TWENTY-NINEThe Land of Zarahemla

... And they were admonished continually by the word of God; they were led by the power of his arm, through the wilderness until they came down into the land which is called the land of Zarahemla.

(OMNI 1:13)

INTRODUCTION-THE BOOK OF OMNI

THE MOST PROMINENT LAND in the Book of Mormon, and the city that is mentioned most often, is Zarahemla. The land was named after a Mulekite leader by the same name; he had migrated from the Land Northward into the Land Southward.

We learn about the cities in the Land of Zarahemla from Alma's missionary activities, the war campaigns of Helaman and Moroni, and the several migrations that took place between Zarahemla and Nephi. In addition to the City of Zarahemla, other Nephite cities in the Land of Zarahemla were Manti, Minon, Gideon, Melek, Ammonihah, Sidom, Noah, Aaron, Antiparah, Zeezrom, Judea, and Cumeni.

Approximately 180 BC, Mosiah led a righteous group of Nephites from the Land of Nephi down to the Land of Zarahemla:

... they came down into the land which is called the I and of Zarahemla. (Omni 1: 13)

The small Book of Omni makes a major contribution to our understanding of the history and chronology of the Book of Mormon. Omni consists of only 3 pages (30 verses) and is written by 5 writers-namely, Omni, Amaron, Chemish, Abinadom, and Amaleki. It covers the period of time from approximately 359 BC to 180 BC. Each writer kept the records for an average of about 45 years. The Book of Omni is the last book included in the Small Plates of Nephi.

The last writer of the small plates, and of the Book of Omni, is Amaleki. In 12 verses (Omni 1: 12-23), he records the epic journey of Mosiah, who left the Land of Nephi and led a group of believers of the Jewish law to the Land of Zarahemla. Mosiah's journey can be compared to the journey of Moses, leading the Israelites from Egypt, or Brigham Young, leading a following of Latter-day Saints from Nauvoo, Illinois, to the Great Salt Lake Valley.

In precise writing style, Amaleki brings the three groups of the Book of Mormon together. The Nephites, the Mulekites, and the Jaredites are all mentioned in his 12 verses.

About 180 BC, Mosiah was called by the Lord, as were Moses and Brigham, to depart out of the land. Mosiah's people were led by the Lord, as were Moses and Brigham, into the wilderness. They traveled in the wilderness until they came DOWN into the Land of Zarahemla. There they discovered a people called the people of Zarahemla-hence the name of the place. We are not sure just how long Zarahemla had lived there. We do know that his people had traveled from the Land Northward UP into the South Wilderness where Mosiah discovered them. (Alma 22:31).

We also know that Zarahemia's people were excited to see Mosiah. They recognized that the Lord had brought Mosiah to them with the plates of brass that contained the record of the Jews. The people of Zarahemla were Jews and came out of Jerusalem about the same time that Mosiah's forefather, Lehi, had come out of Jerusalem. We call the people of Zarahemia "Mulekites" because they were descendants of Mulek, the son of King Zedekiah, and those who came with Mulek. (Mosiah 25:2)

When Mosiah discovered the people of Zarahemla, or the Mulekites, about 180 BC, the Mulekites had become numerous and had had wars and contentions. Their flight from Jerusalem 400 years earlier was swift; and, as a result, they brought no records with them. It appears that for 400 years their Hebrew traditions in the New World were transmitted orally from generation to generation. By the time Mosiah found the Mulekites, their language had become corrupted; they had no records; and they had no understanding of, or rather, they denied the being of their creator.

Mosiah taught the Mulekites his language; he recorded their history as told from memory; he taught them the gospel; and he was appointed to be their king.

Also, during the days of King Mosiah, the people of Zarahemla brought to Mosiah a large stone with engravings upon it. The engravings were interpreted by King Mosiah by the gift and power of God. It gave an account of Coriantumr and the stain of his people. It told how more than 2,000 years before either Lehi or Mulek arrived in Mesoamerica, a group of people were led by the Lord from the great tower to the Promised Land. (Ether 1:33)

These people have become known as Jaredites, because their first king and leader who brought them from the tower was a man named Jared. Jared was their king. It was Jared's brother who was the prophet. After more than 2,000 years of lineage history, we come to the last king of the Jaredites, whose name was Coriantumr. The Jaredite kingdom came to a close when Coriantumr leaned upon his sword and smote off the head of Shiz:

And it came to pass that when Coriantumr had leaned upon his sword, that he rested a little, he smote off the head of Shiz. (Ether 15:30)

After the downfall of his nation, Coriantumr was cared for by the people of Zarahemla for the space of nine moons.

The Book of Omni bridges the gap of civilizations. The Nephites, Mulekites, and Jaredites are all identified in the Book of Omni.

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED LOCATIONS

IF Kaminaljuyú/Guatemala and the surrounding area is the Land of Nephi and IF the Isthmus of Tehuantepec is the Narrow Neck of Land, THEN the Land of Zarahemla has to fit somewhere in between. SINCE Zarahemla is always DOWN (Omni 1: 13) from Nephi and SINCE Zarahemla is north of Nephi (Alma 22:27), THEN we will be looking for some lowlands north of Guatemala. We will also be looking for a major river to call Sidon, which runs through Zarahemla. (Alma 22:27)

We need to have an East Wilderness-that is, an East Wilderness that is east of Zarahemla and north of Nephi. (Alma 50) We also want to be sure that the river runs the right direction-from the east toward the west. (Alma 22:27) We will want population centers to appear in both the Land of Zarahemla and new cities in the Fast Wilderness at the required time, which is 200 BCff. We will specifically hunt for cities that have a beginning date of 72 BC when the Nephites began to "build many cities on the north." (Alma 50:15) We will also anticipate that many of the cities will be walled or defensive cities because of Moroni's activities. We will expect to see a cultural impetus about 200 BC and a cultural decline about 350 AD. Furthen-nore, we will expect to see some culture patterns ' such as weapons of war and a written language. With these many and varied requirements in mind, let us take a look at the map. We will place Zarahemla in the Chiapas Depression or Chiapas Valley. We will call the Grijalva River the River Sidon, and we will call the Peten Jungle of Guatemala the East Wilderness. We will place the City of Moroni, which sank into the sea during the great 34 AD destruction, off the coast of Belize, and we will put Nephihah somewhere between Belize and Chiapas in the Peten Jungle of Guatemala-all according to Figure 29-1.

LAND OF ZARAHEMLA

May I again remind the reader that we are developing a model that may and most probably will need to be adjusted as we obtain further information. A recent publication (Hauck 1988) places the Land of Nephi north of Kaminaljuyu in the general area of Coban, Guatemala. It places Zarahemia south of Chiapas at some ruins called Nine Hills. Although I personally favor Kaminaljuyu as the Land of Nephi and Chiapas as the Land of Zarahemla, I have noted with interest a serious study that places the two lands closer together-but still in the vicinity of Southern Mesoamerica.

I have already stated my reasons for placing Kaminaljuyú as the Land of Nephi. Several strong reasons exist to place Zarahemla in the Chiapas Valley, although personally I find myself occasionally wanting to move a little to the east. In so doing, we would then place the City of Zarahemla along the Usumacinta River as opposed to the Grijalva River.

