So Where is the Land of Promise? – Part XII

Continuing from the last eleven posts, listing actual statements and descriptions in the Book of Mormon and how any Land of Promise model should match all of those listed in that scriptural record.

Earlier posts in this series have covered 1) Mountains, “whose height is great”; 2) Two unknown animals; 3) Two unknown grains; 4) Plants that cure fever; 5) Land of promise as an island; 6) The four seas surrounding the Land of Promise; 7) the Climate where Lehi’s seeds grew that he brought to the Land of Promise from Jerusalem; 8) Roads and Highways; 9) Driven before the wind; 10) Lehi’s Course to the Land of Promise; 11) Both Gold and Silver and Copper; 12) Hagoth’s ships went northward; 13) Forts, fortifications and resorts; 14) Fortified wall; 15) Narrow neck of land; and 16) Defendable narrow pass or passage, 17) the sea that divides the land, 8) All manner of buildings, 19) Great temple tower, 20) Directions of the Land of Promise, 21) All manner of ore, 22) Land of Many Waters, 23) Abundant crop growth, 24) No other people in the Land of Promise, 25) Use of silks and fine-twined linen, 26) Metallurgy, and 27) Volcanoes and earthquakes.

In this final post in this series, there are several items not specifically listed in the scriptural record, or have not specifically been found in the Western Hemisphere. One of these is that of wild and domesticated animals found in the land. Mentioned in the scriptural record: "that we did find upon the land of promise, as we journeyed in the wilderness, that there were beasts in the forests of every kind, both the cow and the ox, and the ass and the horse, and the goat and the wild goat, and all manner of wild animals, which were for the use of men” (1 Nephi 18:25). Moroni wrote in Ether: “And they also had horses, and asses, and there were elephants and cureloms and cumoms; all of which were useful unto man, and more especially the elephants and cureloms and cumoms” (Ether 9:19), and in Alma we find that the Lamanite king had horses and chariots (Alma 18:9), as did the Nephites (3 Nephi 3:22). In addiition there are numerous comments about "flocks" and "herds," which in 1829 meant: "A Flock--a company or collections: applied to sheep and other small animals. A flock of sheep answers to a herd of larger cattle. But the word may sometimes perhaps be applied to larger beasts, and in the plural, flocks may include all kinds of domesticat4ed animals." So obviously, the Nephites had such animals, though they were not found in the Western Hemisphere during the time of the Spanish conquerors--but then, they only saw and occupied a very small portion of the land.

When the Spanish arrived, according to a three-part article entitled El imaginario del conquistador espanol, “The conquistadors found new animals species, but reports confused these with monsters such as giants, dragons, or ghosts.” Unfortunately, Spain received this information with skepticism, believing the conquerors' imaginings were fictitiously exaggerated to impress the Crown with their accomplishments. Then, too, Spain was interested in gold, and the conquistadors with accumulating wealth, the new animal species found went unnoticed after time and all but forgotten.

In fact, what the conquistadors might have found, but didn’t find in the Andean area, will never be known. One reason is that the Spanish occupied only about 5% of what is now Ecuador and Peru, and mostly traveled on a magnificent interlinking road system that was more extensive than that of the Romans. What may have existed beyond sight of the roads was never seen, let alone identified or evaluated. If it wasn’t made of gold, it held only minor interest to the invaders, and none at all to the common soldier, who was more intent on staying alive and returning to Spain a wealthy man. The priests who traveled with the Spanish invaders were intent on forcing a religion upon the populace and causing them to learn the conquerors' language. A few chroniclers traveled extensively, but what we really know about the Andean area is what later chroniclers, most born after the conquest--some to the conquerors and native women, had to say about what they saw in the land.

We have written extensively in these posts about elephant and horse remains found in Andean South America and elsewhere in the Western Hemisphere, some of the discoveries dating back decades, but never seeing much print in national media or accepted archaeological reports since no historian believed anything existed of value in the New World but gold and other plunderable natural resources.

The point is, unlike the previous 27 points illustrated here in the past eleven posts, this one is not likely to be of much value since nowhere in the Western Hemisphere is it accepted that such animals, both wild and domesticated, existed as are point out in the scriptural record. The vast majority of members and critics alike believe there were no such animals in the Western Hemisphere prior to the arrival of the Spanish. The fact that remains have been found, and found many years ago by archaeologists, has never been allowed to rise to the mainstream level and still today not accepted as proof (see our previous posts on this subject).

Some of the wild animals indigenous to Andean South America: Top Lto R: Andean Spectacled Bear; Ocelot; Cougar; Middle LtoR: Jaguar; Opossum; Chincilla; Bottom LtoR: Coatimundi, Guanaco, and the Vicuña—these latter two are the progenitors of the Llama and Alpaca, two unique animals to Andean South America

While we have written about the Llama and Alpaca in an earlier post in this series, it might be of interest to add: "the Llama (Lama glama) is a South American relative of the camel, though the llama does not have a hump. These sturdy creatures are domestic animals used by the peoples of the Andes Mountains. (Their wild relatives are guanacos and vicuñas). Native peoples have used llamas as pack animals for centuries. Typically, they are saddled with loads of 50 to 75 pounds. Under such weight they can cover up to 20 miles in a single day. Pack trains of llamas, which can include several hundred animals, move large amounts of goods over even the very rough terrain of the Andes. Llamas contribute much more than transportation to the human communities in which they live. Leather is made from their hides, and their wool is crafted into ropes, rugs, and fabrics. Llama excrement is dried and burned for fuel. Even in death, llamas can serve their human owners—some people slaughter them and eat their meat." It is not difficult to see why Moroni wrote that these two animals he called the curelom and cumom “were useful unto man, and more especially the elephants and cureloms and cumoms" (more useful than horses and donkeys.

