Matching the List of Descriptions in the Scriptural Record – Part IV

Continuing from the previous post regarding the lists that theorists have created for their individual models, yet seldom refer to the scriptural record in forming their lists. In addition, in their describing the types of events or things listed in the Scriptural Record, they often totally avoid the mention of some very specific and quite clear descriptions that Mormon listed that existed in the Land of Promise—but not found in their models. The first four were listed previously—we continue here with item #5:

Mountains in Andean South America. Note the height of the mountains as they appear from a distance

 

5. High Mountains in the Land of Promise (Helaman 14:23). Mountains rarely shows up in such discussions by Heartland or Great Lakes theorists—one of the reasons, of course, is that mountains do not exist in the Heartland or Great Lakes theories. However, Samuel the Lamanite speaks of mountains “whose height is great.” So while Heartland and Great Lakes models point to what few mountains there are that rise only to about 4,000 feet, and those only on the perimeter of their Land Southward, Mesoamerica has mountains but they range from the Maya Mountains in Guatemala and Belize, with a length of only 70 miles and its highest points being Doyle’s Delight at 3,688 feet and Victoria Peak at 3,670 feet. There are some lower ranges in central Honduras and northwestern Nicaragua.

The main mountain range in Mesoamerica is the Sierra Madre, at 13,845 height (which is the highest point in Central America), and Sierra Madre de Chiapas, at 13,850 feet. Next in southern Mexico is the Sierra Madre del Sur, which runs for 620 miles, and rises to 12,200 feet.

However, the many mountain ranges in Andean Peru with over 850 peaks between 19,500 feet and 16,400 feet, and extend 4,300 miles, with many peaks extending over 20,000 feet high, with eight over 22,000.

When Samuel the Lamanite emphasized the height of the mountains that would rise in the Land of Promise, Andean Peru has the highest mountains, and hundreds of them, in the Western Hemisphere—only the Himalayas of Asia are higher.

This alone should show the most avid Heartland theorist the error of their model, but it rarely, if ever, is discussed by them.

6. Roads and Highways existed in the Land of Promise (3 Nephi 6:8). None have been found in Heartland and Great Lakes, and only a limited amount of somewhat short distance (60-150 miles in length; however, little evidence exists 1,100 years later) in Mesoamerica and nowhere near the extent Mormon describes. By comparison to the Mesoamerican sacbe (sacbeob) roads, there were 25,000 to 30,000 miles of roads existing in Andean South America, of which the disciple Nephi wrote: “there were many highways cast up, and many roads made, which led from city to city, and from land to land, and from place to place” (3 Nephi 6:8). 

Top: Sacbe road in the Yucatan; Bottom: An ancient Peruvian road

 

As for the makeup of the highways and roads, these were “broken up,” and spoiled during the destruction at the time of the crucifixion—dirt roads are not “broken up,” neither are gravel or rubble roads—breaking up happens to roads that are paved or made of cut and leveled rock. “The highways were broken up, and the level roads were spoiled, and many smooth places became rough” (3 Nephi 8:13).

7. There were two grains, unknown to the farming family of Joseph Smith, that were in the Land of Promise, called neas and sheum (Mosiah 9:9), that is currently found, or did exist, in their model location of their Land of Promise. These grains were listed by Mormon as being on a par with corn, wheat and barley, and therefore a nutritional whole grain and a good source of vitamins and minerals.

Yet, as important as such a food group addition, Heartland and Great Lakes theorists rarely mention that the Land of Promise should have, or had, two such grains that were unknown to Joseph Smith since they did not arrive in the U.S. until thre 20^th century and, therefore, not given a known name by Joseph like “corn, wheat, or barley (Mosiah 9:9).

LtoR: Quinoa plants growing in the field; different variety of quinoa; the seeds

 

Consequently, the most famous grains not known in North America until around 100 years after the Book of Mormon was published, were the Peruvian quinoa, which is a complete protein, meaning that it contains all nine essential amino acids that our bodies cannot make on their own, and kiwicha—two of the most nutritional grains known to man.

As an example, Quinoa is a gluten-free superfood plant, which contains high fiber and protein and is very nutritious. In fact, a study by the Harvard School of Public Health, which brings together dedicated experts from many disciplines to educate new generations of global health leaders, has stated that “eating a bowl of quinoa daily may reduce the chances of early death risk from cancer, heart disease, respiratory ailments, diabetes, and other chronic diseases by 17%”.

In addition, Quinoa—which is native to the Andean region of South America, where it was a staple crop for the Inca, Aymara and other pre-Columbian peoples, but was replaced by cereals on the arrival of the Spanish, despite being a local staple food at the time—was not exported to the U.S. until 1984. It is a crop that can be grown just about anywhere and grows well in the U.S. and Canada, especially in areas of the Rocky Mountains, from Colorado to Saskatchewan, mostly at elevations of 7,000 to 10,000 feet, and has an enormous genetic range, including cultivars that can thrive from sea level to about 13,000 feet in altitude. In fact, it is particularly well-suited to areas with “high climatic risk” such as the southern Altiplano in Andean South America—able to withstand levels of drought, salinity, wind, hail, and frost in which other crops would perish.

Incidentally, Mosiah also reported: “with all manner of seeds, with seeds of corn, and of wheat, and of barley, and with neas, and with sheum, and with seeds of all manner of fruits” (Mosiah 9:9, emphasis added). Regarding “all manner of seeds,” Andean South America is known for producing seeds of every kind unknown outside their own croplands. 

Top Left: The flowering Mashua tuber plant; Top Right: 9 varieties of Mashua tubers; Lower Left: the Oca tuber; Lower Right: the Arracacha tuber

 

As an example, the early Peruvians domesticated quinoa as well as potatoes and many indigenous crops, such as: mashua (a tuber vegetable similar to cabbage), cubio (a tuber vegetable root high in vitamin C and high in protein, like the mashua), oca (a tuber and staple food), arracacha (a root vegetable like a carrot or celery root), kañawa (also known as cañahua or cañihua, is a close relative of quinoa), isaño (a food source with medicinal properties), Olluco (also known as papaliza, a root vegetable), and much more.

(See the next post for more information and comparing of the three popular theories against Andean South America)