Proposed Book of Mormon geographical setting

Internal map

The Book of Mormon itself is the best source for understanding the geographical locations contained therein. Internal Book of Mormon geography focuses on the relationships between lands and other geographic features, independent of where they might be physically located on today's maps. The purpose of constructing unbiased internal maps is to orient major lands, seas and landmarks mentioned in the text, and estimate relative distances between them; without trying to 'fit them' into any proposed setting on a modern map. A careful investigation of the Book of Mormon’s internal geography is useful to guard against bias by researchers using favored “known-world” settings and/or traditions.

The following is a brief overview of the Book of Mormon’s New World (American) internal geography. Three groups are known to have migrated: Jaredites, Lehites and Mulekites:

After arriving in the New World, Nephi, a son of Lehi, left the place of their first landing and traveled with his followers “many days” in the wilderness. “Many” is a non-specific word that can mean anything from "three hours" to “forty days.” This particular journey did not take Nephi and his followers beyond the territory that would later be called the land of Nephi. Numerous other travel times are mentioned within the Book of Mormon, generally just days or less. Thus the text of the Book of Mormon is often viewed by scholars as favoring a 'limited' setting of just a few hundred miles for most of its events. For example, a group ostensibly consisting of the very young and old with “their flocks” and some belongings, could travel from the land of Nephi “down” through a "strip" of wilderness to the land of Zarahemla in less than 21 days.

Numerous other details in the Book of Mormon indicate principal lands that are quite localized, generally negating the possibility that the Book of Mormon settings cover major parts of both North and South America.

Clark 1989

John E Clark, Review of Books on the Book of Mormon, vol 1, 1989, pp. 20–70.

Lauritzen

Source: BYU Library (call number MOR M222 A1a #33). John Sorenson notes in his book, The Geography of the Book of Mormon: A Source Book the following on page 102,

"This map is identical in practically all substantive details to Ludlow et al.... The near identity of these three maps raises a question of directions of unattributed influence. If not plagiarism, at least an odd kind of liberty comes to mind."

Layton 1938

Source: Lynn C. Layton, An "Ideal" Book of Mormon Geography, Improvement Era 41 (July 1938): pp. 394–395.

Joseph Smith's statements regarding Book of Mormon geography

Published articles in the Times & Seasons newspaper (of which Joseph Smith was the editor) indicate that Book of Mormon peoples, or their descendants, migrated from “the lake country of America” to Mexico and Central America. In 1841 Joseph Smith read Stephens’ Incidents of Travel in Central America. Smith held Stephens’ work in high regard and recommended it. However, Stephens’ bestseller did not change Smith’s position that Book of Mormon events took place in northern America, in lands primarily occupied by the United States.

In the Wentworth Letter Joseph Smith wrote the following regarding his interview with the angel Moroni:

I was also informed concerning the aboriginal inhabitants of this country', and shown who they were, and from whence they came; a brief sketch of their origin, progress, civilization, laws, governments, of their righteousness and iniquity, and the blessings of God being finally withdrawn from them as a people was made known unto me: I was also told where there was deposited some plates on which were engraven an abridgment of the records of the ancient prophets that had existed on this continent ...

In his “AMERICAN ANTIQUITIES” editorial of July 1842, the Times & Seasons newspaper corroborates wars described in the Book of Mormon with archaeological finds in northern America. It is not certain as to which articles in the Times & Seasons signed "-ED" were authored by Joseph Smith, approved by Joseph Smith, or otherwise handled by editorial assistants since Joseph Smith was frequently absent and only the nominal editor.

The Times & Seasons quotes Josiah Priest’s American Antiquities statement that "Weapons of brass have been found in many parts of America, as in the Canadas, Florida, &c., with curiously sculptured stones, all of which go to prove that this country was once peopled with civilized, industrious nations..."