Left: the Llama; Right: the Alpaca, which was raised for its extraordinary fiber for clothing. These animals, and their two wild ancestors shown above (Guanaco and Vicuna) are indigenous only to Andean South America, as is the Spectacled or Andean Beara

Once again, in the book “Lehi Never Saw Mesoamerica,” these 28 items, along with numerous others, taken directly from the scriptural record, show a unique match between the scriptural record and Andean South America as the location of the Land of Promise.

In addition, there are such things as slings mentioned repeatedly in the scriptural record as an important weapon among the Nephites, which existed in ancient Peru in profusion. There is even a national holiday-event today to celebrate the sling. There is also the unbelievable irrigation systems of the Andes, a product of biblical times as well as modern, and while not unique to, but certainly an integral part of, the Lord’s people that makes the “desert blossom as the rose.” Another point found in Andean South America from ancient mummies uncovered, is that these people practiced circumcision—something basically unique to the Law of Moses, which the Nephites practiced (1 Nephi 4:15; 2 Nephi 5:10; Alma 25:15; Helaman 13:1).)

Obviously, then, any true Land of Promise must match all of the descriptions listed in the Book of Mormon—it is not a pick and choose arrangement in selecting those that agree with your point of view, but must match all of the descriptions, beginning with these first 27 covered in these eleven posts. Nor can clever historians make claims that actually change the scriptural rext or its meanings in order to make a point match their model. The scriptural record was written in "plain and simple language," and "in our language for our understanding." So no matter who says what and when in modern times, unless we are talking about a direct revelation presented to and approved by the membership of the Church, the scriptural record holds sway over all opinions, writings, beliefs, and opinions.

We have written posts in the past outlining the 65 different criteria needed to match all of Mormon’s descriptions and those of the scriptural record, and though only mentioning thirty here, the complete list can be found in the book Lehi Never Saw Mesoamerica. It seems obvious if one is to place the Land of Promise somewhere, it would have to be a place where these 65 criteria exist now, or did at the time of the Nephites—any place without these descriptions simply cannot be claimed as the Land of Promise.

The point of all of this, and of all of our articles in this blog, is simply this—if it does not agree with the scriptural record, then it is not the place of the Book of Mormon.

So Where is the Land of Promise? – Part XI

Continuing from the last ten posts, listing actual statements and descriptions in the Book of Mormon and how any Land of Promise model should match all of those listed in that scriptural record.
    Earlier posts in this series have covered 1) Mountains, “whose height is great”; 2) Two unknown animals; 3) Two unknown grains; 4) Plants that cure fever; 5) Land of promise as an island; 6) The four seas surrounding the Land of Promise; 7) the Climate where Lehi’s seeds grew that he brought to the Land of Promise from Jerusalem; 8) Roads and Highways; 9) Driven before the wind; 10) Lehi’s Course to the Land of Promise; 11) Both Gold and Silver and Copper; 12) Hagoth’s ships went northward; 13) Forts, fortifications and resorts; 14) Fortified wall; 15) Narrow neck of land; and 16) Defendable narrow pass or passage, 17) the sea that divides the land, 8) All manner of buildings, 19) Great temple tower, 20) Directions of the Land of Promise, 21) All manner of ore, 22) Land of Many Waters, 23) Abundant crop growth, 24) No other people in the Land of Promise, and 25) Use of silks and fine-twined linen.

Another scriptural description is that of metallurgy. Just after Lehi landed, Nephi tells us that they “did find all manner of ore” (1 Nephi 18:25), which included iron (Mosiah 11:3), and later, after separating form his brothers and establishing the city of Nephi, he tells us “I did teach my people to build buildings, and to work in all manner of wood, and of iron, and of copper, and of brass, and of steel, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious ores, which were in great abundance” (2 Nephi 5:15). Soon after the Nephites made “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” (Jarom 1:8), as did the Jaredites before them who not only hammered out gold into thin sheets for writing, they had “breastplates, which are large, and they are of brass and of copper, and are perfectly sound“ (Mosiah 8:9-10; 28:11). They also made small things of metal, “ringlets, and their bracelets, and their ornaments of gold, and all their precious things which they are ornamented with” (Alma 31:28). In fact, “they did have an exceeding plenty of gold, and of silver, and of all manner of precious metals, both in the land south and in the land north.” (Helaman 6:9).

Left: An intricately worked gold piece dating to about 100 A.D., was discovered in Peru at the base of an eroded mud-brick pyramid. Other items were 19 golden headdresses, various pieces of jewelry, and two funerary masks; Center/Right: Chavin metal work dating to the last millennia B.C.
    Thus, since this metallurgy covered at least two thousand years, we should find in the Land of Promise today some remnants, such as in burial chambers, etc., of this ancient metallurgy. Which, in Andean South America, we do. According to Aldenderfer, Speakman, and Popelka-Filcoff, in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, in their report “Four-thousand-year-old gold artifacts from the Lake Titicaca basin, southern Peru, claim that “South American metal working seems to have developed in the Andean region of modern Peru, Bolivia and Chile,” with gold and copper being hammered and shaped into intricate objects, particularly ornaments.”
    In fact, it is widely reported that the metallurgy of the Andes outclassed most Old World accomplishments, using skills and techniques not known in the Old World until long after the period of use in America. Recent finds show that the Andean people were smelting copper for over a thousand years before the Spaniards arrived. Even today, according to the GSA (Geological Society of America), Peru is the leading producer of gold in Latin America, and the world's leading producer of silver, the world's second leading producer of copper, behind Chile, which produces five times more than any other country, and one-third of the world copper.

