CHOICE ABOVE ALL OTHER LANDS
Book of Mormon Covenant Lands According to the Best Sources

^The Book of Mormon

&
Mound Builder America

A Comprehensive Comparison

W. Vincent Coon, MS

Male Bighorn Sheep

North America’s Tahor (Clean) Bighorn Sheep

Can the Book of Mormon’s setting be determined from things present and published, in the Prophet Joseph Smith’s time and country? Absolutely!

In the comprehensive table below, yellow indicates a match between Book of Mormon elements on the left and important categories on the right. Lighter yellow indicates a possible correlation. Emphasis has been placed on significant elements which appear in the Book of Mormon's New World setting. A selection of elements that only appear in Book of Mormon quotations of Old World scripture is also included.

In the right most column, works from the "Mound-builder" genre are cited. This is the literary category in which the Book of Mormon (1830) is classed by mainstream American History and Literature authorities (see for instance Robert Silverberg, The Mound Builders, Roger G. Kennedy, Hidden Cities - The Discovery and Loss of Ancient North American Civilization, and Thomas S. Garlinghouse, "Revisiting The Mound-Builder Controversy"). Three works frequently cited from this genre are:

Ethan Smith's View of the Hebrews (1823, 1825). Abbreviated VOTH followed by page number.

Josiah Priest's American Antiquities and Discoveries in the West (1833 ...) . Abbreviated AA followed by page number.

Cornelius Matthews' Behemoth: A Legend of the Mound-Builders (1839). Abbreviated B followed by page number; with artifact notes (B Notes) followed by page number. Behemoth is the story of a hero - a sort of American Beowulf, who confronts a monstrous Mastodon. Matthews purports to support his fictional narrative with physical evidence.

The Book of Mormon's New World setting is separate from the Old World scripture it contains, but includes the Savior's sermons tailored to the mound building Nephites.

Leopards (Jaguars), monkeys, palm trees and hewn stone buildings are never mentioned in the Book of Mormon New World setting. Volcanoes, and volcanic eruptions are also not mentioned.

Contrary to popular presumption, the New England area is in fact subject to earthquakes and events of profound daytime darkness. The sky darkening, atmospheric effects of the "great and terrible day" of the Book of Mormon (3 Nephi 8:23-25) are comparable to “New England's Dark Day”. No volcano needed! See EARTHQUAKES AND DARK DAYS IN CANADA, AND THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES.

It is no surprise that Leopards, monkeys, palm trees, hewn stone buildings, and volcanoes, are all mentioned in John Lloyd Stephens' Incidents of Travel in Central America (1841). References to many of these can also be found in Old World scripture. For instance, monkeys ("qophim", translated "apes", KJV) were among the imported animals King Solomon acquired. (1 Kings 20:22)

Camels (as also llamas) are "unclean" according to the Law of Moses and are not fit for Israelites to eat or sacrifice. (Deuteronomy 14:7) Neither camels or llamas are identified in the Book of Mormon. Of course, not every Promise Land element is found in scripture, but it is reasonable to expect the mention of a few things unique to the scriptural setting.

The elephant is the only identifiable animal mentioned in the Book of Mormon that is not explicitly mentioned in the Authorized King James Version of the Bible (KJV), Old Testament (OT) or New (NT). But elephants (mastodons and mammoths) feature in American literature treating the mound builders. If "elephants" are not the animals that the Book of Mormon intends, then why doesn't the sacred translation use a biblical term like "behemoth" which is less definite? (Job 40:15-24) See "Elephant (Mastodon, Mammoth)" in the listing below.

Some animals are inaccurately identified in the King James Bible (e.g. "satyrs", possibly shaggy goats, or he-goats), but "horses" are not misidentified in the renowned translation. Horses also feature in 19th Century "Mound-builder" literature.

Those positing Central or South American settings for the Book of Mormon often insist that animals named in the Book of Mormon (including the horse) are a different species. There is reason to be suspicious of this overused argument, especially when the KJV correctly identifies these animals. See "Horse" in the listing below.

On the subject of sidestepping the obvious when it comes to things mentioned in the Book of Mormon, American author, historian and journalist Hampton Sides cites a respected anthropologist: "Yale's Michael Coe likes to talk about what he calls “the fallacy of misplaced concreteness,” the tendency among Mormon theorists like [John L.] Sorenson to keep the discussion trained on all sorts of extraneous subtopics… while avoiding what is most obvious: that Joseph Smith probably meant “horse” when he wrote down the word “horse” …" (Hampton Sides, “This Is Not the Place”, Double Take Magazine, Vol. 5, No 2, Spring 1999; Also included in his work American: Dispatches from the New Frontier, 2004)

The dignified language of the King James Bible is familiar to many, but some KJV terminology appearing in the Book of Mormon is imperfect. The biblical terminology, however, can actually serve as a scholarly key. The Gentile translation is readily traced back to more perfect Old World terminology: Thus the familiar but unoriginal "Red Sea" is understood to actually be "reed sea", "steel" is actually a form of hardened copper, "brass" may describe a copper alloy like bronze, and "silk" can mean a fine fabric made from plant fiber, etc.

Some of the scriptural elements compared in the table below are trivial. Others are not. Despite popular depictions and apologetics, there is not one element from the Book of Mormon's New World setting that uniquely points to Central or South America! There are several elements that uniquely match Joseph Smith's own country and the mysterious mound builders of temperate North America.

The comprehensive comparison below demonstrates that mainstream academia is right to place the Book of Mormon in the "Mound-builder" genre. Only when the Book of Mormon's literary setting is correctly identified, can legitimate archaeological research into the book's historicity commence.