The reasons I am willing to leave Zarahemla in the Chiapas Depression for the time being are the following:

1. It fits the directional and distance requirements for Mosiah to lead a group of people from Nephi/Kaminaljuyú.

2. It fits the directional requirements for the people of Zarahemla to come up into the South Wilderness.

3. It allows for an East Wilderness in the Peten of Guatemala with its archaeological ruins and walled cities.

4. It allows the Isthmus of Tehuantepec to play its proper role in Book of Mormon geography as the Narrow Neck of Land.

5. It provides a river running in the proper direction. The River Grijalva runs from east to west and empties north into the sea, which is a Book of Mormon requirement.

6. It permits the Limhi Expedition to bypass Zarahemia and wander through the State of Tabasco, in the area proposed as the "Land of Many Waters," to get into the Land Northward.

7. It is in an adequate location for Alma and Limhi to return to Zarahemla through a natural pass crossing through a "narrow strip of wilderness," or a narrow mountain range.

8. Ample archaeological population centers are found in the Chiapas Valley during the 180 BC-350 AD time period when the bulk of the Nephite history in the Land of Zarahemia occurred. Also, a manifested decline in population in the area occurred around 350 AD, the time period when the Nephites were forced to leave the Land Southward. Zarahemla was in the Land Southward.

9. It is in the proper general area for language development. That is, from 600 BC-200 AD, we witness a written language in use that was adopted by the later 350 AD culture.

10. Finally, I will demonstrate that archaeological sites are found whose dating and culture patterns coincide precisely with Mosiah's and the people of Zarahemla's dating and culture patterns.

A large portion of the Book of Mormon (Omni to Mormon) presents us with theological statements, couched in geography, that took place between what we call Nephi (Kaminaljuyú) to Zarahemla (Chiapas).

MOSIAH AND THE PEOPLE OF ZARAHEMLA

We have established the following facts in relationship t Mosiah and the people of Zarahemla:

1. The people of Zarahemla, whom we have come to know as Mulekites, came out of Jerusalem about 586 BC at the time Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians.

Zarahemia's people probably landed off the coast of Veracruz, Mexico, and eventually migrated to Chiapas, Mexico, where Mosiah discovered them around 200 BC. In all probability, other Mulekite settlements were established on both sides of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.

2. The Jaredites saw their government fall sometime between 586 BC-250 BC. Their last surviving king, a man by the name of Coriantumr, was nurtured by the Mulekites for about nine months prior to his death. These Jaredites had come from the Old World between 3000-2500 BC at the time the Lord confounded the languages of the people. The Jaredites had established a mighty nation, with its heartland located in all probability along the Gulf Coast of Mexico in the State of present-day VeraCruz, Mexico.

3. Mosiah, who was a descendant of Nephi, came from the Land of Nephi (Kaminaljuyu) down to the Land of Zarahemia (Chiapas) about 200 BC. His forefathers, dating back to Nephi, had lived in Nephi (Kaminaljuyú) since the time Nephi had settled there between 586-577 BC. Nephi had come across the ocean with his father Lehi and his brothers about 586 BC. Lehi was a descendant of Joseph, the son of Jacob. When Mosiah arrived in Zarahemla (Chiapas), he became king over the people of Zarahemla and the Nephites who had come with him. He taught the people of Zarahemla his language and the gospel.

MONTE ALBAN AND THE LAND OF ZARAHEMLA

Although Monte Alban is located on the west of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, in the State of Oaxaca, some very impressive time period and cultural correlations result when we compare the Monte Alban culture with the events described in the Book of Omni. (See Chapter 7, "The Zapotec/Mulekite Culture.")

I propose that Monte Alban Period 1 (500 BC-100 BC) consisted of Mulekites and that Zarahemla, which was located east of the Isthmus, was not the only Mulekite city in Mesoamerica. A four-homed incense burner of Hebrew fashion, dating to Monte Alban Period 1, was discovered at Monte Alban. Also, the written language of Mesoamerica was first discovered at Monte Alban. The famous dancers at Monte Alban also date to Monte Alban Period 1. The inhabitants of Monte Alban Period 1 (500 BC-100 BC) were undoubtedly influenced by the so-called Olmecs of the Gulf Coast. The Olmec culture and time periods parallel the Jaredites to the extent we can safely suggest that they were one and the same. The Mulekites apparently were influenced by the Jaredites in the same manner that the people of Monte Alban Period I were influenced by the Olmecs. Indeed, Coriantumr, the last surviving king of the Jaredites, certainly must have made an impact on the Nephites. The story of Coriantumr also suggests that the Mulekites apparently lived simultaneously with the Jaredites before the Jaredite nation fell. The Mulekites also were probably influenced by other Jaredites (Olmecs) living in the area.

I further propose that Monte Alban was part of the greater Nephite society from 180 BC forward. At least we know that as early as 56 BC, Nephites lived in the Land Northward. (Alma 63:4) The following statement, which dates to 29 AD, is recorded in 3 Nephi:

And it came to pass that they had not eaten up all their provision; therefore they did take with them all that they had not devoured, of all their grain of every kind, and their gold, and their silver, and all their precious things, and they did return to their own lands and their possessions, both on the north and on the south, both on the land northward and on the land southward. (3 Nephi 6:2)

This time period is labeled Monte Alban Period II and falls in the dates of 180 BC-350 AD. The archaeological record of Monte Alban tells us that "other people entered the Valley of Oaxaca about 180 BC. They may have perhaps originated in Guatemala or Chiapas." (Bernal 1988:22) At any rate, they brought with them a number of culture traits that they imposed on the earlier culture. The reader will recall that when Mosiah's people arrived in Zarahemia, they pursued a course that was acceptable to the people of Zarahemla of teaching them the gospel and of teaching them the Nephite language. Mosiah was even made king over both the Nephite newcomers and the established Mulekites. The archaeological record states that 11 probably the two groups merged in the course of time." (lbid, p. 23)

One of the highlights of Monte Alban Period II (180 BC-350 AD) was the coming of Christ. Mound J of Monte Alban is labeled an observatory and dates back to the time of Christ. We are certainly safe in assuming that whoever the scientists were who occupied the observatory, they probably recorded both the astrological events that occurred at the birth of Christ and the catastrophic events that occurred at the time of his death. In respect to those events, let us consider the following:

And it came to pass that there was no darkness in all that night, but it was as light as though it was mid-day. And it came to pass that the sun did rise in the morning again, according to its proper order; and they knew that it was the day that the Lord should be born, because of the sign which had been given. (3 Nephi 1:19)

And it came to pass in the thirty and fourth year, in the first month, on the fourth day of the month, there arose a great storm, such an one as never had been known in all the land. (3 Nephi 8:5)

The ending of Monte Alban Period II is dated at 350 AD. This is the precise time that the Nephite period was coming to a close. Mormon 2:28-29 tells us of the treaty wherein the Nephites gave up, to the Lamanites, the Land Southward all the way to the Narrow Pass that led into the Land Northward:

And the three hundred and forty and ninth year had passed away. And in the three hundred and fiftieth year we made a treaty with the Lamanites and the robbers of Gadianton, in which we did get the lands of our inheritance divided.