Ceremonial knives, such as those above (lower left) were plentiful around 300 B.C. along the Peruvian coast; also ceremonial masks were very common in the ground throughout Peru
    According to the Institute of Anthropological Investigations Pueblo Libre, Lima, Peru, the country’s importance in Pre-Columbian metal producing extended to centuries in the past, including metallurgy, alloys, metalworking and fabrication, and mirrors (for more on this, see Lehi Never Saw Mesoamerica). And according to Scattolin, Bugliani,  Cortes, and Calo, metallurgy in South America dates as early as 1955 B.C., and by 200 B.C., metallurgy is thought to have spread throughout the entire Andean area of South America. In fact, according to Cooke, Abbott, and Wolfe in Science 301, 2003, “The Andes represent the largest source of mineral wealth in the Americas and the birthplace of New World metallurgy, appearing millennia prior to colonial contact
    On the other hand, the emergence of metallurgy in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica occurred relatively late in the region's history, with distinctive works of metal apparent in west Mexico by roughly 800 A.D., and perhaps as early as 600 A.D., and that in Guatemala even later, basically around 900 A.D. In fact, metallurgy in Mesoamerica is reported to have developed from contacts with South America. North American metallurgy also dates to the later A.D. periods, and according to Rapp, Gibbon and Ames in Archaeology of Prehistoric Native America, “Archaeological evidence has not revealed metal smelting or alloying of metals by pre-Columbian indigenous peoples north of the Rio Grande; however, they did use native copper extensively. Neither of these two areas, obviously, qualify for the Book of Mormon Land of Promise, as does Andean South America.
    Yet another description of the land would be in the earthquakes mentioned. When the disciple Nephi describes the destruction in the Land of Promise at the time of the crucifixion, he writes: “that it did shake the whole earth as if it was about to divide asunder” (3 Nephi 8:6), and adds that “there was a more great and terrible destruction in the land northward; for behold, the whole face of the land was changed, because of the tempest and the whirlwinds and the thunderings and the lightnings, and the exceedingly great quaking of the whole earth” (3 Nephi 8:12).

A great and terrible storm racked the Land of Promise for several hours, such as had never before been seen on the land
    In fact, the quaking of the earth caused “the highways were broken up, and the level roads were spoiled, and many smooth places became rough” (3 Nephi 8:13), with “many great and notable cities were sunk” and others “were shaken till the buildings thereof had fallen to the earth” (3 Nephi 8:14), and “the damage thereof was exceedingly great” (3 Nephi 8:15), and “thus the face of the whole earth became deformed, because of the tempests, and the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the quaking of the earth” (3 Nephi 8:17). These earthquakes resulted in “the rocks were rent in twain; they were broken up upon the face of the whole earth, insomuch that they were found in broken fragments, and in seams and in cracks, upon all the face of the land” (3 Nephi 8:18).
    “And it came to pass that when the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the storm, and the tempest, and the quakings of the earth did cease -- for behold, they did last for about the space of three hours; and it was said by some that the time was greater; nevertheless, all these great and terrible things were done in about the space of three hours -- and then behold, there was darkness upon the face of the land” (3 Nephi 8:19), and the darkness was “thick upon all the face of the land, and there could be no light because of the darkness, neither candle or torches” (3 Nephi 8:20-21), and the thickness of the “mists of darkness” blocked out the sun, moon and stars (3 Nephi 8:22), which lasted for three days (3 Nephi 8:23).

When a light waves encounter an object, they are either transmitted, reflected, absorbed, refracted, polarized, diffracted, or scattered depending on the composition of the object and the wavelength of the light. First of all, in the pictures above of only one volcano eruption in Chile, South America, note the thickness of the cloud as it spreads (top left), and from a distance, the cloud increases in size (top right), still from a further distance the cloud begins to darken the area around it (bottom left), and after 11 days, the cloud has absorbed light and within the cloud, almost impossible to see (this single cloud darkened the skies as far away as Australia, more than 7000 miles away)--consider what numerous volcano eruptions would do
    We have written earlier in numerous posts about the reasons for this darkness, and how earthquakes and volcano eruptions create such a mist of darkness, that it seems likely these mists resulted from such seismicity. While Great Lakes and eastern U.S. theorists reject this idea because they have no volcanoes and earthquakes there, no other explanation fits the destruction and method described than heavy earthquake action and volcanic eruptions. In fact, descriptions of such are considered to be from continual earthquake shaking and numerous volcanoes erupting at the same time.
    Thus we should find a place for a Land of Promise where numerous volcanoes exist (or existed) and where earthquakes are or were frequent. There are three such areas in the Western Hemisphere that fit this descriptive requirement and that is coastal California, Central America and Andean South America. Of these three, only Andean South America has sufficient volcanoes to produce the destruction in all the Land of Promise as the scriptural record suggests. There are only 7 major volcanoes in Mexico, 4 in that part of Mexico which is in Mesoameirca, and 11 major volcanoes (over 10,000 feet) in Guatemala (with another 11 under 6,000 feet), compared with 169 volcanoes in the Andean area of South America.

124 of the Andean volcanoes are in the areas of Ecuador, Peru, western Bolivia, northern Chile and northern Argentina. 74 of these are over 20,000 feet, another 20 over 19,000 feet, and another 25 over 17,000 feet (119 over 17,000 feet)
    Obviously, then, any true Land of Promise must match all of the descriptions listed in the Book of Mormon—it is not a pick and choose arrangement in selecting those that agree with your point of view, but must match all of the descriptions, beginning with these first 27 covered in these eleven posts.
(See the next post, “So Where is the Land of Promise? – Part XII,” for more of these descriptions as listed in the scriptural record of the Book of Mormon)

So Where is the Land of Promise? – Part X

Continuing from the last nine posts, listing actual descriptions in the Book of Mormon and how any Land of Promise model should match all of those listed in that scriptural record. 
    Earlier posts in this series have covered 1) Mountains, “whose height is great”; 2) Two unknown animals; 3) Two unknown grains; 4) Plants that cure fever; 5) Land of promise as an island; 6) The four seas surrounding the Land of Promise; 7) the Climate where Lehi’s seeds grew that he brought to the Land of Promise from Jerusalem; 8) Roads and Highways; 9) Driven before the wind; 10) Lehi’s Course to the Land of Promise; 11) Both Gold and Silver and Copper; 12) Hagoth’s ships went northward; 13) Forts, fortifications and resorts; 14) Fortified wall; 15) Narrow neck of land; and 16) Defendable narrow pass or passage, 17) the sea that divides the land, 8) All manner of buildings, 19) Great temple tower, 20) Directions of the Land of Promise, 21) All manner of ore, 22) Land of Many Waters, and 23) Abundant crop growth.
    Another scriptural description is that of "no other people being described in the Land of Promise" besides the Jaredites, Nephites/Lamanites, and the Mulekites (people of Zarahemla). While Mesoamericanists and others claim the area of their Land of Promise was full of people besides the Nephites, the scriptures are totally silent about any other people and, in fact, tell us just the opposite.