The table below makes use of the resource edition of LDS Scripture. It is hoped that this analysis in table form, will help the Book of Mormon student better recognize the genuine whereabouts of the Book of Mormon covenant "land of liberty" - a choice land, whose identity and “decrees of God” are not hid from those who heed the book. (Ether 2:10-12)

Female Bighorn
North American Big Horn Sheep

North American Mastodon
American Mastodon

North American Mountain Goat

The Extent of Lehi’s American Inheritance

Lehi’s ancient covenant land of liberty – the American “land of promise”, could not have occupied all the Americas for two simple reasons:

(1) Not every land in the Americas qualifies as a land where “there shall be no kings upon the land, who shall raise up unto the Gentiles.” (2 Nephi 10:10-14) Central and South America do not meet this requirement. Emperors Iturbide, Maximilian, and “Perpetual Dictator” Santa Anna come to mind. There have been numerous emperors, supreme rulers, and dictators over the Gentiles of these lands. Not all have perished for their ambitions.

(2) Not every land in the Americas is conducive to keeping all of the seasonal ordinances of the Law of Moses. (2 Nephi 5:10, Helaman 15:5) Scripture indicates that Lehi’s inheritance is in sync with the seasons of the land of Israel. The Lamb of God was sacrificed in the first month of the ancient Israelite calendar, (Exodus 12:1-6) coinciding with the first month of the Nephite calendar. (Helaman 14:20, 3 Nephi 8:1-5, 20) Fully keeping the Law of Moses meant keeping the divine calendar.

Unlike the temperate seasons of the land of Israel, Central America is subject to two tropical seasons year round. The seasons of temperate South America are out of phase with the seasons of the Northern Hemisphere, where the land of Israel resides. Given that the God of Israel chose to place his name in America, as in the land of Israel, only temperate North America qualifies in the Western Hemisphere, as a land where ancient priesthood ordinances could be observed in season, as required by Torah. (Deuteronomy 16:5-6)

After the Law of Moses was fulfilled, it is possible that the blessings of the “land of promise” could have been extended, by way of the New Covenant, to other lands; previously excluded by the strict requirements of the Law. (3 Nephi 15:2; 20:14)

According to the Book of Mormon, the city of Zion (New Jerusalem) shall be built upon the land given by the Lord to Lehi’s posterity. (3 Nephi 20:22; Ether 13:6-8) LDS scripture designates “the land of Zion” as the environs of the city of Zion, in the state of Missouri. (D&C 57:1-4, 14; 62:2-4) The Prophet Joseph Smith later extended the geographic definition of “Zion” to include the “whole of America itself from north to south”. (April Conference 1844, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 362) Joseph further mentioned that “it is the Zion where the mountain of the Lord shall be, and that it should be in the center of the lands.” Joseph had previously revealed to the Saints that the “central place” or “center place” was Independence, Missouri. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 79-80; D&C 57:3) To be consistent, Joseph’s 1844 geography of “Zion” probably refers to “the whole of America”, from lands as far north as the Great Lakes, to lands as far south as the Gulf of Mexico; a region roughly the size of the base of the post Millennial New Jerusalem that should come down out of heaven to America. (Revelation 21:16, Ether 13:3) The Missouri site of the city of Zion in fact centers in the American heartland. (W.W. Phelps, “THE FAR WEST”, EVENING AND MORNING STAR, Vol. I, September, 1832, No.4, pg. 37) Several of the early Saints, though, interpreted the 1844 definition of “Zion” to mean all of North and South America. (Brigham Young, History of the Church, Vol. 7, pg. 256; Andrew F. Ehat and Lyndon W. Cook, The Words of Joseph Smith, pp. 262-263, 365)

A small coast in a Bigger Inheritance

Attentive reading of the text reveals that the principal American lands of the Book of Mormon were close together. At a minimum, the distance between the outskirts of the city of Nephi in the land of Nephi, and the city of Zarahemla in the land of Zarahemla (north of Nephi) was only about 12-8=4 day’s on foot. (Mosiah 24:25; 23:3) The distance between the city of Mulek in the land of Nephi (Alma 53:6), and the city of Bountiful in the land of Bountiful (north of Zarahemla), was only a night’s (or a day’s) march. (Alma 52:18-22, 26-28) The Book of Mormon land of Cumorah was so near the land of Zarahemla, that travelers from the elevated land of Nephi could mistake a location near Cumorah (Finger Lakes region, LDS D&C 128:20) for Zarahemla. (Mosiah 8:7-8; 21:25-26) The line Bountiful and the land Desolation was only a day and a half’s journey from the east to the “west sea” (Lake Erie). (Alma 22:32) A fortified line between Bountiful and Zarahemla could be crossed in one day. (Helaman 4:5-7) According to Alma 56:36-38, a day’s march northward in the wilderness was considered a “considerable distance”. An “exceedingly great distance” northward (Helaman 3:3-4) could therefore mean a few hundred miles northward to the many lakes and rivers of Ontario, Canada. The “south countries” mentioned in Mormon 6:15 may be the same “south countries” (south of Lake Erie) noted in the Doctrine and Covenants. (D&C 75:8)

Its true that Lehi’s covenant inheritance could have extended southward beyond the principal lands named in the Book of Mormon. Lehi’s inheritance could include the vast heartland of America; but the fact remains, the principal lands of the Book of Mormon were small and localized near the “west sea” (Lake Erie). In the vicinity of Great Lake Erie there resides a narrow pass and a narrow neck of land divided by the sea. The land (western NY) exhibits a general southern rise in elevation, and there is a northward flowing river (from southern headwaters) exactly as the Book of Mormon describes.

