Elephants are only mentioned once in the book of mormon in connection with the jaredites. Cureloms and cumoms and they also had horses, and asses, and there were elephants and cureloms and cumoms. However, no evidence of horses and elephants being brought to the americas have been found to support the book of mormon in the precolumbian new world before 1492. While the jury is still out, there are a number of north american indian traditions which recount legends of giant stifflegged beasts which would never lie down, had a big head and large leaflike ears, round footprints, forwardbending knees, and had a fifth. Book of mormon claims elephants in ancient america. One group of families came from jerusalem in 600 bc and afterward separated into two nations, known as the nephites and the lamanites.
The book of mormon falls short on this major point. The mention of elephants and other extinct animals, along with the obvious fact that the book of mormon tells us the jaredites were the first inhabitants of this continent is the most striking evidence for our correlated timeline which correlates the early predearth jaredites with north american paleo indians living prior to the end of the ice. Hunting for elephants in the book of mormon meridian. I personally believe the book of mormon doesnt have enough material to be completely historical and too much to be completely fiction. This appears a problem to some, in particular, the smithsonian. Clark explains, the most frequently mentioned deficiencies of the book conce rn the lack of hard evidence in the new world for the right time periods of precious metals, old world animals and plants, and book of mormon place names and personal namesjohn e.
Among the supposed book of mormon anachronisms is the mention of bees ether 2. In the book of mormon, mention of elephants occurs in a single verse, in the jaredite account there were elephants, ether 9. The jaredites are estimated to have arrived in the new world between 2600 and 2100 bc. Also mentions that the discovery of elephant bones in. It was first published in march 1830 by joseph smith as the book of mormon. The mammoth elephant, horse, and ass are animals listed in the book of mormon that presumably became extinct in north america at the close of the. Authorities on ancient america claim that elephants and horses ceased to exist after the last ice age. The book focuses on a case for the book of mormon, brother callister writes, but in one sense the book of mormon does not need a case presented on its behalf. Howlers in the book of mormon hugh nibley collection hbll. January 2, 1977 by ben crowder abyssinia, ancient parallels.
Again we see the joseph smith was thinking about animals in his current day as he was fabricating the book of. The book of mormon purports to give an account of two civilizations formed by families who migrated to the americas. Hunting for elephants in the book of mormon book of mormon anachronisms part 1. Critics of the book of mormon often point out the verse, ether 9. Phyllis does a good job of putting it all together. As you can see in the wikipedia entry for mammoths accessed may 17, 2014, they are more closely related to the asian elephant than the asian. The book of mormon says that there were elephants in the land northward 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. The book of mormon is a sacred text of the latter day saint movement, which adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the american continent from approximately 2200 bc to ad 421.
Elephants are only present in jaredite times in the book of mormon. Also mentions that the discovery of elephant bones in the united states tend to prove the truth of the jaredite record. Evidence of the foregoing animals has not appeared in any form ceramic representations, bones or skeletal remains, mural art, sculptured art or any other form. Elephants none contemporary with the book of mormon again from tom ferguson. Mammoths, however, can more accurately be called elephants and have been by modern scientists see neal rappleye, a scientist looks at book of mormon anachronisms, mormon interpreter, may 2014. The nephite elephants were used as beasts of burden. They were noted as being among the most useful animals. June 3, 2019 introduction the book of mormon records in ether 9. Yes, there were elephants and horses in north american a thousand. Supporters of the book of mormon claim it uses chiasmusa figure of speech utilizing inverted parallelismand claim it is evidence to support the books ancient origin. Critics argue that the archaeological record suggests that all. Buried nephite city and bom elephants off the shore of lake michigan book of mormon west sea grand traverse bay buried under 40 feet of water are petroglyphs.
Elephants true book of mormon geography lands, western new. Cement, alma, bountiful, barley, and elephantsfive examples of things once used to ridicule the book of mormon that have been validated by modern scholars. In addition, ash believes that there is evidence to support the finding of elephants in the book of mormon. Discussion regarding the historicity of the book of mormon often focuses on archaeological issues, some of which relate to the large size and the long time span of the civilizations mentioned in the book. Joseph smith said that the book of mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to god by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book history of the church, vol. The fact that horses and asses and elephants are included as indigenous animals has been a challenge to some readers of the book of mormon since these animals are generally thought to have been introduced either after the arrival of europeans in the americas, or extinct long before book of mormon times. Elephants are mentioned twice in the earliest book of mormon record, the book of ether. Upon many of the tusks that have been found were rings of silver. The website step by step through the book of mormon repeats some of those dates, as does this website. Feb 27, 2015 in the book of mormon, mention of elephants occurs in a single verse, in the jaredite account there were elephants, ether 9. Thus any elephants existing upon the american continents need not have survived past about 2400 b.