Lehi told his children about his visions and promises, one of which was that the Land of Promise was given to him and his posterity by the Lord
    As an example, Lehi said, “notwithstanding our afflictions, we have obtained a land of promise, a land which is choice above all other lands; a land which the Lord God hath covenanted with me should be a land for the inheritance of my seed. Yea, the Lord hath covenanted this land unto me, and to my children forever, and also all those who should be led out of other countries by the hand of the Lord” (2 Nephi 1:5), then added, “Wherefore, I, Lehi, prophesy according to the workings of the Spirit which is in me, that there shall none come into this land save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lord” (2 Nephi 1:6). It should be noted that both statements mention others coming to then land in the future tense, obviously suggesting none were there at the time he spoke.
    Further, Lehi added, “for behold, many nations would overrun the land, that there would be no place for an inheritance” (2 Nephi 1:8). Lehi knew from the Lord’s promise, that the land was reserved for his family and was to be the inheritance of he and his children and their posterity forever. He knew, as we should certainly understand, that this would not be possible were there other people in the land.

He also said, again using future tense words, “I, Lehi, have obtained a promise, that inasmuch as those whom the Lord God shall bring out of the land of Jerusalem shall keep his commandments” (2 Nephi 1:9), suggesting that whatever others might be involved in the land of his promise, they would come out of Jerusalem, such as the Mulekites.
    There is not a single mention, suggestion or indication in all the writing of all the ancient prophets, nor from Mormon who had all the Nephite records at his disposal, that any other people, group, party or band ever set foot in the Land of Promise between 2200 B.C. and 421 A.D. other than the Jaredites, Nephites (including Lamanites), and Mulekites. Nor is there anything that would lead one to believe that Jaredites survived beyond Coriantumr in all the Land of Promise. Yet, some insist that numerous other peoples existed in the Land of Promise, contrary to the clear and simple language of the scriptural record.
    Nor do we have any knowledge that anyone was led or arrived in the area of the Land of Promise between the Flood and the Jaredite arrival, a period of about 300 years. To clarify this, Ether was told by the Lord to tell Coriantumr to repent or he would destroy him and his nation, and that he “should only live to see the fulfilling of the prophecies which had been spoken concerning another people receiving the land for their inheritance” (Ether 13:21). Had there been anyone else in the land, this promise would be meaningless. Obviously, the promise was given before the Nephites or Mulekites arrived (suggesting a Jaredite time frame) or, again, the promise would not make sense.
    Obviously, then, any Land of Promise would have to have been isolated from other people, groups, and nations, and completely void of others when the Jaredites first arrived, and later when the Nephites arrived. The only place in the Western Hemisphere that meets this criteria is the Andean area of South America.
    In addition, another descriptive area of the Land of Promise is that of Textiles. The scriptural record informs us that Zeniff did “cause that the women should spin, and toil, and work, and work all manner of fine linen, yea, and cloth of every kind, that we might clothe our nakedness” (Mosiah 10:5), “abundance of silk and fine-twined linen, and all manner of good homely cloth” (Alma 1:29), “to wax proud, because of their exceeding riches, and their fine silks, and their fine-twined linen” (Alma 4:6), “their women did toil and spin, and did make all manner of cloth, of fine-twined linen and cloth of every kind,” (Helaman 6:13), “all manner of fruit, and of grain, and of silks, and of fine linen” (Ether 9:17), and “they did have silks, and fine-twined linen; and they did work all manner of cloth, that they might clothe themselves” (Ether 10:24).

Top: The early occupants of the Andean region of South America developed rich traditions of textile production. The excellent preservation conditions on the coast allowed many textiles to survive to this day. Some of the best known Andean textile traditions come from Peru: the Paracas on the south coast (500-200 BC); Bottom: 2500-year-old textiles from the Lambayequew culture of northern Peru
    Thus in the land of promise, fine-twined linen and silks were available from Jaredite through Nephite times, or from somewhere around 2000 B.C. to 385 A.D. However, only one area in all of the Western Hemisphere has a record of silks and linen being used anciently and that is the Andean area of South America. In fact, Peru and Ecuador are widely known for their textiles and silk that equaled that of the Old World according to the early Spaniards—even though the Andes did not have the silk worm, the silks they produced from other means (see earlier posts on this subject) were compared by the conquistadors with those of Seville and elsewhere as being even finer. According to Cambridge University, “Peru has the longest continuous textile record in world history. Simple spun fibers many thousands of years old provide evidence of the first human occupation in western South America. Elaborate fabrics, dating from 3000 BC up to the present, survive in large numbers.”
    On the other hand, none at all have been found in North America, or any of the other so-called Land of Promise models so often presented by numerous theorists. Not in the United States, Baja, or even Mesoamerica. 
    Obviously, then, any true Land of Promise must match all of the descriptions listed in the Book of Mormon—it is not a pick and choose arrangement in selecting those that agree with your point of view, but must match all of the descriptions, beginning with these first 25 covered in these ten posts.
(See the next post, “So Where is the Land of Promise? – Part XI,” for more of these descriptions as listed in the scriptural record of the Book of Mormon)