Its true that the American land of “first inheritance” bordered by the west sea, but the Book of Mormon does not say that Lehi’s family arrived there by crossing the west sea. (Alma 22:28) Instead, Nephi, at the beginning of his record, tells us that they crossed “the large waters into the promised land”. There is more than one waterway that leads from the Atlantic Ocean to lands near Lake Erie. There is no indication that the “west sea” was salt water. On the contrary, it appears that Book of Mormon people “spread ... from the sea west to the sea east” after a terrible draught. In other words, they may have congregated near the west sea during the draught because it was freshwater. (Helaman 11:17-20)

Native peoples “residing in the west” near Lake Erie were identified early on as “Lamanites”, descendents of Book of Mormon peoples. (History of the Church, Vol. 1, pp. 118-120)

John Cabot (Giovanni Caboto)

John Cabot’s Discovery of North America

There is no firsthand, verifiable statement by Joseph Smith espousing a hemispheric geography for the Book of Mormon. Though others thought of North and South America as one continent, Joseph’s use of the expression “this continent” possibly refers to North America – the discovery of which is credited to John Cabot (the Italian explorer Giovanni Caboto) not Christopher Columbus. (Rodney Broome, Terra Incognita - The True Story of How America Got Its Name, 2001) The angel Moroni’s reference to “the former inhabitants of this continent” was understood by Joseph to mean the “Indians” of his own country. (The Papers of Joseph Smith, Edited by Dean C. Jessee, Vol. 2, pg. 70; The Joseph Smith Papers, Vol. 1, 9 November, 1835 – Monday, pg. 88) Joseph Smith’s May 2, 1842 Times and Seasons editorial entitled, “A Catacomb of Mummies Found in Kentucky”, relates “the North American Indians” with Book of Mormon “descendants of Israel coming to this continent”.

It has not been shown that Joseph’s expression; “this country” included Central America. (See for instance “CHURCH HISTORY”, Times and Seasons, Editor Joseph Smith, Vol. 3, March 1, 1842) In a letter to John M. Bernhisel, dated November 16, 1841 (in the handwriting of John Taylor), Joseph Smith compliments Stephens’ work, Incidents of Travel in Central America, for its mention of history “pertaining to the antiquities of this country”. Some presume that Joseph is referring to Central America as “this country”. But Stephens in fact discusses “American antiquities …in our own country [the United States of America]”, and states:

“…a new flood of light has poured upon the world, and the field of American antiquities has been opened.”

“…In our own country, the opening of forests and the discovery of tumuli or mounds and fortifications, extending in ranges from the lakes through the valleys of the Ohio and Mississippi, mummies in a cave in Kentucky, the inscription on the rock at Dighton…the ruins of walls and a great city in Arkansas and Wisconsin Territory, had suggested…the strong belief that powerful and populous nations had occupied it and had passed away, whose histories are entirely unknown. The same evidences continue in Texas, and in Mexico they assume a still more definite form.” (Stephens, Incidents of Travel in Central America, pp. 97-98)

Adventurer John Lloyd Stephens

19^th Century Adventurer, John Lloyd Stephens

Not long after reading both volumes of Stephens’ bestseller, Joseph Smith signed several Times and Seasons articles that follow the outline of discoveries listed by Stephens, i.e. discoveries in his “own country”. It is worth noting that Joseph’s signed articles resource Josiah Priest’s American Antiquities, and unmistakably correlate the Book of Mormon with the “Mound-Builders” of temperate North America. Joseph Smith openly favored Stephens’ summary of American antiquities. Priest published disparaging comments about the Book of Mormon. Joseph’s signed articles, however, draw much more from Priest’s detailed work than from Incidence of Travel in Central America. Joseph Smith definitely has a temperate North American setting in mind for the Book of Mormon. (See “Articles & Quotes”, and “Joseph Smith, Josiah Priest, and the Times and Seasons”)

Joseph Smith’s native setting for the Book of Mormon poses a stumbling block to those seeking to promote more exotic geographies. Consequently, some LDS try to show that Joseph speculated like other men (inaccurately) on the subject of Book of Mormon geography. This line of attack is deemed important in order to contend that Joseph did not know any more than others, about the sacred lands of the Book of Mormon. But this argument is not very compelling. LDS scripture has examples of prophets giving inspired discourses, notwithstanding the prophet’s incomplete understanding of the subject matter. (Alma 37:11; 40:20) That a prophet’s knowledge of a thing may be incomplete and subject to supposition does not prove that the prophet has no revelation on the subject. The Apostle Paul said:

“For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.” (1 Corinthians 13:9-10)

If we say that Joseph speculated, and thus had an imperfect understanding of America’s Israelite lands, we still have not proven that he had no knowledge or revelation on the subject. At the very least Joseph Smith understood that there were Book of Mormon peoples, and lands in his own country. The epistle that became LDS D&C 128, identifying the Finger Lakes location of Cumorah, was delivered to the Saints as the “word of the Lord”. (D&C 127:10) Joseph’s mother and one of the witnesses to the Book of Mormon, indicate that the whereabouts of Cumorah came from one or more divine being. According to Lucy Mack Smith, both her son and the messenger referred to the place where the plates were deposited as “hill of Cumorah”, meaning hill of the Book of Mormon land Cumorah. (The Revised and Enhanced History of Joseph Smith By His Mother, Edited by Scot Facer Proctor and Maurine Jensen Proctor, Bookcraft, 1996, pg 107 n. 14; see also David Whitmer Interviews, edited by Lyndon W. Cook, Grandin Book, Orem, Utah, 1991, pp 13, 27) If D&C 128:20 does not mean the Book of Mormon Cumorah, why would God, who is not the author of confusion, seek to confuse us?

