Showing posts with label Ancient America. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ancient America. Show all posts

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Holy Lords - Religion and Politics in Ancient Mesoamerica

Book of Mormon, Kingship, Kings Lady Xoc Bloodletting

Politics in ancient Mesoamerica was completely enmeshed within the pan-Mesoamerican religious world-view. Kings were religious leaders who participated in sacred rituals, including human sacrifice and bloodletting. The most powerful polities heavily influenced other, less powerful polities. Where would Book of Mormon polities fit into this world?

Read more:

How important were ancestors and lineage to the ancient Mesoamericans?



What was the animal spirit companion of royals in ancient Mesoamerica?



What was the significance of the ballgame in ancient Mesoamerica?




What was royal bloodletting in ancient Mesoamerica?



What kind of polity would the City of Nephi be?



What social differences existed in ancient Mesoamerica and how did the culture deal with this issue?



Who were the early Olmec?



What kind of political power did ancient Mesoamerica polities possess?



How would the Jaredites have fit into ancient Mesoamerica?



How would a Judeo-Christian culture have fit into ancient Mesoamerica?



What did ancient Mesoamerican kings do?



What kind of luxury items did ancient Mesoamerica have?



Did ancient Mesoamerican polities imitate more powerful polities?



What was ancient Mesoamerican mythology?



What about John Sorenson's claims about ancient Jaredites?



How would Zarahemla fit into ancient Mesoamerica?









Metallurgy in the Book of Mormon and Ancient Mesoamerica

mesoamerica, book of mormon, archaeology, ancient america, mormons, metallurgy and the book of mormon, metal working, was there metal in ancient america
The Book of Mormon contains many references to either the process of metallurgy or to items that were created through the metallurgic process. Yet there is no archaeological evidence that ancient Mesoamericans possessed the skill of metallurgy during the Book of Mormon time period.

Read more:

Is the "absence of evidence" really evidence of absence?



What metal artifacts have been discovered in ancient Mesoamerica?




Could the "swords" in the Book of Mormon really be an atlatl or macuahuitl?



What verses in the Book of Mormon explicitly refer to the process of metallurgy?




What were the breastplates and armor described in the Book of Mormon?



What is the difference between simple metalworking and metallurgy?



Does the Book of Mormon's references to gold correlate with the use of gold in ancient Mesoamerica?



What did early church members like Oliver Cowdery "see" in Hill Cumorah?



What is the general history of metallurgy, and how can we detect it in ancient cultures?



What kind of heat is required for metallurgy?



Is there linguistic evidence in ancient Mesoamerica for metallurgy?



How are metal swords described in the Book of Mormon?


Did ancient Mesoamericans use simple metalworking or metallurgy?




What metal Nephite artifacts did early church members see?



Can we detect the presence of any process or technology in ancient Mesoamerica?



Do the precious metals described in the Book of Mormon correlate with precious metals from ancient Mesoamerica during the specified time period?



What evidence is there for smelting in the New World?



What about John Sorenson's claims that there is archaeological evidence for metallurgy in ancient Mesoamerica during the Book of Mormon time period?



What tools did the ancient Mesoamericans use?



To read more about metallurgy and the Book of Mormon, please read:
Mormon Mesoamerica

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Book of Mormon and Ancient Horses

book of mormon, ancient america, mormon, horses, archaeology, archeology, horses and the book of mormon, mesoamerica,

The following Book of Mormon scriptures are those that reference horses:

1 Ne. 18:25 And it came to pass that we did find upon the land of promise, as we journeyed in the wilderness, that there were beasts in the forests of every kind, both the cow and the ox, and the ass and the horse, and the goat and the wild goat, and all manner of wild animals, which were for the use of men. And we did find all manner of ore, both of gold, and of silver, and of copper.

2 Ne. 12:7 Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots.

2 Ne. 15:28 Whose arrows shall be sharp, and all their bows bent, and their horses’ hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind, their roaring like a lion.

Enos 1:21 And it came to pass that the people of Nephi did till the land, and raise all manner of grain, and of fruit, and flocks of herds, and flocks of all manner of cattle of every kind, and goats, and wild goats, and also many horses.

Alma 18:9 And they said unto him: Behold, he is feeding thy horses. Now the king had commanded his servants, previous to the time of the watering of their flocks, that they should prepare his horses and chariots, and conduct him forth to the land of Nephi; for there had been a great feast appointed at the land of Nephi, by the father of Lamoni, who was king over all the land.

Alma 18:10 Now when king Lamoni heard that Ammon was preparing his horses and his chariots he was more astonished, because of the faithfulness of Ammon, saying: Surely there has not been any servant among all my servants that has been so faithful as this man; for even he doth remember all my commandments to execute them.

Alma 18:12 And it came to pass that when Ammon had made ready the horses and the chariots for the king and his servants, he went in unto the king, and he saw that the countenance of the king was changed; therefore he was about to return out of his presence.

Alma 20:6 Now when Lamoni had heard this he caused that his servants should make ready his horses and his chariots.

3 Ne. 3:22 And it came to pass in the seventeenth year, in the latter end of the year, the proclamation of Lachoneus had gone forth throughout all the face of the land, and they had taken their horses, and their chariots, and their cattle, and all their flocks, and their herds, and their grain, and all their substance, and did march forth by thousands and by tens of thousands, until they had all gone forth to the place which had been appointed that they should gather themselves together, to defend themselves against their enemies.

3 Ne. 4:4 Therefore, there was no chance for the robbers to plunder and to obtain food, save it were to come up in open battle against the Nephites; and the Nephites being in one body, and having so great a number, and having reserved for themselves provisions, and horses and cattle, and flocks of every kind, that they might subsist for the space of seven years, in the which time they did hope to destroy the robbers from off the face of the land; and thus the eighteenth year did pass away.

For reference, the following scriptures are those discussing horses in the Book of Mormon:

3 Ne. 6:1 And now it came to pass that the people of the Nephites did all return to their own lands in the twenty and sixth year, every man, with his family, his flocks and his herds, his horses and his cattle, and all things whatsoever did belong unto them.

3 Ne. 21:14 Yea, wo be unto the Gentiles except they repent; for it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Father, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots;

Ether 9:19 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.

To read more on Horses and the Book of Mormon, please read: Mormon Mesoamerica