The Times & Seasons associates earth, timber and metal works found in northern America (presumably artifacts of mound builder societies) with implements and constructions described in the Book of Mormon. As much as Joseph Smith approved of Stephens’ work, the Times & Seasons only makes minor mention of it, and then only to conclude in the “American Antiquities” editorial, that the peoples of Central America are tied historically to the Book of Mormon. Regarding the peoples of Central America, the Times & Seasons concludes:

Stephens and Catherwood's researches in Central America abundantly testify of this thing. The stupendous ruins, the elegant sculpture, and the magnificence of the ruins of Guatemala, and other cities, corroborate this statement, and show that a great and mighty people-men of great minds, clear intellect, bright genius, and comprehensive designs inhabited this continent. Their ruins speak of their greatness; the Book of Mormen [Mormon] unfolds their history.-ED.

The article does not actually say that Book of Mormon lands are to be found in Central America. This assertion came later in several unsigned newspaper articles, published in the Fall of 1842. The use of first person plural (“we” and “us”) indicates that the articles may have been a collaborative effort. A recent “word-print” stylometry study of the unsigned articles concluded that they contain Joseph Smith’s vocabulary and average sentence lengths. One LDS apologist, however, argues that the statistical word-print analysis cannot identify everything that was edited in the articles and by whom. Without an endorsing signature we cannot tell the extent to which Joseph Smith agreed with the opinions expressed in the unsigned articles.

In the March 15, 1842 edition of the Times and Seasons, Joseph Smith informed readers that he would endorse his articles with his signature. W. Vincent Coon argues that the unsigned 1842 articles contradict each other. One of the articles in question mentions “Joseph Smith” in the third person. This same article alleges that Lehi “landed a little south of the Isthmus of Darien” which would place Lehi’s landing on a western shore of South America. The 1842 Times and Seasons editorials, written by Joseph Smith, are readily identified as they end with his “ED”. Joseph Smith had found it necessary to go into hiding for much of the Fall that year. Though he was still official editor of the Times and Seasons, it is doubtful that he was acting editor at the time inasmuch as he was keeping a low public profile and had been in hiding, as Doctrine and Covenants 127:1 and 128:1 attest. LDS Church History Scholars believe that John Taylor may have served as “the acting editor for the Times and Seasons” in Joseph's absence. In November 1842, Joseph Smith officially resigned as editor, explaining that, “The multiplicity of other business that daily devolves upon me, renders it impossible for me to do justice to a paper so widely circulated as the Times and Seasons.” John Taylor was then made official editor of the newspaper.

Published in the same issue as the unsigned “ZARAHEMLA” article (October 1842) with its anachronistic claims about the ruins of Quirigua, is a signed epistle to the church from the Mormon prophet in hiding. In Joseph Smith’s letter (canonized as the 128th section of the LDS Doctrine and Covenants) the Book of Mormon land Cumorah is referenced among other locations of significance near the Finger Lakes.

Several earlier statements by Joseph Smith, indicate that events described in the Book of Mormon took place in lands occupied by the United States of America. In an 1833 letter to N.C. Saxton, he wrote:

The Book of Mormon is a record of the forefathers of our western tribes of Indians; having been found through the ministration of an holy angel, and translated into our own language by the gift and power [of] God, after having been hid up in the earth for the last fourteen hundred years, containing the word of God which was delivered unto them. By it we learn that our western tribes of Indians are descendants from that Joseph that was sold into Egypt, and that the land [of] America is a promised land unto them, and unto it, all the tribes of Israel will come, with as many of the Gentiles as shall comply with the requisitions of the new covenant. But the tribe of Judah will return to old Jerusalem.

The expression, “our western tribes of Indians” refers to Indian tribes who lived west, or were pushed west from the east coast of the United States by European expansion. LDS missionaries were sent to these peoples in the early days of the Church. Latter-day scripture refers to these peoples as “Lamanites”. Several passages in LDS scripture associate these native peoples with peoples of the Book of Mormon. LDS scripture teaches that the land of their Book of Mormon ancestors (presumably the territories now occupied by the United States of America) was ordained to become a land “free unto all...”. The ancient land of their inheritance is, according to LDS scripture, associated with the land of “New Jerusalem.”. New Jerusalem, “the city of Zion” is, according to LDS scripture to be built in northern America.