And the Lamanites did give unto us the land northward, yea, even to the narrow passage which led into the land southward. And we did give unto the Lamanites all the land southward. (Mormon 2:28-29)

The date of the Nephite-Lamanite treaty is the same date as the archaeological dating at Monte Alban when a culture change began to occur-350 AD. Mormon also informs us that this time period is when he called all of the Nephites together at the Land Desolation, to a city that was in the borders, by the Narrow Pass that led into the Land Southward:

And it came to pass that I did cause my people that they should gather themselves together at the land Desolation, to a city which was in the borders, by the narrow pass which led into the land southward. (Mormon 3:5)

Both Santa Rosa and Chiapa de Corzo manifested a rapid decline around 350 AD. Of interest also is the evidence of trade among Oaxaca, Kaminaljuyú, and Teotihuacan of the Mexico Valley around 400 AD. This trading activity may account for anxiety among the Lamanites and the Robbers of Gadianton in wanting to exterminate their enemies, the Nephites, to get them away from the Narrow Pass.

Apparently, the old squeeze play was put into effect by the Robbers of Gadianton, who may have been the administrators of the Land Northward in the Valley of Mexico, and the Lamanites, who controlled all of the Land Southward. The Nephites were probably in the way of commercial and cultural interchange between the two larger nations with headquarters in what are now Guatemala City and Mexico City. Oaxaca was in the middle, as was Izapa.

Monte Alban Period III is placed from 350 AD-750 AD. This is post-Nephite time period. By 750-800 AD, Monte Alban was abandoned as a center for administrative and commercial activity.

In summary, the dating of Monte Alban is:

Pre-Monte Alban: Jaredite time period

Monte Alban Period I: 500 BC-100 BC, Mulekite time

Monte Alban Period II: 180 BC-350 AD, Nephite (Mosiah) time

Monte Alban Period III: 350 AD-750 AD, Post Book of Mormon

The archaeological record of Monte Alban states the following:

As far as we have been able to ascertain ... man first appeared in the Valley of Oaxaca during the period which has been entitled Monte Alban I and must probably be placed between 700 and 300 B.C.... [Note: recent datings place Monte Alban I beginning about 500 BC]

Although we do not know for certain who the inhabitants may have been during this first period, they were undoubtedly influenced by the so called "Olmecs" of the Gulf Coast.

Other people entered the Valley of Oaxaca towards 300 B.C.: they may perhaps have originated in Guatemala. [Note: Current data places the infusion of this culture at 180 B.C. and indicates that they came from Chiapas or Guatemala.] At any rate, they brought with them a number of culture traits which mingled with those of the earlier period.

This new culture has been entitled Monte Alban II.... The period lasted roughly until the beginnings of the Christian era, and the bearers of this culture only settled in a few places in the valleys.... This suggests that they were a small group of conquerors who imposed their power over the earlier inhabitants although these did not disappear: probably the two groups mingled in the course of time. (The Oaxaca Valley: Official Guide 1973:5-6)

The 1985 updated version of the "official guide" of the Oaxaca Valley states the following:

... Period II is represented by relatively few, though important sites, which suggests that the newly integrated settlers were a minority who in some way superimposed themselves on the inhabitants of the previous period. Little by little the two groups merged. (Bernal 1985:23)

Whoever the first inhabitants were, they were influenced by the so-called Olmecs. Other people entered the valley of Oaxaca about 180 B.C. These came from Guatemala or Chiapas. (See The Oaxaca Valley: Official Guide 1973.)

MIGRATIONS BETWEEN ZARAHEMLA AND NEPHI

The Book of Mosiah covers a 110-year period of time from approximately 200 BC-90 BC. It records the events of three generations of Jewish-Nephites who lived simultaneously in the Land of Nephi and in the Land of Zarahemla.

The Nephite kings who presided in the Land of Zarahemla during this time period were MOSIAH, BENJAMIN, and MOSIAH. The Nephite leaders and kings who lived in the Land of Nephi, which by this time in history was Lamanite territory, were ZENIFF, NOAH, and LIMHI.

During this time period, we witness a number of migrations between the Land of Zarahemla and the Land of Nephi. They are as follows.

Zeniff, a spy for the Nephites, went into the wilderness with a group who were desirous to return to the Land of Nephi. The group entered into a severe disagreement, which resulted in the death of many of the party, and the remaining members of the group returned to Zarahemla:

... father fought against father, and brother against   brother, until the greater number of our army was destroyed in the wilderness; and we returned, those of us  that were spared, to the land of Zarahemla, to relate that tale to their wives and their children. (Mosiah 9: 1)

Zeniff, who indicated that he was over-zealous, returned with more people. With the permission of the Lamanite king, Zeniff's people were permitted to reside in the Land of Lehi-Nephi and the Land of Shilom, both of which were in the Land of Nephi. (See Mosiah 9.)

Sometime around 121 BC, Limhi, the grandson of Zeniff and the son of Noah, desired to return to Zarahemla. Therefore, he sent an expedition of 43 men into the wilderness with the intent of finding Zarahemla. They did not find Zarahemia, but instead wandered into the Land Northward, where they discovered 24 gold plates that contained the history of the Jaredites.

Sometime after the return of Limhi's 43 men, around 121 BC, a Mulekite by the name of Ammon was sent by King Mosiah, who was the grandson of Mosiah and the son of Benjamin, to go up to the Land of Nephi to inquire about the status of the Israelites/Nephites who lived there.

Limhi, who worked under the advice of Gideon, caused the Lamanite guards to get drunk and followed Ammon back down to the Land of Zarahemla.

Alma, who had been a priest under the reign of Noah, the father of Limhi, was converted by the Prophet Abinadi. Alma led a group of believers to the Land of Mormon and from there to a place they called Helam. Sometime later, they were led by the Lord to the Land of Zarahemla.

All of the above events are recorded in the Book of Mosiah and include migrations from the Land of Zarahemia to the Land of Nephi and from the Land of Nephi to the Land of Zarahemla. A more detailed account, with cultural and geographical implications, follows.

ZENIFF MIGRATES FROM ZARAHEMLA TO NEPHI

Wherever Zarahemla was located, apparently it did not meet the desired qualifications for some of the followers of Mosiah. We can assume that Mosiah and his followers were forced out of the Land of Nephi-perhaps in somewhat the same way as the Latter-day Saints were forced out of Nauvoo. Or Mosiah's people may have left because of persecution or taxation by the Lamanites. The scripture says merely that they FLED out of the Land of Nephi. (See Mosiah 11:13 and Omni 1:12.) When Zeniff and his initial party returned, they were going back up to the Land of Nephi with the intent of fighting the Lamanites to regain the land the Nephites had left earlier. (See Mosiah 9:1-3.)

