Additional Clues to the Land of Promise Location-Part II Forts and Resorts

Besides the Land of Promise location matching scriptural clues such as winds and currents moving Nephi’s ship that was “driven forth before the wind,” the temperature and climate needed to grow seeds from Jerusalem exceedingly and provide an abundant climate, locating ore deposits in abundance and contain gold, silver and copper in a single unit, finding two unknown animals that were as “useful to man” as the elephant, and two unknown grains on a par with corn, wheat and barley, and natural herbs to cure deadly fever, there are other clues in the scriptural record that also needs to be found in the Land of Promise.

One of these would be the “resorts” mentioned by Alma.

“And thus he did appoint chief captains of the Zoramites, they being the most acquainted with the strength of the Nephites, and their places of resort, and the weakest parts of their cities; therefore he appointed them to be chief captains over his armies.” 9Alma 48:5)

“He was preparing to defend himself against them, by casting up walls round about and preparing places of resort” (Alma 52:6)

“He had been strengthening the armies of the Nephites, and erecting small forts, or places of resort; throwing up banks of earth round about to enclose his armies, and also building walls of stone to encircle them about, round about their cities and the borders of their lands; yea, all round about the land” (Alma 48:8).

As shown in the last quote, a resort as mentioned in the scriptural record refers to a small fort. Such small forts in history often refer to a hilltop fort, one that overlooks a valley, canyon, or passage through an area.

Typically, forts were large, and served as an outpost housing a significant garrison from which troops could be sent to protect an area, such as a settlement, a road, or a travel route. Such forts were built across the western United States in the early days of expansion to protect settlers from Indian attack. More substantial forts were built in the eastern lands to serve as a deterrent to invasion, attack or enemy sorties.

Smaller forts were often erected for outposts, that is, for a forward or outer sentinel position where such lookouts could sound a warning to the main forces, army, or fort that an enemy was approaching. This seems to be the situation described by Alma when he wrote of Moroni: “Yea, he had been strengthening the armies of the Nephites, and erecting small forts, or places of resort; throwing up banks of earth round about to enclose his armies, and also building walls of stone to encircle them about, round about their cities and the borders of their lands; yea, all round about the land” (Alma 48:8).

Thus, the Land of Promise should include large and small forts scattered about. And in the area of Peru in South America there are two thousand year old ruins of numerous forts, both large and small. Unlike Mesoamerica, where large temple and city sites are found, few with walls about them, in the Andean area of South America specific forts were built with the sole intent of protecting those within from an enemy without.