Why dont we just agree that you see things different and be done with the same ol arguments over and over and over again. It claims a small number of decendants of joseph sold into egypt emmigrate to the americas. This series explores the worlds of the past, using the finds of archaeologists and other scientists to bring ancient peoples and their cultures vividly to life. Hopewell moundbuilders of north america book of mormon. Purchase 150 maps of the book of mormon in north america here. Joseph smith clearly associated the mound builders with the peoples of the book of mormon initially, but other than that, theres no grounds for referring to a mound builder setting for the book of mormon. How a mormon lawyer transformed archaeology in mexicoand. Jul 11, 2018 were the nephites the hopewell mound builders. See more ideas about archaeology, book of mormon and mound builders. The lds church is so eager to locate people who fit the book of mormon narrative that even the mound builders and olmecs have been offered as lamanites, despite the fact that many items of european provenance are found in the mounds, establishing postcolumbian construction. We know that the hopewell did not use stone in building their dwellings, but did use stone in some of their mounds, as did the nephites of the book of mormon.
That having been said, in the late 1800s some antagonists of the book of mormon and many faithful believed that the heartland of america and the mound builders were, in fact, the setting for the geography of the book of mormon, and that the artifacts coming out. Factors affecting dna composition of the new world population. I spoke at the mormon history associations annual conference last week on the topic of the mormons and the mounds. When marks heard the claims being made for this book that it told the hitherto unpublished story of the ancient inhabitants of the americas it occurred to him that the book, if true, might. The mormons and the mounds moronis america the north. Major excavation and artifact dating began in the 1890s. The book of mormon as mound builder mythology a careful.
Book of mormon and the american indian lost american. I agree with rob for once when it comes to an evolution thread. Mound builders and cliff dwellers is one of twentyfour volumes in the timelife book series lost civilizations. Meldrum is a researcher, bestselling lds author, and international lecturer on the validity of the book of mormon with an emphasis on its scriptural and physical evidences. He views the book of mormon as a product of 19th century thought and experience. Louis aka, mound city, famous mounds in lds history, including enon and zelphs mound, and the mounds in and around nauvoo. By some two million americans today the book of mormon is regarded in the same light as the gospels or the five books of moses.
Mormon authors advocating the original moundbuilder setting for the book of mormon have similarly suggested north american peccaries also called wild pigs. Mormon history association mounds and mormons letter vii. How do mainstream anthropologists and archaeologists respond. One man who claimed to have heard a reading of the lost 116 pages said it was a description of the mounds about the country and similar to the book of mormon. How a mormon lawyer transformed archaeology in mexicoand ended up losing his faith. The book of mormon was joseph smiths solution to the.
Im serious five stars for a nonfiction book about the mound builders. Mound builders is a term used to describe several first nation cultures that built earthen burial mounds and other earthworks across a large area of north america. Moundbuilders book of mormon geography, the simple truth. The hopewell culture, commonly called mound builders, dates roughly from 300 bc to 400 ad. The ancient north american moundbuilder civilizations correlate with the people in. The following video explains the major differences between the nephites living in new york and upper ohio and the mound building people of the mississippi and lower ohio valleys and just how some of the more apostate nephites came to join them, and why. The mound builderelephant controversy did not originate with the book of mormon. In this sequel to the authors bestselling book, the lo. Lamanites true book of mormon geography lands western.
Another post about the same thing over and over and over again. We know that the hopewell and adena people both built gigantic mounds and earthen enclosures, as did the nephite and jaredites of the book of mormon. Louis aka, mound city, famous mounds in lds history, including enon and zelphs mound, and. Mormons identify mound builders with the nephites and lamanites elder charles b. Advocates of the mound builder setting for the book of mormon maintain that native peoples of central and south america are predominantly of asiatic origin. According to the book of mormons, there were two races here ages ago. Ancient mounds with human bones in north america book of. A comparison of nephite timeline with the mound builders of north america. Mar 10, 2020 archaeology supporting the historicity of the book of mormon. When the book of mormon appeared, it was a natural assumption by many that the book was the story of the mysterious mound builders joseph smith himself initially believed that the presence of the mounds supported the story related in the book of mormon.