Some scholars argue that Joseph Smith came to believe that the Maya ruins on the Yucatán Peninsula discovered in the late 1830s, offered evidence in support of the Book of Mormon's authenticity. A more recent inclusion in History of the Church proclaims the ruins were likely Nephite or belonging to “the ancient inhabitants of America treated of in the Book of Mormon”. In view of the position that ancient peoples migrated from the north into Mexico and Central America, the linking of Mesoamerican artifacts with “ancient inhabitants ...of ...the Book of Mormon” is not inconsistent with Joseph Smith's statements placing Book of Mormon lands in northern America. The History of the Church statement was inserted under the date June 25, 1842 and is not taken from any holograph writing of Joseph Smith or records kept by his clerks. The date, in fact, is only a few weeks prior to the publication of the AMERICAN ANTIQUITIES editorial, citing northern American evidence of Book of Mormon history. The inclusion in History of the Church reads as follows:

Messrs. Stephens and Catherwood have succeeded in collecting in the interior of America a large amount of relics of the Nephites, or the ancient inhabitants of America treated of in the Book of Mormon, which relics have recently been landed in New York.

Stephens brought to New York hundreds of artifacts from Mayan sites, including sculptures and architectural remnants. Shortly after arriving in New York, most of these relics were lost when the building that housed them was destroyed by fire.

According to Mormon 6:5, Nephite civilization came to an end near the year 384 A.D., with only a few Nephites surviving,(Mormon 6:11) of which some or all were "hunted until they were destroyed" by the surviving tribal civilization. The Copan and Quirigua, sites in the Yucatan visited by Stephens and Catherwood, contain artifacts that date more recent than Book of Mormon times. It has not been shown that any of Stephens’ artifacts date to Book of Mormon times, and Joseph Smith does not make this assertion.

The first history of the Church was written in 1834 and 1835 by Oliver Cowdery, as a series of articles published serially in the Church's Messenger and Advocate. In this history, Cowdery stated that the final battle between the Nephites and the Lamanites occurred at the "Hill Cumorah," the very same Hill Cumorah in New York, where Joseph Smith said he obtained golden plates and other artifacts which were used to translate the Book of Mormon. These plates and artifacts were shown to only a few witnesses and never to the general public. The plates were later claimed to have been returned to the angel, Moroni. Oliver Cowdery also identified the Jaredites' final battle as occurring in the same area as the Nephite/Lamanite final battle. Since Smith was an editor of the Messenger and Advocate and approved the history, all but proponents of limited South American and Mesoamerican geography theories believe it conclusively demonstrated Joseph Smith’s belief as well. In any case, evidence appears to show that Smith did not subscribe to the limited Mesoamerican or South American geography theories promoted by some LDS today. Joseph Smith clearly advocated a northern American setting (near the Finger Lakes) for the Book of Mormon land Cumorah, hence Doctrine and Covenants 128:20.

Lucy Mack Smith, Joseph Smith’s mother, in her account of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, says that the divine messenger called the hill where the plates were deposited the “hill of Cumorah” meaning “hill of” the Book of Mormon land “Cumorah”. In another account, she said that young Joseph referred to the hill using this description. Joseph Smith’s preeminence as an authority on the Book of Mormon is evinced by the following account given by his mother:

During our evening conversations, Joseph, would occasionally give us some of the most amusing recitals that could be imagined. He would describe the ancient inhabitants of this continent, their dress, mode of traveling, and the animals upon which they rode; their cities and buildings, with every particular; their mode of warfare; and also their religious worship. This he would do with as much ease, seemingly, as if he had spent his whole life among them.

Efforts to associate Joseph Smith with the geographic notions of his contemporaries remain speculative. A note in the handwriting of Frederick G. Williams, a scribe and counselor to Smith, asserts that Lehi's people landed in South America at thirty degrees south latitude. Early LDS church leader, Orson Pratt also speculated that the Nephite landing site was on the coast of Chile near Valparaiso, but Pratt indicated that this hypothesis was arrived at by supposition, not divine revelation. There is no proof that Williams’ unsigned, undated writing represents a revelation given to Joseph Smith. An official statement by the LDS Church discourages Church members from making too much of the Williams document.

