Volume 7, Issue 1 Places, People and Trends By David B. Brown © 2013 March 15, 2013 Neil Steede first traveled list found in and each site. The items might to in the late 1960s comparing it to the be stela, murals, skeletal where he attended the Uni- Mosiah, Benjamin, Mosiah remains, or any other his- versity of the Americas. kingship that then converts torical information that can There he came in contact to judges, Neil was able to be gleaned to provide a with instructors who pro- find a beginning point for validation of the events that vided him with a unique his Book of Mormon geog- happened in that particular vision of ancient Meso- raphy. From this location, ancient city. In every case american culture. Since he was able to then iden- there is some form of vali- that time Neil has endeav- tify Chinkultic as the City dation that is found to con- ored to piece together the of Nephi, as firm the hypothesis set fragments of information Bountiful, as the forth. that archaeology provides, City of Judea, as In Tonina we find skele- and what has emerged is a Antiparah, as tal remains of people who comprehensive perspective the City of Melek, Tonina were burned, others whose of ancient global culture as Ammonihah, Tenam bones were crushed, and that is far more connected Puente as the City of Jeru- yet others whose bones than ever imagined. Forty salem, LaVenta as the City were marred by cutting years of archaeology and of Desolation, the Rio Bec utensils. This is entirely ten years of intense studies Culture is the Land of An- consistent with the believ- has unveiled some incredi- tionum, as ers who were burned in an ble revelations in Book of the City of Lehi-Nephi, effort to get Alma and Mormon archaeology. and on and on. Amulek to recant their One of the first sections These cities were not preaching, crushed bones of the Mesoamerican puz- just chosen because they for the lawyers and others zle that came into focus “kinda fit,” but it was a who were caught in the was the designation of the process of making tenta- prison collapse when Alma Maya site of Yaxchilan as tive identifications and and Amulek walked free, the city of Zarahemla. then doing extensive re- and finally the cut bones Based on the unique king search on items found at Continued on Page 4 Maya Technology; The Maya Road System

By Terry Scott For many years ar- 2000 year old sacbes historical chronicles, chaeologists assumed the (meaning white roads), in journals and reports by Maya road system was 125,000 square miles of observers indicated that isolated to parts of the mountains, rugged hills sightings of the sacbeob Yucatan and dismissed and dense forest has al- (plural for sacbe) have the rumors of a vast road ways been a challenging been have been reported system. Finding 1500- task. But “research of for centuries at various locations across the breadth of the Maya do- main.”1 There was thou- sands of miles of roads