So Where is the Land of Promise? – Part IX

Continuing from the last eight posts, listing actual descriptions in the Book of Mormon and how any Land of Promise model should match all of those listed in that scriptural record.     
    Earlier posts in this series have covered 1) Mountains, “whose height is great”; 2) Two unknown animals; 3) Two unknown grains; 4) Plants that cure fever; 5) Land of promise as an island; 6) The four seas surrounding the Land of Promise; 7) the Climate where Lehi’s seeds grew that he brought to the Land of Promise from Jerusalem; 8) Roads and Highways; 9) Driven before the wind; 10) Lehi’s Course to the Land of Promise; 11) Both Gold and Silver and Copper; 12) Hagoth’s ships went northward; 13) Forts, fortifications and resorts; 14) Fortified wall; 15) Narrow neck of land; and 16) Defendable narrow pass or passage, 17) the sea that divides the land, 8) All manner of buildings, 19) Great temple tower, 20) Directions of the Land of Promise, and 21) All manner of ore.
    Another scriptural description is that of the Land Northward having an area far to the north called the “Land of Many Waters.” Mormon describes this area as “containing many waters, lakes and fountains” (Mormon 6:4). Many have merely interpreted this statement as being a place full of lakes and rivers, such as the Great Lakes.
    However, the Great Lakes area is an overall water shed or drainage basin—one of the largest in the world—but is not a source of water. That is, it is not a provider of water, but a recipient of water from numerous rivers and drainage waters around it as the bottom map (below) shows. In fact, the lakes themselves contain about 5,500 cubic miles of water, covering a total area of 94,000 square miles, and are the largest system of fresh, surface water on Earth, containing roughly 21 percent of the world supply and 84 percent of North America's supply. These lakes are home to over 33 million people, and only the polar ice caps contain more fresh water. 

Top: The Great Lakes, which are many waters; Bottom: The Great Lakes Water Shed or Draining Basin. Note that each lake, rather than being a source of water, is in fact fed by numerous rivers and waterways within its water shed. There are no fountains here
    There is obviously no question that this is a land of many waters—several thousands of small inland lakes. Interestingly, though, the outflow from these great lakes is very small, less than 1 percent a year, in comparison with the total volume of water, which is just the opposite of what Mormon tells us.
    Or, stated differently, this is not a land of fountains!
    We need to keep in mind that Mormon described his land of many waters as having fountains, which in Joseph Smith’s time meant “a spring or source of water; the source or head of a stream; the source or origin, genesis or wellspring (a bountiful source of water).”

A spring is a source of water issuing from the earth, a fountainhead, or wellhead—a place where a spring comes out of the ground from groundwater at, or below, the local water table, below which the subsurface material is saturated with water
    Such springs, or fountains, are a water resource formed when the side of a hill, a valley bottom or other excavation intersects a flowing body of groundwater. It is the result of an aquifer being filled to the point that the water overflows onto the land surface, and range in size from intermittent seeps, which flow only after much rain, to huge pools flowing hundreds of millions of gallons daily.
    These “fountains” may be formed in any sort of rock or soil when geologic or hydrologic forces cut into the underground layers where water is in movement (blue arrows above), which, in turn, discharges back onto the surface at the spring vent. The original source of this water, typically rains, can be many miles away, but the vent is where the “fountain” exists, which discharges the water, and forms pools, lakes and rivers—which Mormon called “many waters.”
    Thus, any Land of Promise must have a “land of many waters,” within the northern extremity of its northern region (Land Northward), that contains such fountains, which are the origin of the “many waters” within the area. While many claim an area of "many waters" for their model, none show the “fountains” Mormon describes except for the area in northern Ecuador, which has been written about many times in this blog over the past three years.
    Still another description of the Land of Promise is the crop growth described. Nephi begins by telling us after landing in the promised land, “we did begin to till the earth, and we began to plant seeds; yea, we did put all our seeds into the earth, which we had brought from the land of Jerusalem. And it came to pass that they did grow exceedingly; wherefore, we were blessed in abundance” (1 Nephi 18:24), then adds sometime later, after separating from his brothers and founding the land of and city of Nephi, states: “we did prosper exceedingly; for we did sow seed, and we did reap again in abundance” (2 Nephi 5:11).
    More than 350 years later, Zeniff leaves Zarahemla and returns with a large group of Nephites to the City of Nephi to resettle the land. After arriving, he states: “we began to till the ground, yea, even with all manner of seeds, with seeds of corn, and of wheat, and of barley, and with neas, and with sheum, and with seeds of all manner of fruits; and we did begin to multiply and prosper in the land” (Mosiah 9:9). The Jaredites brought “the seed of the earth of every kind” (Ether 1:41; 2:3) from Mesopotamia, and built tools in the promised land to plow and sow and to reap and hoe and thrash (Ether 10:25).
    Obviously, the Land of Promise was an area where “seeds of every kind” would grow exceedingly and produce abundant crops. This is not the case in Mesoamerica where wheat and barley simply do not grow and, in fact, are not found among the top 28 food plants grown in Mesoamerica, nor are those other seeds brought from the land of Jerusalem found.

The Andean area of South America is rich in grain production, including vast amounts of wheat and barley as compared to Mesoamerica
    In fact, it is claimed that: “One of the greatest challenges in Mesoamerica for farmers is the lack of usable land, and the poor condition of the soil. Several different methods have been used to combat these problems. The two main ways to combat poor soil quality, or lack of nutrients in the soil, are to leave fields fallow for a period and to use slash-and-burn techniques. However, in the jungle environment, no matter how careful a farmer is, nutrients are often hard to retain.”
    As an example, today all of Mesoamerica (including that part of southern Mexico considered part of Mesoamerica) have but 480 hectares of planted wheat, compared to the Andean area with 5446 hectares. Mesoameria produce 2000 tons of wheat annually, with Andean area producing nearly six times as much at 11,461 tons. As for barley, all of Mexico and Guatemala produces 338,500 tons; with the Andean area producing about ten times as much at 3,370,796 tons. The soils of Mesoamerica are simply not conducive for wheat and barley while the soils of the Mediterranean Climate of Lehi's landing sight in Chile produce abundant crops and even today feed much of the western U.S. with their imports (see the earlier post in this series).
    Obviously, then, any true Land of Promise must match all of the descriptions listed in the Book of Mormon—it is not a pick and choose arrangement in selecting those that agree with your point of view, but must match all of the descriptions, beginning with these first 23 covered in these nine posts.
(See the next post, “So Where is the Land of Promise? – Part IX,” for more of these descriptions as listed in the scriptural record of the Book of Mormon)