An interesting study on men and elephants in america ludwell h. Horses, chariots, elephants in the book of mormon youtube. Critics argue that the archaeological record suggests that all elephantlike creatures became extinct in the new world around 10,000 bc. This remains true despite the evidence that has turned up for many items once thought to be anachronisms in the text for some. For the first 150 years of mormonisms existence, everyone thought it was a story about a people who left the middle east and came to south or central america, and who fought wars clear up into new york state where. An anachronism is something that doesnt fit the time or place for which it is claimed. I think its a valuable article that helps us better understand the richness and complexity of the text, and the danger of making simple 21st century assumptions about an ancient text. There were no elephants in central america, but there were mastadons and woolly mammoths in north america as well as horses. Although it serves primarily as a religious text, it is to be interpreted literally as being an actual, historical record of the inhabitants of the ancient americas. Most of the tusks encountered so far have an average length for grown elephants, of three feet, and an average diameter at the roots of six inches. Shields the book of mormon the problem of the horse.
Lds church members are taught that the book of mormon bom is scripture, as well as a true record of the inhabitants of the americas from about 2200 bc to 420 ad. Already joe talor has proven the book of mormon spoke truly about elephants in america. Animals in the book of mormon mormon lds reformation. This is a key point, because in the future someone may make a claim that says, the book of mormon cannot be true because of such and such a thing. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can. Apr 28, 2006 hunting for elephants in the book of mormon book of mormon anachronisms part 1. When the book of mormon first appeared, skeptics said that references to horses, asses, elephants, and other animals such as swine and cows were out of place.
A real elephant was the model for this ancient mayan wall painting. And they also had horses, and asses, and there were elephants and cureloms and cumoms. The vast majority of scientist, archaeologists and mesoamerican scholars agree there were no elephants during the time period the book of. The book of mormon says man dwelt contemporaneously with elephants and that they were useful to them. In 1830, the book of mormon would also relate the existence of elephants in ancient america, and as late as historical precolumbian times. A complete description of the book of mormon geography bomgeography, including an internal map model, external map model i. Suffice it to say that the following representative domesticated animals were used by one or other of these peoples sometime during the period 2000 b. Clark, archaeological trends and the book of mormon. Again we see the joseph smith was thinking about animals in his current day as he was fabricating the book of mormon. For more information about elephants on this continent, see glen chapmans page on elephants in the book of mormon now including scanned images from various publications. Could the nephites have used the term horse for deer or some other animal. Joe talor may or may not be a book of mormon believer.
The following information is from the annotated book of mormon by david hocking and rod meldrum, pages 472474. Horses, chariots, and elephants in the book of mormon. Both mammoths and gomphotheres are elephantlike creatures that are plausible candidates which may have lived up until jaredite times. An account written by the hand of mormon upon plates taken from the plates of nephi, who claimed that it had been. The following is a partial rebuttal to the antimormon video bible vs. Howerver the work he is doing is paramount to proving the book of mormon an authentic history of the americas. It should be noted firstly that the book of mormons use of the term bees occurs in an old world jaredite setting, it is never used in connection with the new world. Here is a list of mormon animals that might have existed but whose remains disappeared. August 2, 1962 by ben crowder asiatics, book of mormon, coronation, cultural patterns, dead sea scrolls, elephants, ether book of.
Elephants in the new world book of mormon research. Mormon challenges the book of mormon claims elephants in. In our local paper, the postcrescent, an associated press article was printed on oct. The book of mormon is supposed to be a history of real people living in a real place. The elephant is mentioned only once in the book of mormon ether 9. The mammoth elephant, horse and ass are animals listed in the book of mormon that presumably became extinct in north america at the close of the pleistocene. This is an abbreviated version of a fulllength video which fair.
The term cattle is used three times in the book of mormon ether 9. However, mammoths and mastadons are thought to have gone extinct. Ever since the coming forth of the book of mormon, readers have wondered about the strange reference to elephants and especially to its companions the. These petroglyphs are most likely the remains of a nephite city caused by the calamities just before christ visit to the nephite people. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search. Johnson, men and elephants in america, the scientific monthly 75 1952, 220221.
