Joseph Smith, 1805-1844, through the power of God, translated the ancient record of the Book of Mormon from records which had been deposited in a hill near his home.  The record includes a brief account of the first settlers called the Jaredites. 

THE OLMEC RECORD

According to archaeological investigations from Mexico, the Olmecs are “the mother civilization of the Americas.”  Their history is engraved on stones, and their remains have been discovered under mounds of dirt. The word Olmec means “rubber tree,” referring to the area where the ancient Olmecs had their heartland.  An Olmec hieroglyphic text dating to 31 B.C. was discovered at the ancient site of Tres Zapotes in Veracruz, Mexico by Archaeologist Matthew Stirling and reported in a conference in Mexico on July 7, 1941.  It was the discovery of this date that promulgated the theory that the Olmecs pre-dated the Maya and  subsequently became known as the oldest civilization of the Americas dating from 1500-300 B.C.   (See Exploring the Lands of the Book of Mormon, pp. 58-59)

Matthew Stirling, 1896-1975.  Archaeologist with the Smithsonian Institute.  He carried out archaeological excavations from 1938-46 at such important sites as Tres Zapotes, Cerro de las Mesas, La Venta and Izapa located in the Mexican states of Veracruz, Tabasco and Chiapas.    Taken from 1998 Smithsonian Institution National Anthropological  Archives. Photo copyright. 

THE RECORD OF IXTLILXOCHITL

Don Fernando de Alva de Ixtlilxochitl was a mixture of Spanish and Toltec Indian royalty. He grew up in Texcoco, a suburb of Mexico City. He gained a great deal of fame as a court recorder and as author of “a history of the events in New Spain (Mexico),” which was written in Spanish and published in 1600. He referred to the oldest civilization as the first settlers to occupy the land of New Spain. He reported that he obtained his information about the first civilization of Mesoamerica from the ancient histories and from the oral traditions of the old people.  (See the introduction of Ixtlilxochitl’s works in, Exploring the Lands of the Book of Mormon, Chapter 11, pp. 137-14, 1989 edition). 

Fernando de Alva de Ixtlilxochitl, 1538-1650,  wrote an ancient history of Mexico.  His introductory work reports on the first settlers of Mexico.   His works were first published in Spanish in A.D. 1600.

Two volumes of his works were  republished in Spanish in 1892 by Alfredo Chavero. (Insert is of the cover page of vol. 2)       

Summary and Conclusions on Statement #1:  The First Civilization of the Americas.

The significance of the above correlation is centered on the two words, antiquity and civilization. The Jaredite nation dates from approximately 2800 -300 B.C.    Both the archaeology of the Olmecs and the local history recorded by Ixtlilxochitl supports this time frame perspective.  The concept of a “civilization” requires such things as language, centralized government, religious hierarchy, trade and commercial activity and warfare.  A statement in Ether 10:18-28, written about 1000 B.C., sets forth the standardized requirement for any comparative study to follow.   In subsequent articles evidence will be set forth demonstrating parallel statements of the Olmecs and the traditional history of Mexico with the statements recorded below.

Scripture reference:       
Ether 10:18 - Kingships

Scripture summary:       
Kish passed away and Lib reigned in his stead.  Ether named 30 kings from Jared to Coriantumr.

Question of relativity:           
Does the archaeological and traditional history support the concept of kingships?   Are there any name correlations?

Scripture reference:       
Ether 10:20 - Location         

Scripture summary:       
They built a great city by the narrow neck of land by the place where the sea divides the land. 

Question of relativity:           
Is their evidence of ancient cities dating to 1000 B.C. in a geographical area that meets the above description?   In order for a society to be qualified as a civilization it must show evidence of large urban centers.   Are there any geographical name correlations with what is recorded in the Book of Mormon? 

Scripture reference:       
Ether 10:21 - Commerce            

Scripture summary:       
They sold and “did” traffic one with another.   This suggests an organized social structure which would require a centralized government with established laws.   

Question of relativity:           
What evidence exists in Mesoamerica of a society that is economically stratified?

Scripture reference:       
Ether 10:22 - workforce activity   

Scripture summary:       
They worked all manner of ore, gold, silver, iron and copper and they cast up heaps of earth to conduct mining activities.   Government control of mineral rights is a major aspect of a civilized society.  