So Where is the Land of Promise? – Part VIII

Continuing from the last seven posts, listing actual descriptions in the Book of Mormon and how any Land of Promise model should match all of those listed in that scriptural record.     
    Earlier posts in this series have covered 1) Mountains, “whose height is great”; 2) Two unknown animals; 3) Two unknown grains; 4) Plants that cure fever; 5) Land of promise as an island; 6) The four seas surrounding the Land of Promise; 7) the Climate where Lehi’s seeds grew that he brought to the Land of Promise from Jerusalem; 8) Roads and Highways; 9) Driven before the wind; 10) Lehi’s Course to the Land of Promise; 11) Both Gold and Silver and Copper; 12) Hagoth’s ships went northward; 13) Forts, fortifications and resorts; 14) Fortified wall; 15) Narrow neck of land; and 16) Defendable narrow pass or passage, 17) the sea that divides the land, 18) All manner of buildings, 19) Great temple tower.
    Another scriptural description, and probably the one most maligned, ignored, changed, and explained away, is that of the directions. However, the record is rather clear about the fact that the directions stated in the Book of Mormon describing the Land of Promise are correct.

Knowing where Lehi traveled once he left Jerusalem and headed down to the Red Sea, and then on to Bountiful, helps to understand the later directions of the Land of Promise. Lehi's Journey from Jerusalem to Bountiful: 1-From Jerusalem to the Red Sea (no direction is stated), 2-Travel along the Red Sea (correct compass point is given as "south-southeast direction [1 Nephi 16:13]), 3-Turned east (correct compass point is given as "nearly eastward from that time forth [1 Nephi 17:1])
    Obviously, Nephi accurately knew his cardinal (4), ordinal (8), and intermediate (16) points of the compass directions in the unknown land far to the southeast of Jerusalem. There is no reason to believe that he would not have known those compass headings in the unknown area of the Land of Promise. In addition, we need to keep in mind that Nephi possessed the Liahona, a word interpreted as “compass” (Alma 37:38), which worked by faith (Alma 37:40), and described as showing the way (1 Nephi 16:10), it was among the items Moroni buried in the hill Cumorah, found by Joseph Smith in upstate New York, according to an interview with Joseph Smith Sr. (Historical Magazine, May 1870).
    Thus, we can see that the Liahona, or compass, was had by each of the prophets to whom the records were entrusted. As a result, it would seem, each of the prophets who wrote in the scriptural record knew the directions of their land.
    The problem and confusion regarding directions all stem from those who first decided that the Land of Promise was located in Mesoamerica—which is an east-west alignment of land. In order to validate that model, the directions in the scriptural record had to be altered, and people like John L. Sorenson of BYU, has written many pages trying to explain away why the stated directions given by Mormon and others are not correct.
    However, as has been pointed out here in these posts for the past three years, the directions stated in the scriptural record are accurate and correct. The Land of Promise was a north-south alignment, with the Land Northward in the north and the Land Southward in the south, and all the lands within them oriented along a north-south configuration. Mormon, as well as others, make this quite clear (Alma 22:27-34).

Top: Left/Center: In these early map examples of a land of promise layout, first published in these pages on April 2011, Mormon’s basic layout described in his writing are shown; Right: A more accurate map of the Land of Promise showing the northward and southward alignment; Bottom: Mesoamerica, showing its east-west alignment
    In Joseph Smith’s time, the word northward as an adjective meant “being toward the north,” and as an adverb, meant “towards the north.” Thus, when Mormon writes about the Land Northward, we can be assured that it was, indeed, northward. When Joseph Smith translated Mormon’s word as “north” and “northward,” we can be assured that he was correct in his translation. We can know this, because the Spirit acknowledged the correctness of the translation before Joseph was allowed to continue to the next part of the translation.
    Another area of description has to do with the ore found in the Land of Promise beginning with the Jaredites in the Land Northward: “They did work in all manner of ore, and they did make gold, and silver, and iron, and brass, and all manner of metals; and they did dig it out of the earth; wherefore they did cast up mighty heaps of earth to get ore, of gold, and of silver, and of iron, and of copper. And they did work all manner of fine work” (Ether 10:23), and the people had their “gold, and of silver, and of precious things” (Ether 9:17).

An abundance of ore was found in the Land Southward as well, “And we did find all manner of ore” (1 Nephi 18:25), and “iron, and of copper, and of brass, and of steel, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious ores, which were in great abundance” (2 Nephi 5:15); “and of silver, and of precious ore of every kind…and did work all kinds of ore, and did refine it” (Helaman 6:11). These ores were significant enough to be mentioned many times: “gold, and for silver, and for all manner of precious ores, in the which this land, which is a land of promise unto you and to your seed, doth abound most plentifully” (Jacob 2:12; Alma 1:29; 4:6;15:16; Helaman 6:9; 12:2; 3 Nephi 6:2).
    Ore, of course is the compound of a metal and some other substance, such as oxygen, sulphur or carbon, called its mineralizer, by which its properties are disguised or lost. Metals found free from such combination and exhibiting naturally their appropriate character, are not called ores, but native metals. These “native” metals, are those found in their metallic form, and in nature are native deposits singly or in alloys. Anciently, these were prehistoric man’s only access to metal before learning how to smelt ore to extract the metal. Obviously when Nephi said, “whither shall I go that I may find ore to molten, that I may make tools to construct the ship after the manner which thou hast shown unto me?” (1 Nephi 17:9), he knew or had been shown how to smelt ore, extract the metal, and make objects, such as tools.
    Metals that can be found in native deposits singly or in alloys include aluminium, antimony, arsenic, bismuth, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, indium, iron, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, rhenium, selenium, tantalum, tellurium, tin, titanium, tungsten, and zinc, as well as two groups of metals: the gold group and the platinum group. The gold group consists of gold, copper, lead, aluminium, mercury and silver. The platinum group consists of platinum, iridium, osmium, palladium, rhodium, and ruthenium. And only gold, silver, copper and the platinum metals occur in nature in larger amounts.
    Thus, when Nephi says he found “all manner of ore,” it might be concluded he was referring to far more than just gold, silver, copper, and iron. Zinc of course is needed to make brass, which both the Jaredites and Nephites made. In addition, the Nephites had a metal they called ziff (Mosiah 11:8), evidently a precious metal since it was taxed the same as gold, silver, copper and brass (Mosiah 11:3).

