“…the Nephites, and their places of resort”
(Alma 48:4), for Moroni “had been
strengthening the armies of the Nephites, and erecting small forts, or places
of resort…yea, all round about the land” (Alma 48:8), and “he was preparing to defend himself against
them, by casting up walls round about and preparing places of resort” (Alma
52:6)
An
interesting fact that seems to escape many theorists is the point that the
Nephites built places of defense, not just magnificent structures like those
found in Mesoamaerica, or not found
in the eastern United States, Baja, Malay, or in the number of other so-called
Land of Promise locations. After all, the Nephites, by the time Moroni came
along, had suffered through nearly 500 years of constant war with the
Lamanites—by comparison, the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth in 1620 only 392 years
ago. That is, the Nephites had been at war longer than North America has been
occupied by European emigrants.
A mountaintop outpost fort overlooking
the gorge and river ravine below, positioned to give early warning of an
approaching attack force
500
years is a long time to be involved in war, and led Moroni to develop an
unusual defensive system that amazed and frightened the enemy (Alma 49:11,15).
That defensive system included, besides massive fortresses, small forts called resorts (Alma 48:8). While the purpose
of these resorts is not mentioned in the scriptural record, other than they are
included with the construction of defensive strongholds (Alma 52:6), it must be
concluded that they served a defensive purpose in the war against the Lamanites.
It should also be mentioned that the first mention of resorts is in connection with
the defector Zoramites “being the most acquainted with the strength of the Nephites,
and their places of resort” (Alma 48:5), suggesting that the Zoramites, having lived among
the Nephites, were not only well acquainted with the strength of their cities
(fortresses), stone walls, etc., but also their small forts—which can only mean
that they knew about the Nephite system of warning outposts.
Obviously,
Moroni had been involved in not only strengthening cities, erecting defensive
“walls of stone to encircle them about,” including walls of dirt and stone “all
round about the land,” but he also erected “small forts, or places of resort”
to warn against an approaching Lamanite army in the outskirts of the land, or
approaching the cities and fortresses from unseen locations, such as canyons, gorges,
ravines, mountain gaps, etc.
The
hilltop outpost fort over looking the canyon below named Runkurakay Pass about
13,000 feet elevation with a view for miles
And
unlike some Eastern U.S. theorists who want to claim the Nephites built only
wooden walls, which would have deteriorated over the centuries and now not
visible, it should be kept in mind that the Nephites also “built walls of
stone” (Alma 48:8), which would still be visible, not as a few crumbled
boulders, but intact walls easily identified as are found in numerous places
around the world built by earlier peoples.
Also,
as has been stated in earlier posts, the Nephites built stone buildings. Keep
in mind that Nephi, who was taught how to build by the Lord, and his older brother
Sam, and Zoram (A servant who held the keys to Laban’s Treasury), all of which
were well acquainted with the type of stone buildings all over Jerusalem.
Left: Wiñawayna
(Wiñay Wayna) outpost fort overlooking the Valley
and Utubamba River; Right: Intipata
outpost fort with an unencumbered view
In the high mountains overlooking the
Urubamba Valley is the ancient city of Phuyupatamarca, which is surrounded by
terraces where crops were grown in times past. Above the village are the ruins
of an outpost fort, or resort, with a commanding view of the entire area.
Situated in the Cordillera Vilcabamba, the village once held several hundred
occupants in this area of perfect union of strategy, ethics and religion are
found here in this “town above the clouds” with its serpentine vantage point.
The outpost fort of Phuyupatamarca in the cloud forest region. The ancient
observation post above has a spectacular view of the entire region
Ancient outpost “resort” forts can be found all over Peru, each placed
in a strategic position, high on hillsides or mountaintops where their view is
unencumbered for miles
Wherever there seems to be a vantage point
on a hillside or mountaintop, early Peruvians built small forts, called
resorts, to serve as outposts to large fortresses, cities, and urban regions
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