Book of Mormon geography

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The Book of Mormon is a book that takes place in a New World geographical context. However, where in the New World is unknown, and many purported evidences of the Book of Mormon are dependent upon geographical assumptions.

The two primary types of models for Book of Mormon geography are the Heartland Model, placing Zarahemla somewhere in the region of the United States of America, and the Mesoamerican Model, placing Zarahemla somewhere in Mesoamerica.

Citations

Old World

New World

Heartland Model

Rod Meldrum proposes the whole Mississippi river system as the river Sidon.
Joseph Smith received a revelation to name an area across the river from Nauvoo, Zarahemla. (Doesn't specify that it is THE Zarahemla, but it's interesting.)
Interview with author of In the Language of Adam.
Some discussion of legends of Jeremiah and family of Zedekiah visiting Ireland, with the suggestion that Mulek may have been fleeing for his life in that direction and then traveled to the Americas through the viking route.
Discusses Phoenician new world contact.
Discussion of The Bat Creek Stone. Engraved with Paleohebrew. Translated to say "to the Judeans".

Mesoamerican Model

And I bear record that the people of Nephi did seek diligently to restore the Lamanites unto the true faith in God. But our labors were vain; their hatred was fixed, and they were led by their evil nature that they became wild, and ferocious, and a blood-thirsty people, full of idolatry and filthiness; feeding upon beasts of prey; dwelling in tents, and wandering about in the wilderness with a short skin girdle about their loins and their heads shaven; and their skill was in the bow, and in the cimeter, and the ax. And many of them did eat nothing save it was raw meat; and they were continually seeking to destroy us.
  • On page 76, a letter from Charles Anthon to Mr. E. D. Howe dated February 17, 1834 is reproduced which relevantly contains the following:
"This paper in question was, in fact, a singular scroll. It consisted of all kinds of singular characters disposed in columns, and had evidently been prepared by some person who had before him at the time a book containing various alphabets, Greek and Hebrew letters, crosses and flourishes; Roman letters inverted or placed sideways were arranged and placed in perpendicular columns, and the whole ended in a rude delineation of a circle, divided into various compartments, arched with various strange marks, and evidently copied after the Mexican calendar by Humboldt, but copied in such a way as not to betray the source whence it was derived. I am thus particular as to the contents of the paper, inasmuch as I have frequently conversed with friends on the subject since the Mormon excitement began, and well remember that the paper contained anything else but Egyptian hieroglyphics."
  • On page 78, a letter from Charles Anthon to Reverend Coit dated April 3, 1841 is reproduced which relevantly contains the following:
"A very brief examination of the paper, convinced me that it was a mere hoax, and a very clumsy one too. The characters were arranged in columns, like the Chinese mode of writing, and presented the most singular medley that I ever beheld. Greek, Hebrew and all sorts of letters, more or less distorted, either through unskilfulness or from actual design, were intermingled with sundry delineations of half moons, stars, and other natural objects, and the whole ended in a rude representation of the Mexican zodiac."
A seal that appears to be a seal of Mulek was found in the middle east.
Another report of the same artifact.
The actual Anthon Transcript appears to have been taken from the fron plate of the Golden Plates, and had a circular design on it which Charles Anthon took to be a crude copy of the Aztec Calendar Stone.
Primarily focused on recent linguistic research in Teotihuacan.
Reiterates research suggesting a strong connection between Hebrew and the Uto-Aztecan language family.
Points out that the culture in Teotihuacan, and that location, may best match the description of the northern peoples who were expert in cement and where they lived.

Notes

Generally speaking, the location of the Hill Cumorah, and certain statements by Joseph Smith are suggestive of the Heartland Model. (The Zelph mound presents an interesting case.) However, geographical considerations seem to fit the narrow neck of land better, and the wearing of loincloths by the Lamanites suggests a warm climate, which considerations favor the Mesoamerican Model.

My personal bias, having listened to some of the arguments of both sides, but not yet having investigated the matter in detail, is to favor the Mesoamerican Model and to imagine that most of the arguments in favor of the heartland model can be explained fairly well by various migrations to the North that are described in the Book of Mormon, along with the peace and extended trade that expanded Nephite influence and range after Christ's appearance, followed by the record of the Lamanites having overtaken the Nephite homeland and driven them further North. The case of Zelph, for example, is a case which Joseph Smith dated very late, near the end of Nephite civilization.

I hope to solidify and correct my ideas with some closer examination of the evidence, and to also take into consideration changes in geography since 600 BC.

Zarahemla would be between 210 to 315 miles away from the land of Nephi.

Cross-References

Places

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