Items do not represent the official views of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints or of book of mormon. Hunting for elephants in the book of mormon book of mormon. 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. The book of mormon speaks of sheep, swine, horses, and elephantseven though they werent brought to america until centuries later by europeans in postcolumbian times. Scientists agree that elephants mastodons and mammoths existed on the american continent anciently but are uncertain about the exact date of their extinction. For the most part she doesnt talk much about mormonismwhich i like because i am not a mormon and never will be. Mormon, book of mormon, mit romney, scripture, gary hicks, lds, bible, jesus, jesus christ, joseph. Ever since the book of mormon came off the press in 1830, anachronisms have been some of the most common reasons given for dismissing the book of mormon as an authentic ancient text anachronisms are items that are chronologically out of place. A scientists look at book of mormon anachronisms third hour. Below is the modern map of the area of smiths youth. If there is data supporting the texts, we can calculate whether the book of mormon should be considered to be based on fact or simply a good fiction story. Elephants, mammoths and mastodons in the americas are generally believed to have gone extinct before book of mormon times, making the book of mormon reference to elephants in early jaredite times possibly on the late side. In what context are elephants mentioned in the book of mormon. Archaeology has proved that the american indian hunted and killed elephants.
Book of mormon difficulties, contradictions and explanations. It is not necessary for our purposes here to give a detailed account of domestic animals as used by the jaredites and nephites. Points out that some bottles and pottery vessels dug up on the american continent resemble elephants. It bears witness of the savior with precision and power. In time, however, scientific discoveries showed that species of horses, asses, elephants, and other animals had once been present in north america, although dating to an earlier period than that covered in the book of mormon.
In defense, many latterday saint scholars cite evidence from secular scholarship that the proboscidea lived on into the. Recently, a commenter recommended that article, steel in the book of mormon by william hamblin as a good source of information about this favorite area for critics to poke at. Hunting for elephants in the book of mormon meridian magazine. The book of mormon describes elephants in the americas around 2500 b. If a socalled holy book is not a myth, then we will find that the names of cities, people, and other unique details will be supported by archaeological evidence. The source of this extinction is speculated to be the result of human predation, a significant climate change, or a. Elephant the only place where elephants are mentioned in the book of mormon is in ether 9. Oct 14, 2019 the following information is from the annotated book of mormon by david hocking and rod meldrum, pages 472474. The claim that people were using steel before the discovery of steel is important because it is in the opening pages. Elephants were as much in evidence in cities as horses. This is suggestive of elephants in book of mormon times quito, ecuador in 1926, franz spillman, paleontologist and max uhle, archaeologist, excavated in 1926, an almost complete mastodon skeleton about 12 km. Elephants true book of mormon geography lands, western. Mar 06, 2012 this was a very well done book with many sources of research. The book of mormon mentions elephants being useful to the jaredites ether 9.
Another group came much earlier, when god confounded the tongues at the tower of babel. Consequently, elephants were widely distributed all over south america, with at least one variety existing to about the time of the annihilation of the nephites, 400 a. The authors of this study use archaeological evidence to argue the animals mentioned in the book of mormon had once been present in north america, although dating to an earlier period. The only place that elephants are mentioned in the book of mormon is in ether 9. The lost lands of the book of mormon phyllis carol olive on. D oxen, cows, sheep, swine, goats, asses, horses, elephants, cureloms, cumoms, and dogs. The book of mormon says that there were elephants in the land northward. Horses, chariots, and elephants in the book of mormon youtube. Many point to the extinction of the mastodon, mammoth, and gomphothere by the end of the pleistocene, 10,000 years ago, as one of the books anachronisms.
Sep 25, 2018 cement, alma, bountiful, barley, and elephantsfive examples of things once used to ridicule the book of mormon that have been validated by modern scholars. The book of mormon says the nephites had elephants. The arguments for book of mormon elephants prove all things. Aug 07, 2005 my favorite lie in the book of mormon is nimrod and the elephants. Weldon, an archaeologist of the rlds, found several controversial claims of the book of mormon cement, elephants, horses had ancient evidence but were unknown to 19th century america. The book of mormon mentions horses, elephants, cattle. While the jury is still out, there are a number of north american indian traditions which recount legends of giant stifflegged beasts which would never lie down, had a big. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options. Both mammoths and gomphotheres are elephantlike creatures that are plausible. Scholars go over evidence and discuss horses found.