Having revealed Cumorah’s location, Joseph allowed others to form divergent opinions on the location of other Book of Mormon lands. Not all of the early Saints accepted a hemispheric setting. Some placed southern most Nephite territory in the United States. (Journal of Samuel D. Tyler, September 25, 1838) W. W. Phelps had a more exaggerated idea and pegged the prairies of North America as the Book of Mormon land of Desolation. (W.W. Phelps, “THE FAR WEST”, EVENING AND MORNING STAR, Vol. I, September, 1832, No.4, pg. 37) Many became inordinately enamored with John Lloyd Stephens’ bestseller and tried to link Book of Mormon cities with Central American ruins, even though Stephens regarded the ruins which he and Catherwood documented as relatively recent works.

Of the many competing Book of Mormon geographies proffered by early Church leaders, not one is known to have denied the location of Cumorah revealed in LDS scripture. They all recognized certain North American Indian tribes to whom missionaries were sent, as descendents of Book of Mormon peoples; and they all knew that Cumorah resides near the Finger Lakes of western New York. (D&C 19:26-27; 28:8; 30:6; 32:2; 54:8; 57:4; 128:20)

Tulum by Catherwood 1844

Art of Frederick Catherwood. Central American ruins discovered by Stephens and Catherwood dating more recent than Book of Mormon times.

The earliest known denial of the revealed location of Cumorah came from Twentieth Century RLDS (Reorganized Latter-day Saints Congregation) who dismissed the LDS practice of baptism for the dead. (See for instance “How Exaggerated Settings for the Book of Mormon Came to Pass”) Baptism for the dead is the subject of the epistle (LDS scripture) which places Cumorah. Joseph Smith clearly placed Book of Mormon peoples and activities in land occupied by the United States of America. (D&C 10:48-51)

As far as can be ascertained from his signed articles, Joseph Smith held a view similar to that of Alexander Von Humboldt, Josiah Priest, A. Lapham and others; who theorized that the Mound-Builders eventually migrated into Mexico from the region of the Great Lakes. (Priest, American Antiquities, pp. 195-198, 1835 Edition)

No word-print analysis can tell us the extent to which Joseph approved collaborative articles which he did not sign. The extent to which he speculated on Central America, is not certain; and does not logically thwart the things he knew and revealed relative to the Book of Mormon’s original setting.

There is no mention of John Lloyd Stephens in Joseph Smith’s journal. What you will find recorded there is the Prophet’s epistle to the Church identifying Cumorah in the Finger Lakes region, south of Lake Ontario. (The Papers of Joseph Smith, Vol. 2, Journal, 1832-1842, pp. 468 – 475) Such facts support a setting among the mysterious Mound-Builders of North America. Mound-Builder America fits the Book of Mormon literary setting best. This is the Book of Mormon setting identified by mainstream American History and Literature specialists. (Roger G. Kennedy, Hidden Cities – The Discovery and Loss of Ancient North American Civilization)

Unsigned Times and Season newspaper articles, published more than a decade after the Book of Mormon, should be recognized as later developments - caught up in the sensation of Stephens’ discoveries. To strain and drum incessantly on these unendorsed articles, and on far-flung geographies promoted by other brethren, is to strain at gnats and swallow llamas.

The importance of comparing the Book of Mormon directly to works treating the Mound-Builders, on the other hand, looms large in tusk and trunk! The following is a quote from an important work classed in the Mound-Builder genre, predating the publication of the Book of Mormon:

“It is highly probable that the more civilized part of the tribes of Israel, after they settled in America, became wholly separated from the hunting and savage tribes of their brethren … that the more civilized part continued for many centuries; that tremendous wars were frequent between them and their savage brethren, till the former became extinct.

This hypothesis accounts for the ancient works, forts, mounds, and vast enclosures, as well as tokens of a good degree of civil improvement, which are manifestly very ancient …” (Ethan Smith, A View of the Hebrews or the Tribes of Israel in America, Second Edition (1825) , pp. 172-173)