Continued on Page 2

HILL CUMORAH EXPEDITION TEAM, INC Inside this issue: Maya Technology Cont. 2 & 3

Places, People and Trends Cont. 4 & 7 Aerial view shows line in the forest Adventures in Archaeology 5 & 6 where Maya road is 2013 Spring Expedition 8 located Cumorah Messenger Maya Technology; The Maya Road System continued The first formal study of a designed for heavy rainfall. They too sacbe came in 1934 when were crowned for water run-off, but Alphonso Villa surveyed they were also built one meter above the 100-kilometer road ground. This allowed bearers and other between Yaxuna and travelers to make good time even dur- for the Carnegie Institute.1 ing the rainy season which would oth- In 1995, and again in erwise have been impossible due to the 2000, archaeo-engineer very muddy ground. James O’Kon re-surveyed Bearers carried goods from one the Yaxuna to Coba sacbe. city to another using a tumpline. The This time the latest ground tumpline was a strap that attached to and aerial survey equip- the load and supported by the head ment was used. Digital allowing them to travel with very Sacbe at transits, laser levels and heavy loads. A bearer typically carried GPS devices all verified a load of 125 pounds and traveled 25 stretching across the Yucatan during Alphonso Villa’s original findings. km per day.2 A standard size building the classical period. “By comparison, Ancient Roman roads have long stone weighed approximately 125 only 114 miles of paved roads had been been considered ‘the way’ to build a pounds.2 The tumpline was also used in built in the United States before lasting road. Many of their roads still Africa, Nepal and India.2 Notice the 1914.”1 exist today. Mayan roads have also glyph in the upper left of the illustra- The first records of Maya roads were by colonial explorers. In 1562 Bishop Diego de Landa (yes the same evil man who ordered all the codices burned) wrote about a 62 km (kilometer) road from T’hó (Mérida) to . In 1610 Bernado de Lizana wrote about four roads radiating out from Izamal “which reached to the ends of the land and passed to Ta- basco, and .”1 In 1688 Diego Lopez wrote about several highways that ended at the eastern shore by Cozumel.1 Over 200 years later John Lloyd Stevens (of the Ste- vens and Catherwood expedition) stood the test of time. Their first roads wrote about a 10 to 12 meter wide date back to 300 BC.1 Roman roads paved road that went from Coba possi- were 6-8 meters wide while Mayan bly all the way to Chichen Itza.1 In roads were 10-12 meters wide and 1883 Désiré Charnay, a French ex- modern 4-lane roads are 12 meters plorer, was recording a portion of the wide. The wide Mayan roads were east-west ‘fabled sacbe’ across most of open to the sky allowing for travel by Yucatan, from Mérida to Puerto More- moon light. Mayan roads were de- los, some 320 km.1 signed for two lanes of traffic going each way with slower traf- fic using the outside lanes. In the 1934 survey, Alphonso Villa, photo- graphed stone mile mark- ers, culverts and ramparts.1 Sound familiar? Roman roads and our modern roads are crowned (higher in the middle) for water run-off with a shoul- der slightly above the ground. Mayan roads were

Page 2 CUMORAH MESSENGER Maya Technology; The Maya Road System continued

the string line with The sacbe was used to handle the laser level. heavy traffic between cities for trade Another similarity and military support, with mileage to our modern road markers, rest stops and military garri- tion above and the wall mural to the construction is the use of a road roller sons along the way.1 The Maya road lower right on the opposite page. to compact and smooth out the fill. We system linked many cities together and Our modern roads more closely use a large motorized vehicle con- was as heavily used as Roman roads resemble the Roman roads with a base structed of steel. The Maya used a large and our own interstate highways today, layer of crushed rock followed by a stone cylinder rolled by ropes and “and there were many highways cast gravel cement mix. We top our roads pulled with man power. The stone cyl- up, and many roads made, which led with asphalt while the Romans used inder in the photo below is believed to from city to city, and from land to land, large cut stones. Our roads are about be one of these road rollers. Alphonso and from place to place.”3 The more we one foot thick while the Romans were Villa recorded finding a stone cylinder learn about the Maya, the more we re- about one meter thick. The Maya used 4 meters long back in 1934. alize just how advanced they were. large boulders mixed with mortar as Their technology was as advanced as their base, then smaller and smaller any ancient culture. Today we cannot rocks topped with a layer of concrete. build a road that lasts more than 50 The final paving surface was a layer of years. cement. One final thought: The Maya built The Romans and the Maya used roads similar to the Romans, used a basic survey tools that included the water level like many ancient cultures, plumb bob, water level and string line. and used a tumpline like those found in The Roman water level was made from Africa, Nepal and India. Did they inde- wood, while the Maya used stone. To- pendently develop all these, or was day we still use a plumb-bob and level there transoceanic contact; a sharing or with liquid in it, but we have replaced borrowing of ideas? Footnotes 1O’Kon, James A, The Lost Secrets of Maya Technol- ogy: Chapter 9 The Maya Interstate Highway system, The Career Press, Pompton Plains, NJ, 2012. 2O’Kon, James A, The Lost Secrets of Maya Technol- ogy: Chapter 11 Maya On The Move, The Career Press, Pompton Plains, NJ, 2012. 3 Book of Mormon, 3rd Nephi 3:8