The mastodon of the book of ether, millennial star, 28. Some mormon writers have considered the book of mormon narrative a description of the moundbuilding cultures. Book of mormon early settlers and researchers found coins in hopewell indian mounds haywood and atwater found coins in hopewell indian mounds. Or, how mainstream egyptologists respond to the book of abraham translation. Nov 07, 2010 well, ask any respectable archeologist or anthropologist, and ask how large was the population of these mound builders, you will instantly see that they do not match what the book of mormon requires.
Olive sets forth her evidence that the book of mormon people were not only the moundbuilders, but that they were also a large and mighty nation living in the near vicinity of the hill cumorah and throughout the entire mound building region the giant, mound. It was fun to pick up indian mound references in descriptions of the mythical world of majipoor in one of silverbergs fantasy works, lord valentine castle. Some mormon writers have considered the book of mormon narrative a description of the mound building cultures. The book of mormon itself, interestingly enough, does not mention the term mound at all and refers only twice to heaps of earth having been dug up, once in. Zelph and the question of book of mormon geography. In this video, i will explore in detail the once popular mound builder myth and show why the book of mormons version of ancient american.
In thanatopsis, the poem that established his reputation in 1817 when he was only twentythree, william cullen bryant spoke of the ancient race of men interred in one mighty. To their critics, however, mormon beliefs are merely amusing fantasies, and the sacred book of mormon itself is just another literary expression of the mound builder mythology. The archaeological record supports this hypothesis that the lamanites were the mound builders whose center was not western new york, but did extend to western new york. This paper does not assess the historical and cultural context of the mound builder tradition and whatever relationship it may have to mormonism.
The book of mormon was joseph smiths solution to the mound. Haywood believed the mound builders traded their swords and metal work with romans during. When the book of mormon appeared, it was a natural assumption by many that the book was the story of the mysterious mound builders. In the book, ethel goes on to read larkins selfproclaimed visionary statement about the domestication of the mastodon by the mound builders. A legend of the moundbuilders 1839, which described the efforts of the mound builders to cope with a mammoth of supernatural size and strength that rampaged through their cities until slain by a hero named bokulla. On pages 3034 of her 2001 volume, the lost tribes of the book of mormon, mrs.
All opinions, speakers and presenters represent and express their own individual opinions, and not necessarily the opinions of firm foundation, book of mormon evidence, or its employees, and no information or opinions represent the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. Letters are exchanged between leaders the book of mormon has epistles, censors are the rulers judges in the book of mormon, and lists of generals are given for armies of tens of thousands. Mormon connections with native american indian mounds. Can the book of mormons setting be determined from things present and published, in the prophet joseph smiths time and country. From the squire and davis book, is a drawing of one such mound in cahokia, illinois. Feb 02, 2019 best to have a firm grasp of the facts before asking a leading question the book of mormon does not claim the native american tribes were jews.
It is my opinion that these mound builders could have had some type of incremental trade system with, perhaps some of the people of the book of. The skeletons were not found lying in such a manner as would indicate any arrangement of the bodies on the part of the entombers. Subsequently all mounds that have similar identifications are named as the hopewell mound builders within an interaction sphere. According to our map, book of mormon land is in western new york from erie, pa to palmyra, ny.
David marks was traveling through western new york and there he heard of the recent publication of a very strange book. The form of the mound is that of a parallelogram, seven hundred feet long by five hundred wide at the base. White settlers buried the truth about the midwests. Or, how mainstream linguists respond to reformed egyptian characters. Book of mormon evidences and the mound builders of north america. Indian origins and the book of mormon by dan vogel. Sep 12, 2019 purchase 150 maps of the book of mormon in north america here. Well, ask any respectable archeologist or anthropologist, and ask how large was the population of these mound builders, you will instantly see that they do not match what the book of mormon requires. We know that the hopewell did not use stone in building their dwellings, but did use stone in some of. Did joseph smith believe that the book of mormon explained local legends associated with the mound builders of the eastern united states. Rise and fall of the mound builders in north america. By managed wordpress migration user july 11, 2018 uncategorized when european colonists began to expand west beyond the allegheny mountains, they found tens of thousands of mounds scattered all across the land. Best to have a firm grasp of the facts before asking a leading question the book of mormon does not claim the native american tribes were jews.