There are four large mining facilities in Peru alone, which has 48 major mining projects underway at the present time, with Chile accounts for one-third of the world’s copper production
    This means that today we should find in the Land of Promise an overabundance of ores, especially gold, silver, and copper, as well as numerous other precious ores. It is interesting that Peru and Chile outproduce most of the world in the production of precious metals. As an example: In gold production today, Peru out-produces Mexico 2 to 1, with Peru 6^th in the world and Mexico 11^th, and Chile 13^th, for a 4 to 1 advantage overall. Peru was 3^rd in the world in silver production with Guatemala 17^th, and Peru and Chile combined out-produced southern Mexico and all of Guatemala 172.4 million ounces to 117.3, with growth through 2015 set at Peru, Chile and Bolivia producing 63.2 million ounces to Mexico’s 14. And in copper production, Chile is 1^st and Peru 3^rd, with Mexico 18^th, and Chile having an astronomical lead over Mexico of 5.36 million tons annually to Mexico’s 129,000, and Peru with a 10 to 1 advantage. The point is, today, the Andean countries out-produce Mexico and Mesoamerica by a huge margin (and most of that in northern Mexico, not even in Mesoamerica), with the rest of Mesoamerica almost non-productive. In addition, at the time of the conquistadors and early Spanish occupation, there were 144,000 mines in Peru alone. While the U.S. is a large producer of gold, silver and copper, almost all of this is found and mined in the western states and Alaska, with very little in the eastern area some people to believe is the Land of Promise; and almost none in Baja California, another Land of Promise suggestion by some.
    Obviously, then, any true Land of Promise must match all of the descriptions listed in the Book of Mormon—it is not a pick and choose arrangement in selecting those that agree with your point of view, but must match all of the descriptions, beginning with these first 21 covered in these eight posts.

(See the next post, “So Where is the Land of Promise? – Part IX,” for more of these descriptions as listed in the scriptural record of the Book of Mormon)

So Where is the Land of Promise? – Part VII

Continuing from the last six posts, listing actual descriptions in the Book of Mormon and how any Land of Promise model should match all of those listed in that scriptural record.     
    Earlier posts in this series have covered 1) Mountains, “whose height is great”; 2) Two unknown animals; 3) Two unknown grains; 4) Plants that cure fever; 5) Land of promise as an island; 6) The four seas surrounding the Land of Promise; 7) the Climate where Lehi’s seeds grew that he brought to the Land of Promise from Jerusalem; 8) Roads and Highways; 9) Driven before the wind; 10) Lehi’s Course to the Land of Promise; 11) Both Gold and Silver and Copper; 12) Hagoth’s ships went northward; 13) Forts, fortifications and resorts; 14) Fortified wall; 15) Narrow neck of land; 16) Defendable narrow pass or passage, and 17) the sea that divides the land.
    Following are more descriptions found in the scriptural record:
    Another description is regarding the many buildings constructed in the Land of Promise. The first mention of these buildings are those of the Jaredites. Mosiah’s 42 man expedition to find Zarahemla became lost and wandered into the Land Northward, “having traveled in a land among many waters, having discovered a land which was covered with bones of men, and of beasts, and was also covered with ruins of buildings of every kind, having discovered a land which had been peopled with a people who were as numerous as the hosts of Israel” (Mosiah 8:8).

Vast cities were built in the Land of Promise. In the Land Northward there were buildings of every kind. In the Land Southward, there were “great” cities, including Zarahemla, the capitol. Some of these cities stood for over a thousands years among the Jaredites, and 500 or 600 years among the Nephites
    When Zeniff returned with his group to reclaim the city of Lehi-Nephi in about 200 B.C., they “began to build buildings, and to repair the walls of the city, yea, even the walls of the city of Lehi-Nephi, and the city of Shilom” (Mosiah 9:8). Zeniff’s grandson, king Noah, “built many elegant and spacious buildings; and he ornamented them with fine work of wood, and of all manner of precious things, of gold, and of silver, and of iron, and of brass, and of ziff, and of copper” (Mosiah 11:8), which included “a spacious palace, and a throne in the midst thereof, all of which was of fine wood and was ornamented with gold and silver and with precious things” (Mosiah 11:9). He also had his workmen create all manner of fine work within the walls of the temple, of fine wood, and of copper, and of brass” (Mosiah 11:10). He also “caused many buildings to be built in the land Shilom” (Mosiah 11:13).
    The city of Zarahemla was the capital of the Nephite Nation (Helaman 1:27). Nephi had his house along the highway that led to the city of Zarahemla, and he had a tower there (Helaman 7:10). Zarahemla was called a great city (Helaman 13:12), the “strongest hold,” meaning fortified city, in all the land (Helaman 1:22), it had a prison, was burned during destruction (3 Nephi 8:8), and rebuilt (4 Nephi 1:8). We also see that there were houses, cities and temples, as well as synagogues, sanctuaries and all manner of buildings (Helaman 3:9); they had houses built of cement (Helaman 3:9), and many cities of wood and cement (Helaman 3:11).
    It would seem obvious that such buildings, or remnants of them, would be visible today. Nor were these small areas that could easily have been overlooked for several cities were called “great,” (3 Nephi 8:24-25), even by the Lord (3 Nephi 9:3-5,9). The word “great” was defined in 1829 as: “Large in bulk or dimensions; a term of comparison, as in beyond what is usual; Being of extended length or breadth; Vast; extensive.” The sense of great is to be understood by the things it is intended to qualify; a great city is intended to convey huge, extensive, important; superior, preeminent.
    Again, there should be some prominent cities left to ruin that can be seen today in the area of the Land of Promise. And as such, there are only two areas in the Western Hemisphere where this is found: Andean Peru in South America, and Mesoamerica. There are no such ruins found in North America, or in any of the other suggested Land of Promise locations.