Hemispheric models

Evidence indicates that early members of the Church did not pay a great deal of attention to Book of Mormon details about distances. The “Hemispheric” or “Two-Continent” model proposes that Book of Mormon lands stretch many thousands of miles over much of South and North America. There is no first hand, verifiable statement by Joseph Smith endorsing this view. One of the earliest advocates of a hemispheric setting was the young missionary Orson Pratt, who as early as 1832 publicly promoted the idea that Lehi “crossed the water into South America”. For some who read the Book of Mormon, with maps of the Western Hemisphere in view, the Isthmus of Panama seems an easy fit for the Book of Mormon’s “narrow neck of land”. Pratt claimed that the “running battle”, culminating in the destruction of the Nephite nation, started at “the Isthmus of Darien” (Panama) and “ended at Manchester” (western New York). Pratt never attributed his geography (or one like it) to Joseph Smith. Pratt in fact, indicated that the South American landing idea was supposition, not revelation. Pratt’s geographic views were published in the 1879 edition of the Book of Mormon, but retracted from later editions.

There was no consensus of opinion among early Mormon leaders on the topic of Book of Mormon geography. The hemispheric setting of Apostle Parley P. Pratt, for instance, differed from that of his brother Orson. Strongly influenced by John Lloyd Stephens’ 1841 bestseller, Incident of Travel in Central America, Parley Pratt set various Book of Mormon lands (including, apparently, the narrow neck) farther north and west of Panama. As early as 1842, Apostle John E. Page published a more limited, non-hemispheric setting for the Book of Mormon. Page originally placed the narrow neck at the Bay of Honduras; and by 1848 appears to have relocated the narrow neck more to the northwest. Other LDS, in 1842, figured all of Central America to be the narrow neck. Prior to the influence of John Lloyd Stephens’ popular book, some church members placed the southernmost Nephite land of Manti well within the boundaries of United States territory.

In the 1850s the following unsigned statement was circulated among Latter-day Saints:

“The course that Lehi traveled from the city of Jerusalem to the place where he and his family took ship, they traveled nearly a south, southeast direction until they came to the nineteenth degree of North Latitude, then, nearly east to the Sea of Arabia then sailed in a southeast direction and landed on the continent of South America in Chili [Chile] thirty degrees south latitude.”

The original is in the handwriting of early church leader Frederick G. Williams, who held a definite opinion on the subject of Book of Mormon geography. The statement was partially rewritten by church authorities Richards and Little and published as a “Revelation to Joseph the Seer” - a statement which the original did not contain. The Chilean landing site, promoted in the Williams document, matches Orson Pratt’s geography. Prominent LDS would later call into question the statement’s authority; but before this would happen, church leaders publicly attributed (without verification or proof) features of Orson Pratt’s geography to Joseph Smith. The idea that Lehi landed on the coast of temperate Chile, thousand of miles south of Panama’s narrow neck, and that tropical Colombia's thousand mile long Magdalena River is the River Sidon, were presented by church scholars as mainstream, majority views in the LDS community.

Bagley 1927 model

Claims the Narrow Neck of Land is the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. Source: JM Sjodahl, An Introduction to the Study of the Book of Mormon, 1927, pp. 415–418.

Comer/Maeser 1880 model

Claims the Narrow Neck of Land is Panama. Source: JA and JN Washburn, An Approach to the Study of the Book of Mormon Geography, Provo, Utah, 1939.

Dixon 1958

Source: Just One Cumorah by Riley Lake Dixon, SLC, Bookcraft, 1958

General 1830s

Source: John L Sorenson, The Geography of the Book of Mormon: a Source Book, FARMS, 1992, pp. 75–76.

Gunsolley 1922

Source: Jeremiah Gunsolley, A Study of the Book of Mormon...., Zions Religio-Literary Society, Herald Publishing House, Lamoni, Iowa, 1917

Hobby/Smith 1988

Source: Michael Hobby and Troy Smith. A Model for Nephite Geography. Zarahemla Quarterly 2(1)(1988): 4-14. Source: Hobby, The Mulekite Connection, Zarahemla Quarterly 2(1)(1988): 36ff.