VOLUME 7, ISSUE 1 Page 3 Places, People and Trends continued for the slaughter that occurred when the ing used in the Book of Mormon and it is Antiparah—Tikal Lamanites attacked Ammonihah and an illustration of what makes Chinkultic City of Lehi-Nephi—Kaminaljuyu completely destroyed everyone in a sin- the City of Nephi. Antipas—Copan gle event. Not to mention that someone At Yaxchilan we find a history of City of Ishmael—Chalchuapa named Jaguar Bird came here from Yax- eleven kings when they are visited by a Lamoni— Land of Antionum—Rio Bec Area Jershon—Modern-day River Sidon—Usumacinta River Narrow Pass—Isthmus of Tehuantepec Once the city locations were estab- lished, Neil was then able to develop a list of Mesoamerican names that paral- leled with the Book of Mormon names. The list goes something like this: Mulek—Yoaat Balam I Zarahemla—Knot-eye Jaguar II Mosiah the Elder—Itzamnaaj Balam II The wife of Mosiah—Lady K’uk King Benjamin—Yoaat Balam II Mosiah Younger—Itzamnaaj Balam III Alma I — Bird Jaguar III Alma II — Bird Jaguar IV Captain Moroni — Captain Kan Tok Amalickiah — K’inich Yax K’uk Mo’ The King Men—The Sun Kings Gadianton Robbers—White Dogs One of the interesting aspects of this list is the manner in which modern ar- chaeology fills in previously unknown information because it is not provided in the Book of Mormon. The multiple au- chilan and was held prisoner, denied food man who comes from the highlands, he thors of the Book of Mormon history and water, but he was then set free. We marries the daughter of the king and then repeatedly inform us that what they are identify this visiting person as Alma I he is appointed as king. Add to this that providing on these “plates” is the spiritual who left the city of Zarahemla and trav- his son and grandson both follow in his history of the people therefore we are not eled to Ammonihah by way of the City of footsteps as kings and then the city transi- provided the historical details that are not Melek to preach to the people of Am- tions to judges. This is consistent with the directly related to the stories being told. monihah. Book of Mormon story of Mosiah bring- An example of that information can be Or, there is Chinkultic where we find a ing his people from the City of Nephi found at Yaxchilan. priest who is burning and gesturing to the down to the city of Zarahemla. Mosiah is The Book of Omni provides this pas- king that he will receive a similar death then appointed king, turns his kingship sage; [Omni 1:19] “Behold, I will speak as his reward. This is the story of Abinadi over to his son Benjamin, followed by his unto you somewhat concerning Mosiah, who was put to a fiery death by King son Mosiah who cannot find anyone to who was make king over the land of Noah who was himself later burned to take the kingship after him so the culture Zarahemla: [20] For behold, he being death. transitions to judges. This and so much warned of the Lord that he should flee There is also an unmistakable “pass” more is found in Yaxchilan that identifies out of the land of Nephi, and as many as located behind the temple at the high this city as Zarahemla. would hearken unto the voice of the Lord, point of the site. This “secret pass” is The following is a list of locations Neil should also depart out of the land with hidden from all points in the rest of the has identified from the Book of Mormon him, into the wilderness. [21] And it city and it is consistent with the logistical along with their Mesoamerican names. came to pass that he did according as the description required for the people of City of Nephi—Chinkultic Lord had commanded him. [22] And they King Limhi to escape undetected from Zarahemla—Yaxchilan departed out of the land into the wilder- the Lamanites. Not to mention that travel- Bountiful—Palenque ness, as many as would hearken unto the ing from Chinkultic to Yaxchilan requires Ammonihah—Tonina voice of the Lord; and they were led by a person to go down in elevation, there- City of Melek—Bonampak many preachings and prophesyings. [23] fore, anyone traveling from the City of City of Desolation—LaVenta And they were admonished continually by Nephi would “go down” to the city of City of Judea—Calakmul the word of God: and they were led by Zarahemla. This is consistent with phras- City of Jerusalem—Tenam Puente the power of his arm, through the wilder-