Ruins of buildings and walls found all over Andean Peru dating to Nephite times
    More descriptive statements have to do with towers. We find that in the Land of Promise, “And it came to pass that he caused many buildings to be built in the land Shilom; and he caused a great tower to be built on the hill north of the land Shilom” (Mosiah 11:13). The towers were of such height, that “when the king saw that he was about to overpower him, he fled and ran and got upon the tower which was near the temple. And Gideon pursued after him and was about to get upon the tower to slay the king, and the king cast his eyes round about towards the land of Shemlon, and behold, the army of the Lamanites were within the borders of the land” (Mosiah 19:5-6), and “Limhi had discovered them from the tower, even all their preparations for war did he discover; therefore he gathered his people together, and laid wait for them in the fields and in the forests.” (Mosiah 20:8).

Nor were these towers just in a local place, for we find that “it came to pass also, that he caused the title of liberty to be hoisted upon every tower which was in all the land, which was possessed by the Nephites; and thus Moroni planted the standard of liberty among the Nephites” (Alma 46:36), and “And he caused towers to be erected that overlooked those works of pickets, and he caused places of security to be built upon those towers, that the stones and the arrows of the Lamanites could not hurt them” (Alma 5):4). Even in the Nephite cities of the dissenters, towers had been built, “And the remainder of those dissenters, rather than be smitten down to the earth by the sword, yielded to the standard of liberty, and were compelled to hoist the title of liberty upon their towers, and in their cities, and to take up arms in defence of their country” (Alma 51:20).
    Nor were these towers only in the Nephite lands, but also among the Lamanites, “And now it came to pass that, as soon as Amalickiah had obtained the kingdom he began to inspire the hearts of the Lamanites against the people of Nephi; yea, he did appoint men to speak unto the Lamanites from their towers, against the Nephites” (Alma 48:1).
    It is interesting that Mormon uses the term “tower,” since that is a significantly different construction from their a houses, villages, cities, synagogues or sanctuaries. The meaning of tower in 1829 was “A building, either round or square, raised to a considerable elevation and consisting of several stories. When towers are erected with other buildings, as they usually are, they rise above the main edifice. They are generally flat on the top, and thus differ from steeples or spires. Before the invention of guns, places were fortified with towers.”
    It is also interesting that the main description given us of a Nephite tower was the one king Noah built in the city of Nephi, “he built a tower near the temple; yea, a very high tower, even so high that he could stand upon the top thereof and overlook the land of Shilom, and also the land of Shemlon” (Mosiah 11:12). This tower was so positioned that from the top could be seen the entrances to the city and the far off lands of Nephite controlled Shilom, and Lamanite controlled Shemlon. Such a “very high tower” would have been built of stone, and it would have had some height vantage where it could see beyond the city and into other lands, “even all the land round about.” And it was next to the temple—the temple Nephi earlier built like unto Solomon’s (2 Nephi 5:16).
    Obviously, such a structure ought to have some remnant of its existence found today in the Land of Promise. And such is in Andean Peru.
    When the conquistadors first arrived in the area now known as Cuzco, they were awed by the fortress of Sacsayhuaman, and a tall, round tower beside the “temple” on a far hill overlooking the city “and the land round about.” They described it as being made of stone, four stories tall, with a flat roof upon which people could stand. This tower was the later site of the Inca’s last stand against the invaders.

Top: Aerial view of Sacsayhuaman situated on a hill overlooking Cuzco. The fortress contained the fort or a large building and basement with a labrynth of rooms, a temple, a tower (now just a base), and an outer wall; Bottom: All that is left today is this remaining base of the tower discovered in 1934 next to the temple of Sacsayhuaman. The Muyuq Marka consists of three concentric, circular stone walls connected by a series of radial walls and a web-like pattern of 34 lines intersecting at the center and a pattern of concentric circles that corresponded to the location of the circular walls
    Originally, the Myuqmarka (tower) was a building with 4 superposed floors. The first body would have had a square floor; the second would have been cylindrical; the third would have had also a cylindrical shape. The successive would have formed circular cultivation terraces with decreasing width, being the widest of 3.6 m and the narrowest of 3 m. The tower would have ended up in a conic ceiling. Muyu Marca must have reached a total height of 20 meters. It was as amazing work that generated the admiration of several chroniclers. The Spaniards destroyed it, in spite of the protests both from Cieza and Inca Garcilaso.

Left: Sacsayhuaman sitting on top of the hill with a sheer cliff on one side and a three tier rock wall protecting the other. The view from the tower overlooking Cuzco and the “land round about” is obvious. Right: A second tower in Cuzco, the base is still visible as the foundation upon which the Spanish built a Cathedral
    Obviously, then, any true Land of Promise must match all of the descriptions listed in the Book of Mormon—it is not a pick and choose arrangement in selecting those that agree with your point of view, but must match all of the descriptions, beginning with these first 19 covered in these seven posts.
(See the next post, “So Where is the Land of Promise? – Part VIII,” for more of these descriptions as listed in the scriptural record of the Book of Mormon)