Shortly after Mosiah and his followers arrived at Zarahemla, some of the Nephites wanted to return and to go back up to the Land of Nephi. Zeniff, who was a spy for those returning to the Land of Nephi, saw that which was good among the Lamanites and proposed to his fellow Nephites in the wilderness that they try to go among the Lamanites in peace. A terrible internal strife occurred; many were killed; and Zeniff and the

survivors returned to Zarahemla to relate the sad tale to the wives and children. (Mosiah 9:1-3)

Zeniff was very persistent; and, as he says, he was over-zealous to inherit the Land of Nephi-which was the land of their fathers' first inheritance. In spite of famine and "sore afflictions," they were successful in returning to the Land of Nephi. Zeniff made a covenant with the Lamanite king to possess the Land of Lehi-Nephi and the Land of Shilom. The motive of the Lamanite king, of course, was eventually to place these returning Nephites under bondage.

The travel distance from the Land of Nephi to the Land of Zarahemla was approximately 24 days (200 miles). The number of days is arrived at by combining the 8 days that Alma and his people took to go from the Land of Mormon to the Land of Helam and the 12 days they took to go from the Land of Helem to the Land of Zarahemla, plus the estimated time from the Land of Nephi to the Waters of Mormon. The record does not say what the distance was from the Land (State) of Nephi to the Land of Mormon. We could estimate it took three to four days to go that distance, which would make the total travel time from the City of Nephi to the City of Zarahemla approximately 24 days.

Ammon and 16 strong men, in search of the Land of Nephi, took 40 days to get from Zarahemia to Nephi. However, they wandered many days in the wilderness-not knowing exactly where the Land of Nephi was located.

By placing the Land (State) of Nephi where Guatemala City is today and by placing the Land (State) of Zarahemla where the Central Depression of the Mexican State of Chiapas is today, we are presented with some interesting and rather convincing parallel statements.

The high, dense, rugged mountains of Guatemala do not cause us to wonder how people could easily get lost. The term "wilderness" is certainly very adequate to describe this wild, beautiful, mountainous region.

The lower elevation of the Chiapas Depression, with its tropical-type heat, is adequate to suggest why Zeniff and his friends were desirous to return to the spring-like climate in the mountain setting of Guatemala.

In 1838, John Lloyd Stephens made the trek in 21 days from Lake Atitlan to Chiapas with pack animals and native walkers, almost the same time Alma and his followers spent traveling intermittently from the Waters of Mormon to the Land of Zarahemla.

The UPS and DOWNS are consistent in the Book of Mormon and are dramatically spelled out on the trip from Guatemala to Chiapas where travelers drop from almost 10,000 feet elevation to 2,200 feet elevation in four hours of bus travel. This is the route through which I propose the migratory interchange occurred between the Land of Nephi and the Land of Zarahemla, as shown in Figure 29-2.

Today, the trip would be like traveling from Guatemala City to Lake Atitlan, then to Quetzaltenango, then to Huehuetenango, and then to the border of Mexico. From here, the trip requires a 1 hour and 15 minute bus ride to Comitan, Chiapas. The Valley of Zarahemla may have been off to the northwest in the Central Depression area of the State of Chiapas.

Archaeological data and population centers that date to the time in question (200 BC-90 BC) justify the above conclusions.

THE RUINS OF SANTA ROSA

Although other sites have been proposed and although some inherent problems exist with Santa Rosa's being the most likely candidate for the City of Zarahemla, the direction, location, and distance from Kaminaljuyú qualify Santa Rosa to be a very acceptable candidate for the City of Zarahemla. Santa Rosa's relative position to the Grijalva River, a candidate for the River Sidon, and Santa Rosa's position in relationship to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, a candidate for the Narrow Neck of Land, also justify the above position.

An alternative site, and one that must be considered, is one along the Middle Usumacinta Valley. Archaeological evidence exists there of a distinct people moving from the Jaredite (Olmec) area to the middle Usumacinta Valley at approximately the same time that the Mulekites moved from the Land Northward to the Land of Zarahemia. (Ochoa 1986:18)

Nevertheless, Santa Rosa appears to be the most reliable site for the City of Zarahemla today; and the Chiapas Depression is ideal for the Land of Zarahemla. The Chiapas Depression, a valley large enough to place Israel inside, seems to fit the necessary requirements for the Land of Zarahemia. The Grijalva River runs from the east toward the west, through the valley, and then turns north at Chiapa de Corzo and runs north into the Gulf of Mexico. These geographic features also fit the Book of Mormon requirements. (Alma 22:27)

The site of Santa Rosa is now under a man-made reservoir along the Grijalva River. However, prior to the river's inundation, the New World Archaeological Foundation conducted archaeological studies of Santa Rosa during the 1958 and 1959 seasons. A reconnaissance of the Upper Grijalva River in the winter of 1956 showed the site of Santa Rosa to be the largest Preclassic center in the region. As you will recall, Preclassic dating is Book of Mormon time period.

The archaeological report indicates that Santa Rosa had its principal occupation during Late Preclassic, from 500 to 100 BC. This is referred to as Santa Rosa Period III and is characterized by its advanced architecture, known to be of imposing dimensions in at least a few instances. (Delgado 1965:79)

Period IV of Santa Rosa, or the Protoclassic era, apparently was an efflorescence of the city, contemporary with similar developments elsewhere in Mesoamerica. At this time, many of the principal structures at Santa Rosa were built, sometimes utilizing cut stone, stucco, and paint. Early Maya polychrome imports mark the close of the period, which began about 100 BC and ended about 200 AD. The above dates were arrived at from carbon-14 dating and from comparisons with Chiapa de Corzo Phases VI and VII. (lbid, pp. 80-81)

In summary, Santa Rosa was the largest center in the region during the time period from 500 BC to 200 AD. This length of time allows adequate time for the Mulekites, or the people of Zarahemla, to land along the Gulf Coast of Mexico-the place where the Jaredites lived. Then, the people of Zarahemla apparently moved to the Bay of Campeche and from there "up into the south wilderness." (Alma 22:30) See Figure 29-3.

To attempt a correlation with Santa Rosa and the City of Zarahemla, we would expect to see the people of Zarahemla living in Santa Rosa from about 500 BC to 180 BC, at which time Mosiah led a group of righteous followers from Nephi (Kaminaljuyú). From 180 BC to 200 AD, we witness such events at Santa Rosa as King Benjamin's sermon, Alma II's missionary journey, the military leader Moroni's war campaign in the East Wilderness, Helaman and his stripling warriors defending the western and southern borders, Zarahemla's taking fire at the time of the death of Christ, Mormon's going into the land when he was 11 years old, and apostasy setting in at 200 AD, the precise time that Santa Rosa began to decline.

The Santa Rosa 5, or Early Classic Period, seems poorly represented at Santa Rosa. Possibly, a reduced population maintained many old traditions, adopting only a few new customs or traits brought from the outside. (Delgado 1965:81)

The year 350 AD is crucial in Book of Mormon history inasmuch as that was the year the Nephites made a treaty with the Lamanites in which the Lamanites were given all of the Land Southward. (Mormon 2:28-29) Zarahemla was in the Land Southward. Santa Rosa is southward of the Gulf Coast and the Isthmus.

By 350 AD, Santa Rosa had a manifested decline in population and demonstrated rather distinct Maya culture patterns. The last period of Santa Rosa dates from 550 AD to 950 AD, at which time Santa Rosa appears to have been abandoned as a ceremonial center.