Ricks pre-1921

By 1921 Joel Ricks of Logan had distributed 6000 copies of his map of Book of Mormon geography. Source: James E. Talmage Journals, 1921, January 14–24. See Joseph Trevor Antley's extracts of Talmage's journal: James E. Talmage Journals, 1921: Book of Mormon Geography Hearings. (WP:DEADLINK)

Also see the following article:"PANAMA: An Introduction," Michael M. Hobby and Troy J. Smith, Zarahemla Quarterly, Vol Two, No. Two, 1988; pp. 4–20. The following rivers were run by Hobby and Hobby, or Hobby and Smith to determine the minimum crossable land constrictions: Rio Bayano (central Panama), 22 mile passable width; Rio Tuira (eastern Panama), 40 miles from the southern Bay to the Caribbean,reduced by 25-35% due to the width of the lower Tuira (However,significant population existed along rivers to the southeast); Rio Chagres (Canal Zone), 27–40 miles; however, former path of the Chagres is obscured by Lake Gatun, not a natural geomorphological feature. Rio Atrato and tributaries flow into the Gulf of Uraba (also termed the Gulf of Darien, associated with the Darien Gap) Colombia. The Gulf is located at the southeastern terminus of the North Panamanian Deformed Belt, an arc which determines the shape of the Gulf and the Atrato drainage basin, both of which it underlies, including much of the Atrato, still pronounced along the northern part of its length. Hobby asserts that the massive sediment loads deposited by the Atrato (and other rivers flowing into the Gulf on it eastern perimeter) have nearly divided the present gulf in half, due to E/W delta deposits and a highly restricted flow pattern north into the outer gulf he observed in satellite photography. The landlocked lakes to the south were once part of the Gulf. Therefore, he argues that geologic and hydrogeologic data confirm the minimum passable width several thousand years ago was likely as much as 40% or more less than observed today.

Central America models

It has been claimed in recent years, that within the Mormon community, more scholars have gravitated toward this general group of geographic scenarios than any other group of theories. While there are disagreements about where the “narrow neck of land” resides, e.g. southern Mexico, Honduras, the Isthmus of Rivas between Nicaragua and Costa Rica, Panama, the following list of theories can all be categorized as Central American based.

Early LDS became engrossed with John Lloyd Stephens’ 1841 bestseller, Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas, and Yucatan. Despite Stephens' own published conclusion that the marvelous stone ruins which he and Frederick Catherwood documented were not of “great antiquity”, some LDS nevertheless, placed much importance on matching these stone ruins to Book of Mormon cities. For some, this endeavor had higher priority than looking for the narrowest and correctly oriented Mesoamerican isthmus. In time, more Mormon scholars came to realize that the New World Book of Mormon lands were quite localized.

The earliest, most limited Central American models were posited by members of the RLDS Church. In one detail, none of these proposed settings are exactly limited geographically: they all require Moroni to have transported the plates and other articles thousands of miles to western New York.

LDS apologist Vincent Coon cites non-LDS archaeologist Salvatore Trento, who posits the possibility that Joseph Smith actually discovered buried metal tablets engraved with “weird markings”. Trento notes comparable discoveries in Northeastern America which Coon points out are not likely the result of a singular ancient individual traveling thousands of miles from Central or South America. Such finds are consistent with the 19th century “Mound Builder” literary setting in which the Book of Mormon is classed by mainstream American History and Literature specialists.

Allen 1989 model

Claims the Narrow Neck of Land is the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, and the basic area is that of Mesoamerica. Source: Exploring the Lands of the Book of Mormon, By Joseph Allen, SA Publishers, Orem, Utah, 1989, pp. 181–390

Christensen 1969

Cheesman's, The World of the Book of Mormon, Deseret Book, 1978.

Davila 1961 model

Claims the Narrow Neck of Land is the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, and the basic area is that of Mesoamerica. Source: BYU Library, "An account of our Book of Mormon Lands Tour", 27 January to 16 February 1961.

DeLong-Steede-Simmons 1977 model

Claims the Narrow Neck of Land is the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, and the basic area is that of Mesoamerica. See FRAA Newsletter 23 (11 May 1976).