Question of relativity:           
Is there evidence of the above mentioned activities in the area under investigation as the Jaredite homeland?

Scripture reference:       
Ether 10:23 - Exports and industry         

Scripture summary:       
They had silks and fine-twined linen   A civilized society is concerned about the physical needs of the people.  Industry is controlled by government to provide work for the people and income to the government.   This scripture may also suggest the importing of silk and a potential relationship with China.

Question of relativity:           
Is there any correlative statements from archaeology and history that suggests a relationship with China and a centrally controlled workforce.

Scripture of reference:   
Ether 10:24 - Agriculture welfare

Scripture summary:       
They did make all manner of tools to till the earth, and they did reap and thrash.   Effort is needed to make the tools and to till the earth.  A function of a civilized society is to provide for the sustenance of the people.

Question of relativity:           
What food products are grown in Mesoamerica that correlates with those mentioned in the Book of Mormon?          

Scripture of reference:   
Ether 10:24 - Military protection  

Scripture summary:       
They made all manner of weapons of war.  A major purpose of a civilized society is to protect the people from harm.        

Question of relativity:           
What archaeological and historical evidence exists regarding warfare and the destruction of the nation by a civil war as outlined in the Book of Ether? 

Scripture of reference:   
Ether 10:28 - Religious principles                                               

Scripture summary:       
They were prospered by the hand of the Lord and they were in a land choice above all other lands.   The Book of Ether is a religious record and speaks of prophets and preaching the gospel.  It also speaks of Christ.  Organized religion is an integral part of a civilized society.

Question of relativity:           
Do the archaeological and historical records of Mesoamerica relating to the Jaredite time period justify the religious history and the worship of deity as contained in the Book of Mormon?

LDS archaeologist Bruce  W. Warren records the following analogy regarding the criteria for a civilization and the relationship of Mesoamerica with the Book of Mormon.          

“The society in the Book of Mormon meets the criteria of a civilization.  By civilization is meant a society that is economically stratified, has large urban centers, and is involved in interstate relations.  The Book of Mormon qualifies in all three domains.  Only two areas of Ancient America developed to a civilization level before the coming of the Europeans.  These two areas are Mesoamerica and the Andean area of South America.  Neither Chile nor the northeastern part of the U.S. qualify as civilizations during the Book of Mormon time period and would therefore need to be discarded as potential Book of Mormon centers.

Mesoamerica has the surrounding sea as required by the Book of Mormon, elaborate writing systems as required by the Book of Mormon, and calendar systems dating back to the Book of Mormon time horizon.  The Andean region does not meet these internal requirements from the Book of Mormon and is thereby eliminated as a potential setting for the Book of Mormon.  Regarding the limitation of Book of Mormon lands, the text itself significantly limits the possible distance between cities and landmarks.

With reference to the third question, only recently have proponents of the Mesoamerica setting for the Book of Mormon begun to use the dimensions of historical or cultural geography in their study.  Most of the need confirmation await future research for their discovery.  However, based on available data regarding the Book of Mormon society, history, and geography, those scholars that place the book’s setting in Mesoamerica are on solid ground.”   Article by Warren, Bruce W., Ancient America Foundation. 

A civilization is also determined by length of existence and its population control.   The Jaredites are numbered in the millions as reflected in Ether 15:2.  Again the archaeological record and traditional history of Mexico supports the concept of a long and massive civilization.    To put this in perspective, while there were people who lived in the north-eastern part of the United States and in some parts of South America during the Jaredite time period, evidence does not support these areas as identifiable as high civilizations. 

In summary, we have pointed out the similarity of antiquity of the first settlers of the Americas and the need for a high civilization.  This  represents only one of seven comparisons of the Jaredites with the archaeological and traditional history of Mexico.  Next time we will discuss in more detail some of the following.

Statement #2  
The migratory route from the Tower of Babel to the Promised Land

Statement #3          
The geographical location of the headquarters of the First Civilization

Statement #4          
An analysis of the physical descriptions of the people

Statement #5          
Customs, agriculture and migrations of the mother civilization

Statement #6    
Warfare, kingships and the fall of the first civilization of the Americas

Statement #7          
Religion and deity associated with the first civilization of the Americas

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