In summary, several statements comparing the City of Zarahemla with Santa Rosa seem appropriate. Both Zarahemla and Santa Rosa

1. Were heavily populated from 500 BC to 200 AD.

2. Were located down from heavily populated neighbors from the south in the Land of Nephi/Guatemala.

3. Were located on the west side of a river that ran from the east toward the west.

4. Were part of a larger land or valley.

5. Were near a "narrow neck" or "isthmus" that led into a land northward.

6. Have an east wilderness that borders an eastern seashore (the Peten Jungle and the Caribbean).

7. Were home to three distinct barrio or language groups.

8. Have a wilderness to their north, which is labeled a south wilderness" from the Gulf of Mexico, or the Jaredite lands.

KING NOAH

Noah was the son of Zeniff and the father of Limhi. (Mosiah 11: lff) Of these three generations, only Noah did not touch foot on Zarahemla soil. We have a difficult time referring to Noah without calling him "the wicked King Noah." While King Noah was wallowing in wickedness in the Land of Nephi, King Benjamin was preaching to the people of Zarahemla and the people of Mosiah who dwelt in the Land of Zarahemla (Mosiah 1:10)-exhorting them to take upon themselves the name of Christ and telling them that when they were in the service of their fellow beings, they were only in the service of their god. (Mosiah 2:17-ff).

King Noah taxed the Nephites living among the Lamanites one-fifth of all the Nephites possessed. King Benjamin labored with his own hands to serve the people of Zarahemia so they would not be laden with taxes. (Mosiah 2:14.)

King Noah reminds us somewhat of Herod the Great. Both were of Jewish or Israelite descent. Both were allowed to administer a government within a government. Herod administered under the Romans, and Noah administered under the Lamanites. Herod began to reign about 50 BC; Noah was conferred the kingdom by his father Zeniff about 160 BC. Both Herod and Noah, living on two different continents, yet having the same

ancestry, built massive buildings. Herod rebuilt the temple at Jerusalem. Noah built many elegant and spacious buildings, including a spacious palace for himself. He also caused his workmen to work all manner of fine work within the walls of the temple. (Mosiah 11ff)

Both Herod and Noah were surrounded with luxury, wealth, concubines, and wicked priests. John the Baptist cried repentance unto Herod, and John's head was offered on a platter. Abinadi cried repentance unto Noah, and Abinadi was put to death by fire.

A visit to Jerusalem unveils the work of Herod. A visit to Guatemala City still leaves us wondering if we are working with the right site. The ancient mounds of Kaminaljuyú located in Guatemala City are proposed today as the possible location of the City of Lehi-Nephi where Noah dwelt and built and sinned.

We are told that Noah also built many buildings in the Land of Shilom. Noah could see the Land of Shilom and the Land of Shemlon, both of which were in Lamanite lands, from a tower that he had built in the Land of Lehi-Nephi. Noah caused a great tower to be built north of Shilom at a place that had been a resort for the children of Nephi before they fled out of the Land of Nephi under the leadership of King Mosiah.

Although no specific building today is labeled a "Noah building," enough activity appears to have occurred during Noah's time in the Land of Nephi to warrant continued and detailed excavation work among the ruins of Kaminaljuyú and its surrounding archaeological sites.

King Noah commanded his people to follow him into the wilderness to escape the wrath of the Lamanites. He met his fate, as prophesied by the prophet Abinadi, by being burned to death. (Mosiah 19:20) His own people killed him.

KING BENJAMIN

While Noah was building elaborate buildings in the Land of Nephi (Kaminaljuyú), while the Prophet Abinadi was calling Noah and his fellow Nephites to repentance, and while Alma, a priest in King Noah's court, was being converted by the prophesying of the Prophet Abinadi, King Benjamin was ruling with justice in the Land of Zarahemla (Chiapas).

King Benjamin was the son of Mosiah, who had come down from the Land of Nephi (Kaminaljuyu) to the Land of Zarahemla (Chiapas) and had united with the Mulekites. Mosiah became the king of both the Nephites who came with him from the Land of Nephi as well as the more numerous Mulekites or people of Zarahemla with whom he came in contact. Benjamin was anointed by his father to take Mosiah's place as king over the people of Mosiah and the people of Zarahemla who dwelt in the Land of Zarahemia. (Mosiah 1:10)

These events cause us to suspect that not all of the people who lived in the Land of Zarahemla (Chiapas) were Nephites/Mulekites. Perhaps the situation can be compared to the President of the Church today presiding over his people. Nevertheless, other people would be living in the area. This comparison also suggests the possibility of other people's voluntarily coming under the jurisdiction and reign of King Benjamin.

That such is possible can be deduced from the activity that was taking place in Monte Alban and other isolated areas located in the State of Oaxaca during the time of King Benjamin. Monte Alban is located on the opposite side of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec from Chiapas. This location suggests that King Benjamin may have been recognized as king over people who were living in areas other than just the City or Land of Zarahemla. Again, we may compare the situation to the President of the Church who presides over stakes reaching into other states and even other countries.

At about 130 BC, Benjamin became king over the same people who had been governed by his father, Mosiah. It is even possible that Benjamin, as a young boy, traveled from the Land of Nephi down to the Land of Zarahemla with his father. At any rate, Amaleki, the last record keeper of the small plates of Nephi and a contemporary of Benjamin's father, Mosiah, recognized Benjamin as a just man. As a result, Amateki's having no seed gave Benjamin charge of the sacred records. (Omni 1:25)

King Benjamin became a defender of his people; and in an account that reminds us of the continual Jewish history in the Old World in relationship to their enemies, the Nephites battled the Lamanites who came into the Land of Zarahemla. The account tells us that many thousands of Lamanites were killed under the leadership of King Benjamin. (Words of Mormon 1:11- 14; Omni 1:24)

Having established his power to rule, King Benjamin seems to establish himself as the greatest of Nephite kings-much in the same way that David was considered Israel's greatest king.

We probably remember King Benjamin most for his farewell address where he accounted for his service and anointed his son, Mosiah, to be the king. Obviously, Benjamin named his son after his father, as both Benjamin's father and Benjamin's son were named Mosiah.

A cultural setting like we experience at the ruins of Monte Alban gives us an idea of how Benjamin must have addressed his people. The walls of the city form a natural acoustic setting. The temple platforms in Mesoamerica are consistent with Book of Mon-non statements such as "I come UP INTO the temple." (Jacob 2:2; Mosiah 1:18) The large central plaza at Monte Alban, the size of seven football fields, is adequate for people to gather with their tents. (See Chapter 7, "The Zapotec/Mulekite Culture.")