Driggs 1925

Claims the Narrow Neck of Land is the Bay of Honduras, and the basic area is that of Mesoamerica. Source: Jean Russell Driggs, The Palestine of America, SLC, 1925.

Ellsworth 1980

Claims the Narrow Neck of Land is somewhere in Costa Rica, and the basic area is that of Mesoamerica. Source: Robert B Ellsworth, Lectures Notes on an Interpretation of a Map of Zarahemla and the Land Northward as Described in the Book of Mormon, Ogden, Utah, 1980.

Ferguson 1947

Source: Thomas Stuart Ferguson, Cumorah—Where?, The author, Oakland, CA, 1947.

Ferguson/Hunter 1950

Source: Ferguson, One Fold and One Shepherd, San Francisco: Books of California, 1953, p. 252

Hammond 1959

Source: Fletcher B Hammond, Geography of the Book of Mormon, SLC, 1959

Hansen 1951

Source: Book of Mormon Geography, Saints' Herald, January 8, 1951.

Hauck 1988

Source: F Richard Hauck, Deciphering the Geography of the Book of Mormon: Settlements and Routes in Ancient America. SLC, Deseret Book, 1988.

Hills 1917

Source: Louis Edward Hills, Geography of Mexico and Central America from 2234 BC to 421 AD, Independence, Missouri, 1917.

Holmes 1903

Source: Robert Holmes, Geographical Sketches of the Book of Mormon, 1903. (Located in LDS Church historical Dept)

Jakeman 1940s

Source: Summarized by Paul R Cheesman, These Ancient Americans, Deseret Book, SLC, 1974, pp. 164–166.

Norman 1966

Claims the Narrow Neck of Land is the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, and the basic area is that of Mesoamerica.

Young 1921

Willard Young claimed that most of the Book of Mormon scenes were in present-day Guatemala and Honduras. Source: James E. Talmage Journals, 1921, January 14–24. See Joseph Trevor Antley's extracts of Talmage's journal: James E. Talmage Journals, 1921: Book of Mormon Geography Hearings.

Ivins 1921

Apostle Anthony W. Ivins suggested that the Book of Mormon lands embraced mainly Yucatan and Mexico. Source: James E. Talmage Journals, 1921, January 14–24. See Joseph Trevor Antley's extracts of Talmage's journal: James E. Talmage Journals, 1921: Book of Mormon Geography Hearings.

Heartland models

The "Heartland" model or "Heartland Theory" of Book of Mormon geography postulates that the Book of Mormon events primarily occurred in the heartland of North America.

Among its proposals are that Mound Builders, including the Hopewell and the Adena, were among those peoples described in accounts of events in Book of Mormon books such as Alma and Helaman. The Mississippi River is identified as the River Sidon, and Big Spring (in Carter County, Missouri) is identified as being the Waters of Mormon. The Niagara Falls region has been described as the "narrow neck of land" mentioned in Alma. In addition, the Appalachian region of Tennessee is claimed by some to be the Land of Nephi.

In recent years, this theory, which challenges the traditional paradigm of Central America as a primary location for Book of Mormon geography, has become a "movement" among some Latter Day Saints. Proponents see this new model as a way of better supporting the historical authenticity of the Book of Mormon. Fabio T. Sagebin, from Independence MO, proposes another theory based on the Area of Arkansas and Missouri. It has to do with the lowering of the crust of the area of the southern states of USA causing a new topography of that area. The scars left on the strata shows a large area around the Mississippi river. This area would be the East Sea, the same occurs on the west. For better view, please visit New model about the Book of Mormon Geography

South America models

A dubious, unsigned document in the handwriting of early church leader Frederick G. Williams alleges that Lehi landed 30 degrees South of the equator, in what would be modern day Chile. There are several theories that try to confirm this. Many people who support this group of theories believe that part of South America was under water, and that the continent rose up during the major earthquakes mentioned in the Book of Mormon during Christ’s crucifixion in the Old World.

Birrell 1948

The Narrow Neck of land is the Maranon River narrows, or the Andean passes in Southern Ecuador. Source: Verla Birrell, The Book of Mormon Guide Book, SLC, 1948

Priddis 1975 model

The narrow neck is from Guayaquil, Ecuador to the Amazon basin, which before Christ was under water.

