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C U M O Ra H M Essen Volume 12, Issue 2 Findings at Takalik Abaj June 15, 2018 By David B. Brown © 2018 In early June of this year, the Hill Cu- morah Expedition Team ventured to Guatemala for their Spring Expedition. The focus of this year’s endeavor was to further develop our theories and under- standing of the Lamanite cities who were converted to the gospel and eventually moved to the land of Jershon. We landed in Guatemala three days after the eruption of Mount Fuego just 25 miles west of Guatemala City. The first few days in Guatemala were cloud cov- ered, so we weren’t able to see the volca- no until close to the end of our time when the skies finally cleared. We first visited the site of El Tazumal A view of the active volcano Mount Fuego r in El Salvador. Our theory states that this while traveling to the mountain site of Iximche. is the City of Ishmael where King La- e moni was the ruler and Ammon came to seven major plazas. This is a Post-Classic bring the gospel. While there is little on site with no known early history, but the the site itself (at least compared to sites number of plazas is either stating some- g such as Tikal) there were many aspects thing about the Lamanite conversion, or it C of the structures and concepts in the art- could be something about the eventual N work that seemed to verify the story of fracturing of the Golden Age when they I n the conversion and movement of these separated into seven different groups. , people. There is an article on El Tazumal Our biggest find for this trip was what M e in this newsletter. we encountered at Takalik Abaj, which we A We then visited Mixco Viejo located in believe is the Lamanite city of Middoni. It E the mountains north of Guatemala City. is here that the brothers of Ammon were s T Up, down and over the winding mountain imprisoned and then subsequently released. roads, we made our way to a hilltop with N Continues on Page 2 s O I e T I El Tazumal is the City of Ishmael D by David B. Brown © 2018 E The first site we visited on our Spring would make sense to most researchers. P M Expedition was the El Salvador site of El However, as Book of Mormon believers, X Tazumal. In the heart of the modern city we know that many of the highland Maya E of Chalchuapa, we looked for evidences to sites were abandoned in the first century validate stories that took place in the City BC due to cultural events. Therefore, the H h of Ishmael where Ammon brought the time period of the abandonment fits with A gospel and King Lamoni was converted. the timeline for the City of Ishmael. R The site of El Tazumal is small with The prominent structure on the site O a only one major structure. In walking only has features on the west side. If we M through the museum, we noted that the read the structure as if it is a timeline U r city was occupied during the pre-classic traveling from south to north, we see that C period and then abandoned. Archaeolo- the first notable feature on the main struc- gists attribute the abandonment to the ture is the intrusion of a talud and tablero L o eruption of a nearby volcano, and that designed pyramid extending in front of L I the primary pyramid. We believe this H Continues on Page 7 Inside this issue: m Lamoni Father Event Findings at Takalik Abaj Cont. 2 , 3, & 4 Lamoni Event u El Tazumal is the City of Ishmael Cont. 7 & 8 Talud & Tablero Adventures in Archaeology 5 & 6 C Findings at Takalik Abaj continued However, also remember that Middoni Lamanites which were converted unto indicate that these seven cities received is listed second in the Lamanite cities the Lord; and these are they that laid “the waters of life that flow freely, that converted to the gospel. While we down the weapons of their rebellion, welling up from within.” don’t have the story of this city's con- yea, all their weapons of war; and they version in the Book of Mormon, appar- were all Lamanites.” ently the visit by Ammon and King Alma 14:21 “And it came to pass Lamoni had an impact on the people of that the Amalekites, and the Amulo- Middoni. nites, and the Lamanites who were in Structure 11 Takalik Abaj is located on the up- the land of Amulon, and also in the ward western slope of the mountain land of Helam, and who were in the range that runs along the Pacific Coast land of Jerusalem, and, in fine, in all of Guatemala. It is rich land for grow- the land round about, who had not ing coffee, bananas, mangos and many been converted and had not taken upon other crops that thrive in the humid and them the name of Anti-Nephi-Lehi, Structure 12 wet environment of Central America. were stirred up by the Amalekites and The location tells an important story. by the Amulonites to anger against The true find of Takalik Abaj is what Takalik Abaj is also rich in ancient their brethren;” we encountered in Terrace 2 of the site. artifacts. It has a history that began These last two quotes from Alma Structures 11 and 12 face one another with the Olmec trade industry at about indicate the division of three and seven across a plaza. Structure 12 is low- 800 BC. It is noted that about 200 BC found in the ten plaza design of Takalik profile and well developed in its re- there is a large Mayan influence that Abaj. The three on the higher plateau stored form. It is oriented along the begins to take place, although there is are the three cities who did not convert north/south axis with the long-side ex- no evidence of a struggle. This appears and whose population stayed in the posures on the west and east. The west to be a peaceful interaction that exacted highlands. The seven on the lower ele- side has a set of steps in the center, in great influence in the local culture. vation are the seven cities that convert- front of which stands Stela 5 with an Much like the introduction of a new ed and whose populations eventually altar at its base. Then, there are three theological ideology—let’s say the relocated to the lowland area of Jershon small monuments on the north, and gospel for instance. which we have identified as modern- three small monuments on the south. The site is situated on hilltops with day Belize. As an additional identifier First, Stela 5 is the monument we steep ravines around it, much like the that the seven plazas are the converted previously reported that records the Post Classic sites of Mixco Viejo and cities, this is validated by a natural horrific event where the converted Iximche. This makes defense of the city spring that opens in the ravine in the Lamanites prostrated themselves on the much easier. And, there are a total of middle of the seven plaza elevation to ground in front of their attackers and ten terraces in this city.1 Howev- praised God while 1,005 of er, the ten plazas are divided into them were killed. Finally, two elevations. Three are higher the attacking Lamanites up, and the other seven are down were “stung” by the gravity on a lower elevation. This divi- of act they were committing sion of three and seven fits the and they threw down their Lamanite story. Seven cities are swords. The Book of Mor- converted while three were mon records it this way: fighting against that conversion. Alma 14:49 “Now when the From the pages of the Book of people saw that they were Mormon we find the following coming against them, they report: went out to meet them, and Alma 14:13 “Now these are prostrated themselves be- they who were converted unto the fore them to the earth, and Lord: the people of the Lamani- began to call on the name tes who were in the land of Ish- of the Lord; [50] And thus mael, and also of the people of they were in this attitude the Lamanites who were in the when the Lamanites began land of Middoni, and also of the to fall upon them and began people of the Lamanites who to slay them with the sword; were in the city of Nephi, and and thus without meeting also of the people of the Lamani- any resistance, they did slay tes who were in the land of Shi- a thousand and five of lom, and who were in the land of them; and we know that Shemlon, and in the city of they are blessed, for they Lemuel, and in the city of have gone to dwell with Shimnilon. [14] And these are A model of Takalik Abaj demonstrates the layout and defensible de- their God. [51] Now when the names of the cities of the sign. It also highlights the division of the upper and lower plazas. Continues on Page 3 Page 2 CUMORAH MESSENGER Findings at Takalik Abaj continued the Lamanites saw that their brethren other aspects only con- would not flee from the sword, neither firmed the accuracy of East would they turn aside to the right hand the first report we de- or to the left, but that they would lie veloped in September down, and perish, and praise God even of 2016.
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