During this great Jewish ceremonial event, King Benjamin caused his people to take upon themselves the name of Christ, the Messiah who was to be born 120 years from the time

of King Benjamin's address. King Benjamin consecrated his son, Mosiah, to be a ruler and a king over his people. (Mosiah 6:3)

LIMHI, THE SON OF NOAH

While King Benjamin was defending his kingdom and anointing his son Mosiah to succeed him in the Land of Zarahemia (Chiapas), Noah was wine bibbing in the Land of Nephi (Kaminaljuyú). After the death of Noah, the people of Nephi who were still living in Lamanite territory conferred the kingdom on Limhi, the son of Noah. Limhi, not impressed with his father's activities, began to establish peace in the area. Limhi took an oath with the Lamanite king that his Israeli-Nephites would pay one-half of all they raised to the Lamanites to maintain peace. The Lamanites placed guards around their cities to keep the Nephites from fleeing into the wilderness, like Noah had done and like Mosiah had done three generations earlier.

A visit to Guatemala, the area we propose as the possible Land of Nephi, immediately causes the visitor to realize what a wilderness looks like. The steep mountains and the deep valleys covered with forestation and trees are ideal for a giant game of hide and go seek.

Five major migrations occurred between the Land of Nephi and the Land of Zarahemla during Limhi's tributary kingship. One of these migrations, however round trip in nature, never reached Zarahemla. This was the migration of what we call the Limhi Expedition of 43 men, which took place about 121 BC. The objective was to make contact with the Nephites living in the Land of Zarahemla to appeal to them for assistance in escaping from the Lamanites. The 43 men never found Zarahemla but traveled through a land of many waters and entered into the land of a civilization that had been destroyed. (Mosiah 8:8)

MIGRATIONS

We learn a lot about the Land of Zarahemla from the missionary journey of Alma. After relinquishing the position of chief judge, Alma set about to place the church in order. He began in the City of Zarahemla (Santa Rosa). From there, he crossed the River Sidon and went east to the Valley of Gideon. He returned to the City of Zarahemla and then went west along the mountains to the City of Melek. From Melek, he traveled three days on the north until he arrived at the City of Ammonihah. After leaving Ammonihah, he was going in the direction of Aaron.

With that set of instructions, we can virtually draw Alma's missionary journey on a blank sheet of paper. However, for comparison purposes, Alma's missionary journey is presented on the Mesoamerica map as shown in Figure 29-4.

THE CITY OF ZARAHEMLA

Because the City of Zarahemla is mentioned more times in the Book of Mormon than any other city as a result of Zarahemla's importance in Nephite history, I will summarize some of the major events that took place in the City of Zarahemla.

After relinquishing the judgment seat, Alma began to set the Church in order beginning in Zarahemla, the capital city, about 83 BC. He spoke to Church members living in Zarahemla calling them to repentance. (Alma 5:6) The City of Zarahemla apparently received its name from the Jewish Mulekite by that same name. The man Zarahemla lived several generations after Mulek. (See Omni 1: 14-18.) These events indicate that the city was settled sometime between 400 BC-200 BC.

From about 200 BC to approximately 90 BC, Zarahemla served as the capital city of the following Nephite kings: Mosiah, Benjamin, and Mosiah.

From about 90 BC to approximately 51 BC, the City of Zarahemla was the headquarters of both the Nephite judgment seat and the Church of Christ.

The City of Zarahemla fell into the hands of the Lamanites about 51 BC, but for only a short period of time. The City of Zarahemla was the strongest city and was in the center of the land; and yet Coriantumr, head of the Lamanite army, marched in and took possession of the entire city. (Helaman 1:20) In the same year, Moronihah, the son of Moroni, recaptured the City of Zarahemla; and Helaman, the son of Helaman, who was the son of Alma, was chosen to be the chief judge.

From c50 BC to c29 BC, the City of Zarahemla continued to operate under judges. An attempt to establish kings again in the land was thwarted. The chief judge was murdered; and from c29 BC forward, the people divided themselves into tribes and leaders of tribes. (3 Nephi 7:3)

At the death of Christ about 30 AD, the City of Zarahemla caught fire. This was the time of the great destruction at the death of Christ. (3 Nephi 8:8; 3 Nephi 8:24) Zarahemla was called a "great city."

About 59 AD, 25 years after it had burned, the City of Zarahemla was rebuilt. (4 Nephi 1:8)

From 59 AD to 350 AD, the Nephites apparently were still in control of the City of Zarahemla. In the year 350 AD, the Lamanites, by treaty, obtained the Land and the City of Zarahemla. (Mormon 2:28-29) The Nephites never again ruled in their capital city. When Mormon was I I years old (c322 AD), his father carried him into the Land of Zarahemla. In writing about this event later, Mormon said that the whole face of the land was covered with buildings and that the people were as numerous, almost, as the sands of the sea. (Mormon 1:6-7)

This last statement suggests that the City of Zarahemia was to become a Lamanite (Maya) city for generations to come.

As previously discussed, if the Central Depression of the State of Chiapas is the Land of Zarahemla, then the archaeological site of Santa Rosa is a good candidate for the City of Zarahemla.

THE CITY OF GIDEON

The second leg of Alma's missionary joumey was in the City of Gideon, which was in the Valley of Gideon. The city was named after that Gideon who was the right-hand man of King Limhi in the Land of Nephi and who later was killed by Nehor. The Valley of Gideon may have been the area located between Comitan and San Cristobal de las Casas, both modem cities in the State of Chiapas, Mexico. This pleasant valley rises to about 6,000 feet above sea level. It is located east of the Central Depression area of Chiapas. Hence, it is east of the River Grijalva.

The Book of Mormon requirement for the Valley of Gideon is that it was on the east of the River Sidon:

And now it came to pass that when Alma had made these regulations he departed from them, yea, from the church which was in the city of Zarahemla, and went over upon the EAST OF THE RIVER SIDON, INTO THE VALLEY OF GIDEON, there having been a city built, which was called the city of Gideon, which was in the valley that was called Gideon, being called after the man who was slain by the hand of Nehor with the sword. (Alma 6:7)

Speaking to the members of the Church in Gideon, Alma commended them for their faith. Not having had the opportunity of speaking to them in person because of his responsibilities as chief judge, he found them living the gospel much more strictly than were the members in the City of Zarahemla. He told them that the Savior would be born of Mary at Jerusalem, and he admonished them to repent and to be baptized. (Alma 7:1-20)

We pick up another orientation of the Land of Gideon when, some six years later, Alma (c77 BC) was journeying from the Land of Gideon southward away to the Land of Manti. There he joyfully met the sons of Mosiah returning from a 14-year mission among the Lamanites. (Alma 17:1) You will recall that the Land of Manti was at the head of the River Sidon.

These events possibly make the meeting place of Alma and the sons of Mosiah somewhere between the area of Ciudad Cuahtemoc and Comitan, as shown in Figure 29-5. After dropping down from the mountains of Highland Guatemala and then crossing through the Mexico border, travelers come to an area that breaks into a flat plain.

The sons of Mosiah, going toward Zarahemla, could easily have met Alma coming from Gideon toward Manti. La Libertad, an archaeological site at the head of the River Grijalva and the proposed site of Manti, is southward of the valley spoken of above, or southward of the Valley of Gideon.