Kocherhans 1986 model

The narrow neck is the Andes Mountains around Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Great Lakes theories

Proponents of the Great Lakes theory adhere to the teachings of LDS Church leaders, official church history, and church canon that identify the hill in Palmyra, New York as the Hill Cumorah of the Book of Mormon, the place of the final Nephite battle. Great Lakes theories differ in that they incorporate the land of Palmyra, New York as the place of the final Nephite battle and the place where the Jaredite Omer walked.

Curtis 1988 model

Claims the Narrow Neck is the isthmus between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.

Holley 1983

Source: Vernal Holley, Book of Mormon Authorship: A Closer Look, Zenos Publications, Ogden, Utah, 1983. Holley held various mid-level LDS leadership positions. See also the Spalding-Rigdon theory. Maps of Holley's proposed locations: Book of Mormon Locations and Places.

Olive 2000

Source: Phyllis Carol Olive, The Lost Lands of the Book of Mormon, Printed by Bonneville Books, Springville, Utah, first printing 2000. ISBN 1-55517-510-4, Library of Congress Catalog Number 94-98119. For the most current treatment, discussion and map of the setting visit: [bookofmormonlands.com] and [bookofmormonpromisedland.com]

Coon 2009

Source: W. Vincent Coon, Choice Above All Other Lands, Book of Mormon Covenant Lands According to the Best Sources, Printed by Brit Publishing, Salt Lake City, Utah, first printing 2009. ISBN 978-0-615-26543-8. Coon (MS Physics, Hebrew language background) is an advocate of Olive's work. [bookofmormonpromisedland.com]

Alternative theories

Some people believe that the Book of Mormon took place in areas outside of the Americas.

The African theory

Embaye Melekin is the author. Michael R. Ash wrote a review of this theory in 2001. Melekin claims that his book titled, “Manifestations mysteries revealed,” has proven “beyond the shadow of a doubt that the Book of Mormon is an African book and about Africans. . . . My book will change the church and the belief of the Mormons drastically.”

The Malay model

The Malay Book of Mormon geography model asserts that the Book of Mormon account matches the geography and historical record of the Malay Peninsula. The starting point for this theory is the claim that a 4,000 mile journey to the Malay Peninsula, with appropriate winds and currents from the Middle East, would have been much easier for the Jaredites, Mulekites and Lehites than a 16,000 mile voyage across the Indian and Pacific Oceans (with no appropriate currents) to the Americas. The proponent of this theory, Ralph Olsen, notes several hundred reasons that his theory is superior to New World-based explanations. The Malay theory relies upon ongoing linguistic, genetic and archaeological research as a foundation to resolve most of the anachronisms that exist in other Book of Mormon geographies.

The Isle of the Sea model (Island model)

An island setting for Book of Mormon account was first proposed by Blake Ostler in his Sunstone article titled "DNA Strands in the Book of Mormon". Ostler asserts that the Book of Mormon events must have taken place on an island as was claimed by Jacob after arriving in the promised land.

"For the Lord has made the sea our path, and we are upon an isle of the sea. But great are the promises of the Lord unto them who are upon the isles of the sea; wherefore as it says isles, there must needs be more than this, and they are inhabited also by our brethren."

The Island of the Sea model builds on the work of Ralph Olsen's Malay model with particular emphasis on genetic, linguistic and archaeological research within Southeast Asia and the Austronesian islands. The Isle of the Sea model also draws on early Judeo-Christian texts such as the Narrative of Zosimus and the History of the Rechabites to position the Book of Mormon as a 5th-century apocryphal text composed in an old world setting, a proposition advanced by Dr. Paul Owen.

The Isle of the Sea model proposes that the Islands of the Blessed described in early Judeo-Christian texts are synonymous with those mentioned by Jacob in 2 Nephi 10:20. These islands are identified in Greek and Roman sources as the land of the Camarines believed to be associated with the Malay Peninsula, which was known in ancient sources as the Golden Chersonese or the Golden Island (Suvarnadvipa), and the islands of the Indonesian archipelago.