostle joseph fielding smith warned the saints.
Home true book of mormon geography lands western new. Bruce porter book of mormon evidence for america bruce porter, takes the book of mormon and some of the leadership of the lds church and is there evidences that the book of mormon lands took place in north america. Book of mormon lands discovering the lost lands of the book. The book of mormon describes a land of promise given to lehi and his posterity by the lord. If the book is accurate, archaeologists would expect to find numerous pieces of hard evidence in central america that confirm the presence of these societies. The river sidon did flow from its head, near to the lands of nephi and manti, through the land of zarahemla to the north, and past the city of zarahemla to the sea alma 2. Grover has done an admirable job of setting forth his sound scientific analysis and interpretations, providing a new perspective on the settings and locations of book of mormon lands. However, the selfpublished nature of the book should not dissuade readers from using it as a valuable contribution to book of mormon studies. Michael coe, an archaeologist at yale university, said. Planning to take a heartland tour to the book of mormon sites in americas heartland. Other scriptures that reference the book of mormon in america or possibly north. Book of mormon archaeology in north america july 26, 2010 the lost civilizations of north america is a powerful film that gives answers to the question of why we havent heard about the great civilizations that existed on the north american continent and why theories about their origins have passed out. The lord kept the continent hidden from all those except some he purposely led there.
Historically, latterday saint leaders have identified the range of north and south america as the land of promise, as well as the land of zion. An example of that companionship is found in both the foretelling of christs birth and in christs visit to the americas. What jesus christs visit to the americas means for us. Mormons father took him from his home near to the hill shim in the land of desolation southward to zarahemla, when mormon was 11 years old mormon 1. Wayne may presents archaeological support of the book of mormon to a group in malad, idaho in february of 2017. According to joseph smith and subsequent presidents and apostles of the lds church, the geographical extent of book of mormon lands included virtually all of north and south america. The new essay begins with this declarative statement.
Allegheny river, ohio river, mississippi river, and missouri rivers. Book of mormon difficulties, contradictions and explanations. Book of mormon lands discovering the lost lands of the. This book locates everything from the narrow neck, to zarahemla, from cumorah, to the land of promise, bountiful, and more. Traveling from the land of desolation in the north, to the land southward, we encounter the principal book of mormon lands of bountiful, zarahemla, and nephi. The material below covers the geography of the book of mormon in north america. The scientific search for nephite remains mormons in transition.
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