MELEK

After preaching the gospel and setting the church in order in the Land of Gideon, Alma returned to the City of Zarahemla to his home to rest from his labors. (Alma 8: 1)

At the beginning of the following year (about 79 BC), he again picked up his missionary labors and traveled west of the River Sidon, which would also be west of the City of Zarahemla, to the Land of Melek, as shown in Figure 29-6. Apparently, Melek was located near the mountains on the west:

... Alma departed from thence [City of Zarahemla] and took his journey over into the land of Melek, on the WEST OF THE RIVER SIDON, ON THE WEST BY THE BORDERS OF THE WILDERNESS. (Alma 8:3)

As discussed in earlier chapters, the term "wilderness" may refer to both mountains and jungles. People came from their homes located all along the west mountain range to listen to Alma and to be baptized. This conference possibly included the members of the church who lived both in the mountains and along the coast from Soconusco to Tonola. People of the Izapa culture, where the Tree-of-Life Stone discussed earlier was discovered, may have been invited to this portion of Alma's conferences. Izapa was a thriving culture during Alma's time period. (See Chapter 9, "The Izapa Culture and the Tree-of-Life Stone.")

AMMONIHAH

Three days' joumey on the north of the Land of Mulek was the City and the Land of Ammonihah. The City of Ammonihah had the distinction of being the most wicked city in the Land of Zarahemla during Alma's time period. The leading people of the City of Ammonihah said:

Behold, we know that thou art Alma; and we know that thou art high priest over the church which thou hast  established in many parts of the land, according to your tradition;

and we are not of thy church, and we do not believe in such foolish traditions. (Alma 8: 11)

From the above statement, as well as from other inferences, we come to realize that Alma, like the Apostle Paul, was trying to establish the Church of Christ among a people who were steeped in Jewish tradition. Alma 8-14 contains the teachings and experiences of Alma and his associate, Amulek, with the people of Ammonihah. The experiences of Alma and Amulek represent almost 4 percent of the entire Book of Mormon and present some of the most in-depth statements on the atonement of Christ in the scriptures.

Amulek was from Ammonihah. Prior to his conversion, he was both a wealthy man and a leading man of the community. He was rejected by his own family for his beliefs. The people who were converted by Alma and Amulek were either burned to death or ostracized from the community. The books of those who believed in the coming of Christ were burned. Alma and Amulck were cast into prison. They were convicted on the same trumped-up charges for which the Jews of Jerusalem convicted Christ-that is, "treason against the law and blasphemy against God." (Alma 14:5) Finally, Alma and Amulek were cast into prison, starved, and reviled. An earthquake shook down the prison walls. Alma and Amulek were commanded to depart out of the City of Ammonihah. Zeezrom, who had been a chief contender against Alma and Amulek, and who was subsequently converted, had already been stoned and driven out of the community.

Alma had prophesied that the wicked City of Ammonihah would be destroyed at the hands of the Lamanites. (Alma 9:18) We place the location of Ammonihah at the northwestern end of the Central Depression of Chiapas, as shown in Figure 29-7. This location allowed the Lamanites to move up along the Pacific Coast and drop over into Ammonihah. The proposed archaeological site for Ammonihah is El Mirador.

EL MIRADOR

The archaeological site of El Mirador (not to be confused with the Peten, Guatemala, El Mirador) is located near the town of Cintalapa, Chiapas. The New World Archaeological Foundation did some preliminary excavations at the site.

Interestingly, the people of Ammonihah boastfully stated that their city could not be destroyed as Alma prophesied that it would. However, after having peace in the land for a certain number of years, the Lamanites must have slipped along the Pacific Coast and dropped over into the "El Mirador" area and destroyed the city. Today, a simple dirt mound stands in the area I propose as the City of Ammonihah. It is a dirt mound that stands as a monument to a wicked people who said, "How can this city be destroyed?"

After the Lamanite destruction of Ammonihah, as recorded in Alma 16, the area of Ammonihah became known as the Desolation of Nehors. It was in part subsequently rebuilt (Alma 49:3) and fortified with defensive earthworks. When the Lamanites prepared an attack upon the City of Ammonihah, they were totally surprised to discover that the city, as well as the adjoining City of Noah, was well defended. (See Alma 40.)

CHAMULA INDIANS

About 10 miles from the City of San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, is an Indian village named San Juan Chamula. According to estimations, more than 100,000 Chamula Indians live in the mountains of Chiapas. The area of San Juan Chamula is called the Alps of Mexico, as the cool nights produce a morning dew in the mountains where the Chamula Indians live. The elevation reaches over 8,000 feet above sea level.

The Chamula, descendants of the Maya, are not the only Indians who live in the Chiapas Mountains. Some estimations point out that at least 52 Indian dialects are spoken in the State of Chiapas. Chiapas is the most Indian state in Mexico. The Lacandone Indians, a small group who live in the Lacanha Valley near the Usumacinta River and the ruins of Bonampak, wear long, white robes. Their dark, black hair rests peacefully over their shoulders.

The State of Chiapas is proposed as the Land (Country) of Zarahemla in this text.

The Chamula Indians who live in and around San Juan Chamula are steeped in the traditions of their fathers. They are small people and for the most part are very poor. The manner of dress of the women consists primarily of blue shawls and black skirts. The men normally wear white cotton shawls. They raise sheep, chickens, and pigs and grow a variety of fruits and vegetables. They speak their own native tongue but are taught Spanish in the local school. Teachers who have received government support for their education are sent to the villages for a two- or three-year assignment. The men are allowed to have more than one wife if they can support them. The society is very tight and socially interrelated.

The Chamula Indians are subject to the Mexican government, but they also have an internal political system. The religion of the Chamula is Catholicism, mingled with their own traditions. A Catholic priest arrives at the village every two weeks to perform the rites of baptism, communion, and marriage. For the most part, however, individual prayers are recited as the Chamula Indians sit or kneel on the church floor that is covered with pine nettles. A church in the distance was burned in the early part of the century when the pine nettles caught fire. When asked why they put the nettles on the floor, the answer is always the same, "It has always been done."

The church has no benches. Candles are placed on the floor and lit for worship purposes. Soda pop, mostly Coca Cola, and eggs are used in the Indians' individual ceremonies. Occasionally, a chicken, which in Indian tradition manifests certain healing powers, is also held by someone who is sick. Faith healers, usually women, are often sitting while reciting prayers for a family who desires a blessing of healing or comfort. Medical aid is virtually inaccessible, and pharmaceutical supplies are expensive.

The village draws out many emotions from the people whom we take to the village. One of the most impressive emotions that touches me has to do with the Indians' traditions. One of these traditions is very similar to what is recorded in the Book of Mormon when

Alma and Amulek taught the gospel of Christ at the City of Ammonihah. Those who were converted to the Church were either burned or cast out of the village. When Alma and Amulek arrived at the City of Sidom, they found the converted Church members, whom the people of Ammonihah had cast out and ostracized.

The same tradition exists today in the Chamula Indian environment. The Spaniards and Catholicism conquered the Indians by force in the 16th Century. However, when Protestantism entered among the Chamula people in the latter part of the 19th Century, any Chamula who accepted the new religion was cast out of the community and in many cases had a hand or a finger cut off to mark the offender so he or she could not return. The Protestant converts wandered into the City of San Cristobal.

