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Plants in the Book of Mormon
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Contents
Are plants mentioned in the Book of Mormon that are not found in the New World?
Topics
Plants alleged to be anachronistic in the Book of Mormon
Summary: Some plants mentioned in the Book of Mormon are not known to exist in the New World. Is this evidence that Joseph fabricated the text based upon his own cultural background? None of the Book of Mormon's plant species causes a problem — Spanish conquerors described pre-Columbian products in exactly the terms used by the Book of Mormon. Barley, silkworms, and grapes were known. One of the terms unknown to Joseph's day (the Akkadian sheum) is impressive evidence for the Book of Mormon's antiquity.
Barley
Flax
Summary: Flax for linen.Neas
Sheum
Silk
Wheat
Wine
Summary: Plants used to make wine.
Detailed Analysis
Linen
(i.e. flax)
- [The Spaniards] encountered and referred to what they considered "linen" or linen-like cloth made from plants other than flax.[1]
- Bernal Diaz, who served with Cortez in the initial wave of conquest, described native Mexican garments made of "henequen which is like linen." The fiber of the maguey plant, from which henequen was manufactured, closely resembles the flax fiber used to make European linen
- yucca plant fibers makes linen-like cloth
- ixtle (agave) plant fiber makes linen-like cloth
- fig tree bark can be stripped, soaked, and pounded for a cloth with "some of the characteristics of linen."[2]
Neas
This crop is mentioned but once (See Mosiah 9:9). We do not know to what it applied, but this does not count against the Book of Mormon's claims.
Wine (i.e. grapes)
- [The Spaniards] spoke of "vineyards," not planted in grapevines but in maguey plants, from which pulque, which they termed "wine," was manufactured. Half a dozen different types of "wine" made from fruits other than grapes were identified by the Spanish explorers...[another researcher also] reports the Opata of northern Mexico used a drink made from native grapes.[3]
So, there were grapes locally, as well as several other plant species which produced alcoholic drinks which the Spanish were quite happy to consider 'wine.'
Video
Part(s) of this issue are addressed in a FairMormon video segment. Click here to see video clips on other topics.
Notes
- ↑ John L. Sorenson, "Plants and Animals," in John L. Sorenson, "Viva Zapato! Hurray for the Shoe! (Review of "Does the Shoe Fit? A Critique of the Limited Tehuantepec Geography" by Deanne G. Matheny)," FARMS Review of Books 6/1 (1994): 297–361. off-site
- ↑ John L. Sorenson, An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon (Salt Lake City, Utah : Deseret Book Co. ; Provo, Utah : Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1996 [1985]), 232. John L. Sorenson, "Silk and Linen in the Book of Mormon - Book of Mormon Update," Ensign (April 1992): 62.
- ↑ Sorenson, "Zaputo," 335-336.