Page 4 CUMORAH MESSENGER Issue 13 Adventures In Scriptures 2013

Alma plants a Church Alma fled from King Noah and hid in a place called the Waters of Mormon. During the day he would hide and in the evening he would go and teach those who were willing to listen. He taught them the words that he had written down from Abinadi and from other prophets that he had learned about as a priest. He taught them to have faith on the Lord Jesus Christ. The people listened to Alma, believed his words and began to gather at the Waters of Mormon. Their hearts were converted and they wanted to follow God and keep his commandments. Alma asked the people if they wanted to be part of the fold of God; to love one another, care for one another, comfort those who were mourning and stand as witnesses of God at all times. The people agreed it was the desire of their hearts to be part of the Gods fold. Alma began to baptize those who wanted to make a covenant to serve God. He baptized Helam first. Alma and Helam went down into the waters. They came out of water filled with the Holy Spirit. Then Alma baptized two hundred and four more souls in the Waters of Mormon. They were called the Church of Christ from that time for- ward. The promise of the Holy Spirit was with them. Mosiah 9:32-49

Use the heart parts below to help you write in the missing letters in the above hearts to complete the secret message.

VOLUME 7, ISSUE 1 Page 5

Find the path to help the people of Nephi find Alma at the waters of Mormon. You can also color the picture I you like.

Page 6 CUMORAH MESSENGER Places, People and Trends continued

ness, until they came down into the land the people of the Lowlands (Mulek). He that illustrates a Yaxchilan warrior pro- which is called the land of Zarahemla.” confirmed to her that he approved of her tecting the two groups who made “godly This passage is then followed by this marriage to Shield Jaguar II (Mosiah). promises” from the threat of beheading. statement; [Omni 1:34] “And it came to This marriage was a huge event that is pass that the people of Zarahemla, and of chronicled in many ways at Yaxchilan. Mosiah, did unite together; and Mosiah Mosiah brought written language and was appointed to be their king.” Mosiah archaeologists know that Shield Jaguar II was appointed to be their king, but how (Mosiah the Elder) was the first king at did that take place? How does someone Yaxchilan to initiate the history of the come into a new land with a sitting king site through a hieroglyphic writing sys- and, without an army in tow, become tem combined with bi-relief images. This appointed king? The Book of Mormon knowledge helps us to understand that provides no explanation of this statement, King Benjamin, as the son of Mosiah, but archaeology does. was the first offspring of the combined Research done on the inscriptions at Hebrew tribes of Judah (Mulek) and Jo- this site tells us that a king comes down seph (Lehi). Knowing this bit of informa- from the Highlands and marries the tion adds a depth to the Book of Mormon daughter (Lady K’uk) of the Yaxchilan story that is so important to us today. king. This union is alluded to in the scrip- Because of the enhanced knowledge ture above when it says that the people of we have received from the combining of Zarahemla and of Mosiah did unite to- Book of Mormon details with archaeo- gether. Archaeology tells us that the un- logical findings, we are able to under- ion was through marriage, therefore as stand large trends that continue to baffle the husband of the daughter of the King, those who are trying to put the pieces of Mosiah is then “appointed” to become the ancient Maya in context. Because we King of Zarahemla. We are also provided understand the cities and people involved, some insight as to the difficulty the Lady we know that there are events that create The archaeology implies that this be- K’uk encountered in her decision to large cultural shifts. For example, it is the heading took place at . It was marry Mosiah. A lintel found at Yaxchi- conversion of King Lamoni that causes such a huge atrocity impacting so many lan illustrates that Lady K’uk was in the people from the City of Ishmael to cities that we have depictions of this be- prayer to her God about this decision that move to Jershon. This move is identified heading alluded to in murals, pottery art she needed to make when she received a as the shift from Chalchuapa to Lamanai. and stelae from Tikal, Kaminaljuyu, visitation from her ancestor that founded Here archaeologists find an entire culture Bonampak, Quirigua, and Tenam Puente. that seem to pack-up lock, stock and bar- The aspect confusing most archaeologists rel and move to a new location. Pottery is that they view these multiple depictions artifacts provide the evidence for this in as several individual events instead of that Chalchuapa is suddenly abandoned multiple depictions of the same event. and then 300 miles to the north this same Further indication is that we actually pottery is found where a new city is built have world-wide trade being exported at Lamanai. It is also during this time from the Belize coast to Egypt and from period that archaeologists notice that the Guatemalan coast to Southeast Asia. there is a large shift in population from Egyptian mummies with nicotine in the the highlands to the eastern lowlands that hair provide implications that tobacco we today refer to as the country of Belize. exportation from Belize was taking place. Archaeologists have referred to this shift And, there is the distinct possibility that as the Great Highland Brian Drain. Large jade/nephrite exportation to Southeast cities in the highlands begin to dwindle in Asia was taking place, though this link population while new cities begin spring- needs further research and development. ing up in the eastern lowlands of the This is a wonderful time in which to Maya region. Then, almost inexplicably, live as so many advances are being made the population of Belize moves to in our research of the ancient Mayan cul- Bonampak. ture which we understand to be the high At Bonampak we have validation of culture of the people from the Book of the Nephite commitment to protect the Mormon. There is so much to glean from Ammonites and the Anti-Nephi-Lehis this enhanced body of knowledge that we from further Lamanite threat. The find ourselves in awe as we comprehend Lady K’uk is visited by her ancestor who con- Bonampak Murals illustrate the death of how wonderfully our Lord has worked firms that she should marry Shield Jaguar II. King Anti-Nephi-Lehi—he is beheaded. with all of his faithful throughout the There is also a large stela at Bonampak millennia.