	Book of Mormon terms (elements) relating to living things	Cited in the King James Version of the Bible	Cited in the Book of Mormon's New World setting	The Mound-Builder Genre: elements found in Joseph Smith's country (JSC) and in literary sources treating the mound builders
1	Animal		B of M; though numerous creatures are mentioned in the KJV, the word animal does not appear there.	JSC; B Notes 156
2	Asp	KJV		See Serpent
3	Ass	KJV	B of M	JSC
4	Barley	KJV	B of M; barley is required for keeping the Temple rites of the Mosaic Law. The "first-fruits" of grain is symbolically related to resurrection. (Leviticus 23:10-11, 2 Nephi 2:8-9, Jacob 4:11)	JSC; a variety of barley was cultivated anciently near the Great Lakes. (Robert R. Bennett, "Barley and Wheat in the Book of Mormon", 2000)
5	Bear	KJV		JSC; B Notes 186; mound builder necklaces of grizzly-bear canines. (Mound Builders & Cliff Dwellers, Lost Civilizations series, editor Dale M. Brown, pg. 26)
6	Beast	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 41
7	Bee	KJV OT		JSC
8	Blossom	KJV OT	B of M	JSC
9	Branch	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 93
10	Bread	KJV	B of M	JSC
11	Bull, Calf (Bovine)	KJV	Cited in O. W. scripture and implied in N. W. Setting	JSC; George Washington referred to bison using the terms "bull" and "calf". (Roger G. Kennedy, Hidden Cities - The Discovery and Loss of Ancient North American Civilization, pg. 87); See Cow
12	Cattle	KJV	B of M; the Hebrew word "miqneh", translated "cattle" in the KJV, comes from the verb to "get" or "acquire" and implies purchasable animals. "Cattle" include more than bovine animals.	JSC
13	Cedar	KJV OT		JSC; B 19
14	Chicken (Brood)	KJV NT	B of M; NT Greek term for "chickens" means "brood".	JSC
15	Cockatrice	KJV OT		See Serpent
16	Corn (Cereal Grain)	KJV	B of M; "corn" in the KJV is a cereal grain.	JSC; B Notes 170
17	Cow	KJV OT	B of M	JSC; B 41-42, bison; North American explorer Samuel de Champlain (1562-1635) describes "a herd of wild cows". (McGavin and Bean, Book of Mormon Geography, pg. 8)
18	Creature	KJV	B of M	JSC
19	Cummom		B of M	Unknown animal
20	Curelom		B of M	Unknown animal
21	Deseret (Honey Bee)		The honey bee is not identified in the N.W. setting. See Honey	JSC; see Bee
22	Dog	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 109, 111
23	Dove	KJV	B of M	JSC
24	Dragon	KJV	B of M (2 Nephi 23:22, Isaiah 13:22)	JSC; B Notes 190, fossil remains of prehistoric reptiles. Also a canid, i.e. jackal, wolf, wild dog.
25	Elephant (Mastodon, Mammoth)		B of M; Though the elephant is not explicitly mentioned in the KJV, the compound plural word "shen-habim" (1 Kings 10:22), translated "ivory", may refer to "tusk" or "tooth of elephants"	JSC; B Notes 135-138, ancient elephant remains found in mound builder territories. See William McAdams, Records of Ancient Races,1887, pp. 114-116 and Stephan Dennison Peet, The Mound Builders, Their Works and Relics, pp. 38–44; see also Mercer, H.C, The Lenape Stone - The Indian and the Mammoth, 1885
26	Fatling	KJV	B of M	JSC
27	Fig	KJV	B of M	JSC; Figs imported to VA as early as 1669 and successfully grown in NY.
28	Fir-tree	KJV OT		JSC
29	Fish	KJV	B of M	JSC; B Notes 181; AA 185
30	Fly	KJV OT		JSC
31	Fruit	KJV	B of M	JSC; B Notes 190; AA 190
32	Flock	KJV	B of M	JSC
33	Fold	KJV	B of M	JSC
34	Forest	KJV OT	B of M; jungle is nowhere mentioned in the B of M.	JSC; B 19
35	Fowl	KJV	B of M	JSC
36	Game (Wild Beasts)		B of M	JSC; AA 185
37	Goat (+ Wild Goat)	KJV	B of M; Goats are among the clean animals approved for sacrifice under the Law of Moses.	JSC; indigenous North American sheep and goat-like animals (mountain goats).
38	Grain	KJV	B of M	JSC
39	Grape	KJV	B of M; wine is required in Israelite ordinances.	JSC; AA 190, North American grapes discovered by the Norse. (Hauksbok, "Saga of Eric the Red") Grapes grew in the NY region anciently. (William A. Ritchie, The Archaeology of New York State, Preface pg. xxiv)
40	Grass	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 63, 70
41	Hen	KJV NT	B of M	JSC
42	Herd	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 50
43	Honey	KJV	B of M; scriptural mention includes "honey" (syrup) made from fruits. Carried as a provision during ocean crossing. (1 Nephi 18:6) No mention of bees carried during ocean voyage. Ether 6:4	JSC
