Let’s Make Things Clear – Part I

Every so often we receive numerous comments, criticisms, or questions from a single reader that cannot be used in our “Comments from Readers” pages we occasionally write. Following is one such reader’s statements we feel need to be answered:

• Comment #1: “Migrating beast; any evidence of migrating beast in South America?” (Alma 22:31)

Response: Alma 22:31 is not about migration but about animals being driven out of the Land Northward by poisonous serpents; from that point on they simply spread throughout the open land as basically all animals would do—since the Lord caused the serpents and the animals to be driven out of the Land Northward into the Land Southward it would be safe to assume that the Lord was also responsible to see that these animals reached the landing sights of Mulek and Lehi. Every zoologist speaking about South American animals will tell you they came from the north and migrated (or spread) throughout the land to the south.

• Comment #2: “Head-plates no evidence of Head-plates in South America during BOM timeline” (Alma 43:38)

Response: The Etowah Mounds in Georgia, with a copper breastplate (found in Mound C) have been dated to 950 AD to 1450 AD, with a date of 1250 most likely—865 years after the final demise of the Nephites. The Mound had a ditch around three sides and a palisade wall for protection. On a stone engraving a figure is either holding a tablet or wearing a breastplate in a Hopewell Mound in Ohio, which may have been dated as late as 500 AD. Copper breastplates claimed to be found in Florida, undated but believed to be pre-Columbian.

This copper breastplate was photographed at the museum found at the Mound City site of the Hopewell Culture National Historical Park

 

Copper breastplates in the Seip Mound in Ohio believed to be in the AD period, and could be as late as 500 AD. In some works this culture is thought to have been from 100 BC to 500 AD, but no dating verification is given, and all information available and, in fact, their “existence is still under discussion”—which means the archaeologists  are using archaeology “traditions” which arbitrarily give dates to things found by subject, not by any factual dating method.

In fact, the Seip Culture is considered a “mysterious culture,” since so little is known about it. Evidently between 1 - 400 AD, southern Ohio witnessed an extraordinary blossoming of cultural development. Even though they did not live in villages or practice large scale agriculture, people of the Hopewell Culture made amazing advances in the fields of mathematics, engineering, art, trade and astronomy. 

Textiles, pearls and other precious items were discovered in a log crypt at the base of the mound. However, the logs rotted causing the crypt to collapse and the top of the mound to sink in. The Hopewell Indians built a secondary mound over the original mound apparently to restore the mound’s shape

 

However, why they built so many enormous ceremonial complexes in this area remains a mystery. There is no evidence that people lived within these earthworks. Rather, these huge architectural wonders appear to have been designed for large ritual gatherings. The timing of these special ceremonies was perhaps determined by astronomical cycles. Pilgrimages may have been made to these sacred enclosures by celebrants from far away.

According to the history made for them (no records exist to show anything factual), their mounds were “built for uncertain purposes.” Their “gigantic sculpted earthworks often took the shape of animals, birds, or writhing serpents” (Gary B Nash, Red, White and Black: The Peoples of Early North America, Los Angeles, 2015,ch.1, p6).

Archaeologists have created an entire “Hopewell Exchange System,” claiming they traded all over what is now the United States based solely on finding certain artifacts in burial mounds, which artifacts originally could have been produced locally by different groups or migrants from one group. Some historians claim they began in Illinois and some claim they began in New York. It is also claimed they built defensive walls, yet it is also said of them that they did not have rulers to commanded armies (Hopewell Culture, Ohio History Central. Ohio Historical Society).

• Comment #3: "West Lamanites lived in tents. Do you have any evidence of South American indigenous population that lived in tents?” (Alma 22:28)

Response: It should be noted here that the "Hopewell culture" doesn't refer to a particular Native American tribe; instead, it's a name for a distinctive set of artifacts, earthworks, and burial practices characteristic of sites I southern Ohio to the first four centuries of the AD period. 

As for the question, it should be understood that nobody, except through speculation and opinion, could ever say somebody lived in tents in any area of the past where there is no continuing occupation—tents simply do not last over hundreds of years, let alone thousands, and do not leave evidence of their past use. Not even wood structures will survive that long.

• Comment 4: “The Nephite building structure is wood. When timber was low they used cement in the Land Northward. (Helaman 3:7)

Left: Timber; Right: Lumber

 

Response: First of all, there is a difference between “timber” and “wood.” Timber is intact trees which have not been cut, while wood is lumber that has been cut to sizes for building. As for the comment sourced to Helaman 3:7, it has to do only with those who occupied the Land Northward in the last century BC.

As Mormon described it: “And it came to pass in the forty and sixth [year], yea, there was much contention and many dissensions; in the which there were an exceedingly great many who departed out of the land of Zarahemla, and went forth unto the land northward to inherit the land. And they did travel to an exceedingly great distance, insomuch that they came to large bodies of water and many rivers. Yea, and even they did spread forth into all parts of the land, into whatever parts it had not been rendered desolate and without timber, because of the many inhabitants who had before inherited the land. And now no part of the land was desolate, save it were for timber; but because of the greatness of the destruction of the people who had before inhabited the land it was called desolate. And there being but little timber upon the face of the land, nevertheless the people who went forth became exceedingly expert in the working of cement; therefore they did build houses of cement, in the which they did dwell” (Helaman 3:3-7,emphasis added).

Obviously, there can be no question that the timber mentioned here refers to growing trees—there were so few in the Land Northward because of the Jaredite destruction of forests, there was insufficient lumber for the building of houses.

Timber in the ground that is perfect for roof support beams. There were little or no such timber in the Land Northward when the Nephites arrived

 

What kind of house the Jaredites built in 2100 BC upon arrival in the Land Northward of the Land of Promise is unknown, other than for this single verse. However, in building houses out of stone, as the Nephites did, and circled them with stone walls, and then built stone walls all around the land (Alma 48:8), there would still need to be timber available for laying poles (trees) cut to size for the ceiling (called “cants” today), as well as unfinished planks (called “flitches” today) for interior work of unfinished supports, and wood lumber

Before the invention of the sawmill, boards were made in various manual ways, either rived (split), planed, or hewn for use in door casings, stairs, wall covering, and other incidental needs to stonework for the outside of the buildings.

However, when the Nephites arrived in the Land Northward and continued on to the Land of Many Waters, there were no trees or timber to cut and provide wood or lumber. Timber, of course, was needed in building for ceilings and roofing—uncut poles (trees) were stretched from wall to wall to support the roofing material—and without a roof and ceiling, no houses could be built.

Thus, in all construction, whether stone buildings, mud brick buildings, or wood, timber I required to provide the ceiling and roof. Four walls, no matter the material, are worthless for a house without a roof.

(See the next post for more on the controversy over wood houses as opposed to stone housing)