VOLUME 7, ISSUE 1 Page 7 The Hill Cumorah Expedition Team, Inc is a Missouri not-for-profit corpo- We’re on the web at ration dedicated to the study, research and dissemination of information as www.hceti.org it pertains to the Book of Mormon. Our primary focus is to research and assemble archaeological and other related information to help establish the historical feasibility of the Book of Mormon. HILL CUMORAH EXPEDITION TEAM, INC Searching for Truth

c/o David B. Brown 311 N Lee Street Buckner, Mo 64016 Phone: 816-650-3904 E-mail: [email protected]

ContributorsContributors and and Editors Editors David Tim Brown DavidTerry Scott Brown NeilNeil Steede Steede Children’s PageRandall by Terry Lawrence and Chris Scott Children’sPhotographs Page by Terryprovided and by:Chris Scott David Brown,Photographs Terry Scott, provided Neil by: Steede Don Beebeand Jerry and Stoner. Jerry Stoner.

2013 Spring Expedition By David B. Brown

The Hill Cumorah Expedition Team After leaving Guatemala City the just completed its Spring Expedition to group traveled to Tikal where we found Guatemala and with some further confirmation of the beheading. amazing results. The team was comprised We also spent a day traveling thru the of fifteen members, some of them travel- jungle to San Bartolo and mapped the ing with us for the first time. site which will prove important for fur- We set the itinerary for travel to take ther research on King Anti-Nephi-Lehi. place from April 1st thru 12th. The group Then the group traveled to Copan flew into Guatemala City where they and again found themselves surprised spent the first three days visiting two mu- with the amount of information that con- seums and the archaeological site of firmed our suspicion that this was the Kaminaljuyu. It was the items in the mu- city from which Amalickiah wielded his seum that gave us the biggest surprise as power as a businessman while he con- we discovered that the beheading that trolled aspects of government through his took place in San Bartolo had an impact brother Ammoron. as far south as Kaminaljuyu. And, it ap- The group spent time together in pears that the royalty who was responsi- discussion of the ancient history of this ble for the death of King Anti-Nephi-Lehi land as our devotions concentrated on was then himself killed by the servants of reading the stories we found illustrated at Amalickiah. It was a realization we had these sites. The travel was a success and not suspected and at the same time it it will bear fruit over the next several makes sense that the one who killed to get months as we process the details of the the power was also killed by the same The members of the 2013 Spring Expedition information we found and put them into means; a form of poetic justice. on a hotel stairway in Guatemala City. words.