44	Horse	KJV	B of M; the animal translated "horse" in the KJV is not ambiguous. There are at least two O.T. references to horses in the B of M. (Three, if one includes 3 Nephi 21:14, similar to Micah 5:10) It seems unlikely that Nephi would have misidentified this creature. (1 Nephi 18:25) Israelites paid attention to details like hooves and how an animal chews its food. (Leviticus 11:1-7)	JSC; "steed": B 99-100, 102; B Notes 191; AA 256, artifact interpreted as evidence that mound builders rode horses, and had horse drawn wagons (or other domesticated animals pulling wheeled carriages). Curiously, the B of M does say that B of M peoples rode their horses. The notion that B of M peoples rode horses is depicted in Arnold Friberg's art, but is not found in the scripture. The scripture mentions "horses" in connection with "chariots". (Alma 18:9-12) See "Ojibway spirit horses ...", "About the Breed", "The Relationship Between the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas and the Horse: Deconstructing a Eurocentric Myth". See Chariot
45	Insect		B of M	JSC
46	Kid (Goat)	KJV		JSC; see Goat
47	Lamb (Sheep)	KJV	B of M	JSC; see Sheep
48	Leopard	KJV	Unlike "lions", there is no explicit mention of spotted cats in the B of M N. W. setting. Its worth noting, however, that cougar cubs, and bobcats are spotted. The name "Nimrah" (son of Akish, Ether 9:8) is a feminine place name in the Bible. (Numbers 32:3) "Nimrah" or rather "Beyt-Nimrah" can be interpreted to mean "place (house) of the leopard", but may also describe a spotted or striped appearance on the ground, or gleaming, glossy clear water. Was the son of Akish named after a place ... the Finger Lakes? See "Nimrim" (Isaiah 15:6).
49	Lily	KJV	B of M	JSC
50	Linen	KJV	B of M; linen is a cloth made from plant fiber.	JSC; ancient peoples of NY wove textiles. (William A. Ritchie, The Archaeology of New York State, pp. 259, 261)
51	Lion	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 20, 116; B Notes 186, panther (mountain lion); see mound builder cougar-effigy pipe. (Mallory McCane O' Connor, Lost Cities of the Ancient South East, plate 1)
52	Meat	KJV	B of M	JSC
53	Milk	KJV	B of M	JSC
54	Monster		No specific land animal is referred to as a monster in the B of M. Used figuratively in Alma 19:26.	B 68; B Notes 176, 188, "monster of the ocean".
55	Moth	KJV	B of M	JSC
56	Neas		B of M	Unknown variety of grain
57	Oak	KJV OT		B Notes 191
58	Oil (Anoint with Oil)	KJV	B of M	JSC; VOTH 113, 163
59	Olive-Tree	KJV	Cited in O. W. scripture and implied in N. W. setting (grown somewhere in America).	JSC
60	Owl	KJV OT		B 39, 111; AA, 178, VOTH 177; see mound builder owl-effigy. (Mallory McCane O' Connor, Lost Cities of the Ancient South East, pg. 130)
61	Ox	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 106
62	Pearl	KJV	B of M	JSC; Mound-Builder freshwater pearl necklaces, and pearls sewn on clothing. (Mound Builders & Cliff Dwellers, Lost Civilizations series, editor Dale M. Brown, pg. 26)
63	Plant	KJV	B of M	JSC
64	Root	KJV	B of M	JSC
64a	Satyr	KJV OT		See Goat
65	Serpent	KJV	B of M	JSC; B Notes 158
66	Sheaves	KJV OT	B of M	JSC
67	Sheep	KJV	B of M; sheep, goats and other specific clean animals approved for sacrifice.	JSC; North American bighorn sheep qualify.
68	Sheum		B of M; Non-biblical Old World grain	Possibly a kind of barley or even pine nuts.(Robert R. Bennett, "Barley and Wheat in the Book of Mormon", 2000)
69	Silk	KJV	B of M; "shesh" is biblical "silk" made from plant fiber. (Proverbs 31:22, KJV)	JSC; mound builders wove textiles made from plant fiber and rabbit hair. (Lynda Norene Shaffer, Native Americans Before 1492 - The Moundbuilding Centers of the Eastern Woodlands, plate 32)
70	Skin (Protective Covering)	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 42; AA 167
71	Sow	KJV NT	B of M (3 Nephi 7:8) NT Greek term for "sow", "hus" can mean "boar". (2 Peter 2:22) But, see original Hebrew proverb Proverbs 26:11. See Swine.	JSC; B Notes 170
72	Straw	KJV		JSC
73	Stem	KJV OT	B of M	JSC
74	Swine	KJV	B of M	JSC; B Notes 170, "peccary" remains found in Kentucky. Archaeologist William A. Ritchie, notes peccary remains found in New York. (The Archaeology of New York State, pg. 10)
75	Teil-tree	KJV OT	Old World Terebinth
76	Thistle (Bramble)	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 63; AA 190
77	Thorn	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 63
78	Thrash		B of M mentions "hoe and to thrash" Ether 10:25	JSC;
79	Timber	KJV OT	B of M	JSC; B Notes 154
80	Tree	KJV	B of M	JSC
81	Vine	KJV	B of M	JSC
82	Vineyard	KJV	B of M	JSC
83	Vulture	KJV OT	B of M	JSC; B 39; AA 190
84	Whale	KJV		JSC
85	Wheat	KJV	B of M; wheat is required in Israelite rites.	JSC; North American self sown wheat discovered by the Norse. (Hauksbok, "Saga of Eric the Red")
86	Wine	KJV	B of M	JSC; see Grape
87	Wolf	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 20, 50, 101; B Notes 185
88	Wood (Building Material)	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 34, 41, 56; AA 167
89	Worm	KJV	B of M	JSC