Amulek gave up everything for the Church and was even rejected by his own family:

... Amulek having forsaken all his gold, and silver, and his precious things, which were in the land of Ammonihah, for the word of God, he being rejected by those who were once his friends and also by his father and kindred. (Alma 15:16)

CITY/LAND OF SIDOM

The converted saints who were cast out of the City Ammonihah went to the Land of Sidom:

And it came to pass that Alma and Amulek were commanded to depart out of that city [Ammonihah]; and they departed, and came out even into the LAND OF SIDOM; and behold, there they found all the people who had departed out of the land of Ammonihah, who had been cast out and stoned, because they believed in the words of Alma. (Alma 15: 1)

Latter-day Saint Mexican missionaries have attempted on occasion to preach to the Chamula people and have even translated portions of the Book of Mormon and the missionary discussions into the Indians' native language. However, the missionaries have had very little success to this point. Nevertheless, the growth of the Church among the local people living in the cities is quite remarkable. On January 10, 1988, a mission was established in the City of Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas. The new mission was formerly part of the Merida Mission.

The City of Chiapa de Corzo is located about 10 miles east of Tuxtla Gutierrez. It is approximately 30 miles northwest of the inundated archaeological site of Santa Rosa. Santa Rosa is a candidate for the City of Zarahemla. The Grijalva River flows past the City of Chiapa de Corzo and then turns north through the Sumidero Canyon. One of the pleasant experiences on our tours consists of the boat trip we take through this majestic canyon. The River Grijalva currently has my vote for the River Sidon. The City of Chiapa de Corzo is a strong candidate for the City/Land of Sidom where the ostracized saints fled in the 1st Century BC. It is also the place where Zeezrom was healed by Alma and Amulek:

And then Alma cried unto the Lord saying: 0 Lord our God, have mercy on this man, and heal him according to his faith which is in Christ.

And Alma baptized Zeezrom unto the Lord; and he began from that time forth to preach unto the people.

And Alma established a church in the land of Sidom. (Alma 15:12)

The City of Chiapa de Corzo is situated in an area consisting of white limestone. A plasterboard factory is located on the edge of the city. Sorenson proposed a name correlation between the City of Sidom in the Book of Mormon (white limestone) and the area around Chiapa de Corzo. (Sorenson 1985:205)

The archaeological site of Chiapa de Corzo, which dates to the Preclassic Book of Mormon Time Period, was excavated by the New World Archaeological Foundation in the 1960s. The oldest Maya long count that has been discovered to this date was discovered at Chiapa de Corzo. It dates to December 9, 36 BC.

Regarding the correlation between Chiapa de Corzo and the City Sidom, Sorenson wrote:

The impressive archaeological site of Chiapa de Corzo seems to be Sidom. During several ancient periods it was the largest city in Chiapas, with many dependent towns and villages in its nearby network. It would have been a rich and crucial target for the Lamanite leader Coriantumr, since it and its zone were the "most capital" part of the entire river basin (Helaman 1:27). As a focal point for trade and the ceremonial center for the entire lower part of the central depression, it would also be the logical place to which refugees from Ammonihah like Alma and Amulek would gravitate. (Sorenson 1985:205) (See Figure 29-8.)

CITY/LAND OF NOAH

The City of Noah is not mentioned in Alma's missionary journey. However, it does figure in the general territory of the Land (Country) of Zarahemla.

Ocozocoautla (oh-coe-so-coe-ought-lah), the proposed City of Noah, is a town about 20 miles west of Chiapa de Corzo (proposed City Sidom). Ocozocoautla is located about 10 miles east of Cintalapa, where the ruins of El Mirador/Ammonihah are located. The archaeological site near Ocozocoautla dates to Preclassic time.

From the information in the Book of Mormon, Noah clearly is close to Ammonihah. The Lamanite army had destroyed the City of Ammonihah only to discover at a later attack that Moroni had fortified the city. The Lamanites then proceeded toward Noah:

Therefore they retreated into the wilderness, and took their camp and marched towards the LAND OF NOAH,  supposing that to be the next best place to come against the Nephites. (Alma 49:12)

CITY OF AARON

After being rejected from Ammonihah, Alma took his journey toward the city that was called Aaron. (Alma 8:13)

Aaron is also mentioned in relation to the eastern cities of Moroni and Nephihah. (Alma 50:14; see also Chapter 25, "Wilderness Areas")

Sorenson proposed the archaeological site of San Isidro, near the Grijalva River in the Upper Grijalva Valley, as the possible City of Aaron where Alma was headed. (Sorenson 1985:203)

We do not have enough information from the Alma missionary statement to locate Aaron, and the logic does not hold up to place Aaron along the Grijalva when the Alma 50:14 statement is taken into consideration.

As a result, either two cities were called Aaron, or the statement that Alma was headed toward Aaron indicates that he was headed for the Peten (East Wilderness) to further his missionary activities.

THE CITY/LAND OF MANTI

The City/Land of Manti was discussed earlier. The location of the City of Manti is always in reference to the headwaters of the River Sidon. The archaeological site of La Libertad, located near the Mexico-Guatemala border at the headwaters of the Grijalva River, is an excellent candidate for the Land of Manti. As we cross the border at La Mesilla, Guatemala, the land opens up into a valley. A few miles down the road, the traveler can observe the narrow-looking mountain range behind.

THE CITY/LAND OF MINON

The Land of Minon was located above the City of Zarahemla and appears to be between the Land of Manti and the Valley of Gideon. Minon is mentioned in a battle in which Alma, who was the first chief judge, was involved about 87 BC:

Behold, we followed the camp of the Amlicites, and to our great astonishment, in the LAND OF MINON, above the land of Zarahemia, in the course of the land of Nephi, we saw a numerous host of the Lamanites; and behold the Amlicites have joined them.

And it came to pass that the people of Nephi took their tents, and departed out of the valley of Gideon towards their city, which was the city of Zarahemla. (Alma 2:24, 26)

The City of Comitan, Mexico, fits nicely in the geographical configuration to be the City of Minon. Comitan is about 35 miles in different directions from all three proposed Cities of Manti, Gideon, and Zarahemla, as illustrated in Figure 29-9.

SUMMARY

We took our first tour to Mesoamerica in 1970. Throughout the years, I have facetiously stated that "We will know where Zarahemla is when we see a sign that reads, ENTERING ZARAHEMLA." I never really felt that in my lifetime I would propose or endorse a specific area as the Land or City of Zarahemla.

The innovative work of Dr. John Sorenson opened the door to at least consider possible site locations. I had the privilege to provide the logistics and to escort Professor Sorenson and the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies on a tour to Mesoamerica prior to the publication of his book. I again provided the services for a group who had asked Brother Sorenson to travel as a guest lecturer on their tour in 1988.

The words of Dr. Sorenson in the epilogue of his book reflect my sentiments on the same subject:

Whatever else this work may have done, it lays a foundation. Though it does not contain all the answers, it improves the quality of our questions. Serious students of the Book of Mormon, as well as scholars investigating Mesoamerican civilization, should take this as

an invitation to press on.  I am painfully aware of how preliminary  the data I have presented. But one step at a time serves best. (Sorenson 1985:355)