Book of Mormon Archaeological Forum

"Mesoamericanists” today maintain that all New World lands of the Book of Mormon are located in Mesoamerica. On the other hand, today’s “Heartlanders” identify the territory between the Great Lakes on the north and the Gulf of Mexico on the south as the location, in general, of all New World lands of the Book of Mormon. 

Historically, neither stance is an exclusive product of the twenty- first century. At various times since the publication of the Book of Mormon in 1830, both models, with variations, have been advocated by Book of Mormon readers and scholars. 

On his blog site, Joseph Trevor Antley recently shared a historical event from the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that reflects the geographical dichotomy of the continental United States versus Mesoamerica as the location of the New World events of the Book of Mormon. On his blog, he says, “While reading Elder Talmage's personal journals as part of a research project, I came across the following few entries he had written in 1921. The ‘Book of Mormon committee’ he references was a Church committee established in 1919 for the purpose of preparing a new edition of the Book of Mormon, which at the time of these ‘hearings’ had just been completed (right before the first ‘hearing,’ Elder Talmage received the first shipment of the new ‘Missionary Edition’ of the Book of Mormon)”: 

Jan. 14, 1921, Fri.: In addition to other committee work I attended an 
afternoon session of the Book of Mormon committee, at which 
preliminary arrangements were made for hearing some of the proponents 
of different views on Book of Mormon geography. Many varied and 
conflicting views concerning the location of Book of Mormon lands have 
been advocated amongst our people; and not a few maps have been put 
out. With all precautions taken to make plain the fact that these maps 
have been intended as suggestive presentations only, we find some 
people accepting one map and others another as authoritative. The 
matter was brought before the council through the receipt of a 
communication from Elder Joel Ricks of Logan, who several years ago 
published a map, of which over 6,000 have been disposed of. Brother 
Ricks and several other good brethren have voiced a sort of complaint 
that they have had no opportunity to present their views, with the 
fullness they desire, before the Church authorities. The entire matter 
was referred to the Book of Mormon committee; and today appointments 
were made for the beginning of the series of hearings. 

Jan. 21, Fri.: Sat with the rest of the Book of Mormon committee in 
the first session appointed for the hearing of those who have views to 
present on the subject of Book of Mormon geography. The entire 
afternoon was occupied by Brother Joel Ricks of Logan, who exhibited a 
copy of his map, and gave many details of his personal travels and 
investigations in the northern part of South America and in part of 
Central America. 

Jan. 22, Sat.: The Book of Mormon committee sat during both forenoon 
and afternoon. Elder Joel Ricks occupied part of the morning session, 
and the rest of that meeting, together with the whole of the afternoon 
session was given over to Elder Willard Young, who claims that most of 
the Book of Mormon scenes were laid in Guatemala, and Honduras. 

Jan. 23, Sunday: I had looked forward to this opportunity of attending 
Sunday School in my own ward for once; but this was made impossible by 
action taken at last night’s meeting of the Book of Mormon committee 
this forenoon. This morning Elder Willard Young continued his 
presentation. 

Jan. 24, Mon.: We were engaged from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Book of Mormon 
hearings, with a noon intermission. Elder Anthony W. Ivins of the 
Council of the Twelve presented his views and suggestions, indicating 
that the Book of Mormon lands embraced mainly Yucatan and Mexico. 
There being none others who had expressed a desire to be heard by the 
committee, this meeting was regarded as the closing session of the 
present stage of the investigation. 

Interestingly, on these occasions in 1921, none of the proposals for Book of Mormon geography models that were presented to the “Book of Mormon committee” dealt with the continental United States. “What goes around comes around” might be appropriate wisdom that applies in this instance. That is, even though today’s Book of Mormon readers are barraged with claims for its geographical location in both the continental United States and Mesoamerica, the preponderance of evidence in favor of a Mesoamerica model for Book of Mormon geography continues to dominate the thinking of most credible Book of Mormon scholars. 

However, that thinking today is impacted even more by the outcomes of at least the following historical events: (1) the fact that many of these scholars have personally visited, on numerous occasions, the various proposed locations for Book of Mormon lands, cities, valleys, rivers, wilderness areas, and seas and have rigorously compared geographical, topological, archaeological, historical, and cultural aspects of these locations with the content of the Book of Mormon; (2) the translation into English and publication of numerous historical documents written by Mesoamerican natives, Spanish conquistadors and explorers, and Catholic Church priests and leaders; (3) the Internet, via which Book of Mormon readers and scholars can readily research most elements of Book of Mormon geography; and (4) Google Earth, via which researchers can go far beyond the limitations of both flat and three-dimensional maps in examining geographical statements associated with the Book of Mormon.