Mound Builder Copper Head-plate

Head-plate
Mound Builder Copper Breastplate

Other BOOK of MORMON elements compared with the "MOUND-BUILDER" genre:


	Book of Mormon terms (elements) relating to various things	Cited in the King James Version of the Bible	Cited in the Book of Mormon's New World Setting	The "Mound-Builder" Genre: Elements found in Joseph Smith's country (JSC) and in literary sources treating the mound builders
90	Altar	KJV	B of M; Israelite altars were not to be made of hewn stone. (Exodus 20:25-26) Joseph Smith identified “and Old Nephitish Altar an[d] Tower” in MO. (The Joseph Smith Papers, Vol. 1, 19 May 1838 - Saturday)	JSC; AA 167; VOTH 79, 120, 165, Numerous stone cairns and manmade stone piles found throughout North America. (Salvatore Michael Trento, The Search for Lost America - The Mysteries of the Stone Ruins, Ch. 2)
91	Anchor	KJV NT	B of M	JSC; Anchor-type stone has been found in Nova Scotia. (Salvatore Michael Trento, Field Guide to Mysterious Places of Eastern North America, pg. 29)
92	Armor	KJV	B of M; e.g. “breastplates…arm-shields…and also shields to defend their heads…” (Alma 43:19)	JSC; B 41; B Notes 147; The Choctaw wore “breast, arm, and wrist plates”. (Timothy R. Pauketat, “America’s First Pastime – Did rolling stones spread Mississippian culture across North America?”, Archaeology, Sept. 2009)
93	Arrow	KJV OT	B of M	JSC; B 33, 56; B Notes 147, AA 93, 167. The Davistown Museum: 092103NA33 Projectile points (3) Copper, A: 7 cm x 3.1 cm, B: 8.6 cm x 2 cm, C: 6.1 cm x 3 cm, age unknown. These items were dug from a mound builder's site in Ohio. DTM MHC-B .
94	Art		B of M	JSC; B Notes 149; AA 90-92; remarkable mound builder sculpture and artistry. (Lynda Norene Shaffer, Native Americans Before 1492 - The Moundbuilding Centers of the Eastern Woodlands, plates 11, 12, 19, 21, 22, 23, 33)
95	Ax (Axe, Hatchet)	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 33, AA 90, 93, 167; mound builder axes. (Mound Builders & Cliff Dwellers, Lost Civilizations series, editor Dale M. Brown, pg. 26)
96	Ball (...of fine brass)	KJV OT	B of M; perhaps analogues to the "brass" firmament, the perceived solid dome or "compass" of heaven. (Deuteronomy 28:23, Proverbs 8:27, Job 22:14) The perceived movements of the heavenly quarters define Hebrew directions. See Compass and Spindle	JSC; AA 101, "gold" covered metal balls recovered from a mound. A stone “octagonal ball” found at the Andover burial site in Massachusetts. (Salvatore Michael Trento, The Search for Lost America - The Mysteries of the Stone Ruins, pg. 181)
96a	Band (Restraint)	KJV	B of M	JSC
97	Bank of Earth		B of M	JSC; B Notes 147, 168, 171; AA 159; Earthworks very similar to those describe in the Book of Mormon (Alma 48:8-9; 50:1-4; 53:4) are described by author James Adair (1775) in *A History of the American Indians*, pp. 377-378
98	Baptism (Washings)	KJV NT	B of M	JSC; B17, VOTH 79, 165
99	Beach		B of M	JSC; beach is defined as a sandy or pebbly shore of a body of water (not necessarily an Ocean coast). The term also applies "to the shore of a lake or large river." (Beach, Oxford English Dictionary) see Seashore
100	Bone…Heaps		B of M	JSC; B Notes 145-150; AA 55, 179, 185
101	Bow	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 34; AA 167
102	Bow of Steel	KJV OT	David's "bow of steel" (Psalm 18:34) was a Bronze Age creation.	B 33; B Notes 162; AA 177; see "Steel"
103	Brass	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 33, 38, 56; B Notes 159-160, AA 90-91. KJV and early 19th century "brass" is indistinguishable from "bronze". See Brass, Oxford English Dictionary. "Archaic Period bronze found in North America. (Salvatore Michael Trento, The Search for Lost America - The Mysteries of the Stone Ruins, pg 192, Appendix 3)
104	Breastplate	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 33, VOTH 175; copper mound builder breastplates. (Mound Builders & Cliff Dwellers, Lost Civilizations series, editor Dale M. Brown, pg. 26
105	Breastwork of Timber		B of M	JSC; B 8; AA 166; Fortifications very similar to those describe in the Book of Mormon (Alma 48:8-9; 50:1-4; 53:4) are described by author James Adair (1775) in *A History of the American Indians*, pp. 377-378
106	Bellows (Forge)	KJV OT	O. W.: Jeremiah 6:29, 1 Nephi 17:11	JSC; B 32, 36
107	Brimstone	KJV	B of M	JSC
108	Building	KJV NT	B of M	JSC; B 24
109	Candle	KJV	B of M	JSC
109a	Cart	KJV OT	Hebrew "agalah", wheeled vehicle, rolling thing. See Isaiah 5:18 (2 Nephi 15:18). The English word "cart" does not occur in the B of M American setting. See Chariot and Wheel	JSC; "wagon" B 34, 41-42,108-109; AA 254-256; J. Priest notes the discovery in NY of the "iron works of a wagon, reduced to rust" and argues the possibility of its antiquity.
109b	Carriage	KJV	Hebrew "kelayv", more properly translated "his baggage-train (articles)" rather than "his carriages". See Isaiah 10:28 (2 Nephi 20:28). The English word "carriage" does not occur in the B of M American setting.	JSC
110	Cement		B of M; the KJV OT mentions lime based "plaister".	JSC; B Notes 142; mound builders built plastered houses. (George Stuart, "Who Were the "Mound Builders"?", National Geographic, Vol. 142, No. 6, December 1972, pg. 789) See also "Cement", Oxford English Dictionary
111	Chain	KJV		JSC; B 93; AA 90-92
112	Chariot (Animal Drawn Vehicle)	KJV	B of M; The Hebrew term for "chariot" ("merkabah") simply means a thing to ride. See Cart and Wheel	JSC; B 34, 41-42,108-109; AA 254-256; J. Priest notes the discovery in NY of the "iron works of a wagon, reduced to rust" and argues the possibility of its antiquity. Mound builder rulers of the Mississippian Period rode on litters. (Lynda Norene Shaffer, Native Americans Before 1492 - The Moundbuilding Centers of the Eastern Woodlands, plate 28)
113	Christian	KJV NT	B of M	JSC; B16
114	Cimeter (Falchion, Cutlass)		B of M	JSC; B 34, see also Foster, J.W., Prehistoric Races of the United States, 1873, pg. 258; note the curved hardened copper blade (Fig. 54, exhibit c). See Sword
115	City	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 5
116	Cloak	KJV	B of M	JSC
117	Closet	KJV	B of M	JSC
118	Cloth	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 15, "fine raiment"; see "Silk"