That having been said, in the late 1800s some antagonists of the book of mormon and many faithful believed that the heartland of america and the mound builders were, in fact, the setting for the geography of the book of mormon, and that the artifacts coming out of the mounds were evidence of its truthfulness. Givens by the hand of mormon has pretty solid account of the shift in smiths vision of book of mormon peoples from the mound builders to mesoamerica, but theres no evidence for a mound builder setting in the text of the book. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. Mormon history association mounds and mormons moronis.
The book of mormon depicts these settlers building magnificent cities, which were destroyed by warfare about ce 385. Papa gladly accepts larkins conclusion, but chides him for claiming something as new which of course had been revealed in an inspired way decades earlier in the bom. The accounts related to zelph are used as evidence bysome book of mormon scholars to suggest that the lehites inhabited the entire north american continent as proposed by the hemispheric geographical model, rather than merely portions of central america as suggested by the limited geography model. Then well travel to serpent mound, a snake effigy mound that stretches more than 1,400 feet and is perhaps the most enigmatic archaeological feature in the united states. Indians and mound builders 53 the lamanites were led by their evil nature that they became wild, and ferocious, and a bloodthirsty people, full of idolatry and filthiness. Yet, recent evidence suggests the hierarchy among the hopewell were of foreign birth, pagans who brought their sunworshiping religions with them to the new world, the same type religion of antichrists found among the nehors of the book of mormon. Jan 18, 2018 how a mormon lawyer transformed archaeology in mexicoand ended up losing his faith. In summary, in only one of three cases where joseph smith encountered the remains of the mound buildersthe zelph incident did he even suggest a relationship between these peoples and those described in the book of mormon, the exact nature of which however, is still uncertain. This is the book of mormon setting identified by mainstream american history and literature specialists.
Thomas stuart ferguson lay in his hammock, certain that he had found. Lamanites true book of mormon geography lands western new. One was the nephites and the other were the lamanites. Vogel seeks to understand how the book of mormon fit into the ongoing discussion about the origin and nature of ancient american cultures introduction. Wayne may presents the supporting evidence for the heartland model, that the book of mormon nephites and jaredites lived in north america.
The ancient north american moundbuilder civilizations correlate with the people in the book of mormon. The mound builders also have horses and mamoons mammoths. This paper does not assess the historical and cultural context of the moundbuilder tradition and whatever relationship it may have to mormonism. How do mainstream anthropologists and archaeologists. Even before the book of mormon was published, mormonism was linked to the moundbuilder civilizations of north america. Its more than a little strong to refer to the book of mormon s setting as mound builder. The author is most known for his science fiction, fantasy writing. The above statement from joseph smith perfectly dates the mounds, including zelphs mound, to the nephite book of mormon timeline which was roughly from 500 bc to 400 ad. When marks heard the claims being made for this book that it told the hitherto unpublished story of the ancient inhabitants of the americas. Book of mormon evidences and the mound builders of north. Also seen at the top of this article as it looks today. See more ideas about book of mormon, mound builders, american history. Book of mormon and mound builder myth dan vogel youtube.
This is like asking how mainstream astrophysicists respond to flatearth theory. At the left we can see a single ramp or stairway leading up to the top of the mound. After lunch we will conclude the day with a trip to hopewell culture national historic park in chillicothe. Book of mormon evidence in american archaeology wayne may. Lost civilizations of north america documentary4, deborah bolnick on haplogroup x. White settlers buried the truth about the midwests mysterious mound cities pioneers and early archaeologists credited distant civilizations, not native americans, with building these. Thompson was one of the first mormon writers to identify the moundbuilders with the nephites whose story is told in the book of mormon. Jun 09, 2017 i spoke at the mormon history associations annual conference last week on the topic of the mormons and the mounds. Mormon history association mounds and mormons moroni.
344 658 2 903 1310 1586 350 1433 1412 1126 1120 596 1507 1689 7 1262 115 152 468 531 1481 80 735 681 536 1141 698 740 351 915 898 1411 20 1494