119	Coat	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 109
120	Compass	KJV OT	B of M; different from the pointed circle making instrument ("m'hoogah", Isaiah 44:13), nevertheless "hoog" (circle, vault, dome) translated "compass" (Proverbs 8:27, KJV), is an appropriate description of the "Liahona".	JSC; VOTH 138
121	Copper	KJV	B of M. See Steel	JSC; B 33, 56; B Notes 161, 165, 190, 191, 192
121a	Cord	KJV	B of M	JSC; AA 179; see Rope
122	Curtain	KJV OT	B of M	JSC; see Veil
123	Crop (Agriculture)	KJV OT	B of M	JSC; AA 185, see Field
124	Cross	KJV NT	B of M	JSC; B 16; B Notes 150; AA 181
125	Cup	KJV	B of M	JSC; see Vessel
126	Dart (Missile)	KJV	B of M	JSC; B Notes 169
127	Ditch	KJV	B of M	JSC; B Notes 168; AA 166
128	Door	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 102, 110; B Notes 167
129	Earth	KJV	B of M; the expression "the whole earth" can simply mean the full extent of a local land or region as in the KJV.	JSC; B 31
130	Earthquake	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 53, 105
131	Egyptian	KJV	B of M	JSC; AA 116-124
132	Field (Cultivated)	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 4, 8; AA 160, 185
133	Fire	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 38
134	Fence	KJV OT		JSC; AA 160
135	Fever (Sickness)	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 105-106
136	Footstool	KJV	B of M	JSC
137	Fort	KJV OT	B of M	JSC; AA 83, 159, 190
138	Fortification	KJV OT	B of M	JSC; B 11; B Notes 145, 153; see Fortress
139	Fortress	KJV OT	B of M	JSC; B 5-6; Fortresses very similar to those describe in the Book of Mormon (Alma 48:8-9; 50:1-4; 53:4) are described by author James Adair (1775) in *A History of the American Indians*, pp. 377-378
140	Fragment	KJV NT	B of M	JSC; B 123
141	Garden	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 8, 11, 22; B Notes 154
142	Garment	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 3, VOTH 113
143	Glass	KJV	B of M; sixteen stones prepared in the O.W., are described as "clear…as transparent glass". (Ether 3:1)	JSC; B Notes 147, mound builder "isinglass (mica membranes)", 159; AA 89, 192. See also Mound Builders & Cliff Dwellers, Lost Civilizations series, editor Dale M. Brown, pp. 22, 26, 160, skillfully cut mica panes.
144	Gate (Gateway)	KJV	B of M	JSC; B Notes 140-142, 171, 191; AA 160, 166, 184, 197, 247
145	Gold	KJV	B of M	JSC; B Notes 192; AA 101, 178; mound builder sheets of hammered gold. (Mound Builders & Cliff Dwellers, Lost Civilizations series, editor Dale M. Brown, pg. 26)
146	Grave	KJV	B of M	JSC; B Notes 145, 147
147	Harvest	KJV	B of M	JSC, VOTH 104, see Field
148	Head-plate (Helmet like, but not the same as)		B of M	JSC; B 15-16, 31, 33, 41; B Notes 133, 162; AA 176, 254; mound builder copper head-plates and headdresses. (Mound Builders & Cliff Dwellers, Lost Civilizations series, editor Dale M. Brown, pg. 26)
149	Hail	KJV	B of M	JSC
150	Heat (..of the day)	KJV	B of M; the biblical expression "heat of the day" refers to mid-day or the warmest part of the day. (1 Samuel 11:9-11, 2 Samuel 4:5) The expression does not imply a tropical climate. Israel's setting, in fact, is temperate. (Genesis 8:22)	JSC; being in the Northern Hemisphere, the seasons of mound builder America are in step with the seasons of Israel.
151	Heaven	KJV	B of M; Israelite directions based on the perceived movement of the heavenly quarters.	JSC; VOTH 90
152	Hebrew	KJV	B of M	JSC; VOTH 90, 162-167; also Timothy Jay Jenkins, The Ten Tribes of Israel, pp. 73-75 (1883) compares Native North American vocabulary to Hebrew.
153	Highway	KJV	B of M	JSC, see Road
154	Hour	KJV	B of M; the scriptural unit of time is not identical to the modern "hour".	JSC; B 10-11, 22, 36, 104
155	House	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 44-45, 62; B Notes 154; ancient peoples of NY built houses of timber. Haudenosaunee
156	Iron	KJV	B of M; there are references to working iron, but no explicit mention of iron tools in the N. W. B of M setting.	JSC; B 11; B Notes 161, 169, 190, 191, 192; AA 179; mound builders worked meteoric iron. (Mound Builders & Cliff Dwellers, Lost Civilizations series, editor Dale M. Brown, pg. 26)
157	Javelin	KJV OT	B of M	JSC; B 41; B Notes 169; at the Andover burial site in Massachusetts, a “javelin point” was found. (Salvatore Michael Trento, The Search for Lost America - The Mysteries of the Stone Ruins, pg. 181) See Spear
158	Jewel	KJV OT	B of M	JSC
159	Lake	KJV NT	The term "lake" is never used in the B of M to describe a body of water. An inland body of water is referred to as a "sea" (e.g. Ether 2:7).	JSC; B 92; AA 192, 202; J. Priest, J. Smith and others propose that ancient peoples of Mexico and Central America migrated from the "lake country" (Great Lakes region). Priest cites Humboldt. See also I. A. Lapham, Antiquities of Wisconsin (1855), Section 2, "ANCIENT WORKS AT AND IN THE VICINITY OF AZTALAN".
160	Latchet	KJV		JSC
161	Lightning	KJV	B of M	JSC; B Notes 164
162	Machinery		B of M; the Hebrew word “hishvonot” is translated “engines” (2 Chronicles 26:15, KJV) The term can also be translated “contrivances”, “inventions” or “machines”. See Jarom 1:8	JSC; B 34-35, 42; the wedge; the lever, the inclined plane etc. are classified as “simple machines” and were definitely employed by the mound builders.
163	Manna	KJV
164	Much People (Many People, Populous)	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 31-32, 81; B Notes 145-146; AA iv, 185, 339. See also "...great business center and large population" (William J. Smyth, Mound Builders, pg. 10)
165	Mammon (Lucre)	KJV NT	B of M	JSC; see Money
166	Metal		B of M	JSC; AA 185
167	Mile	KJV NT	B of M; the Roman mile is not identical to the modern unit.	JSC; B 45, 64; the English term "mile" can mean "any relatively great distance."
168	Mist	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 87, see Vapor
169	Money	KJV	B of M, the term coinage is used somewhat presumptuously in describing the Nephite monetary system. The term coin is not found in the scriptural text. The Nephite system may have been based on weights. Objects like beads or rings may have been exchanged. (Alma 11:5-19)	JSC; B Notes 192; AA 92
170	Month	KJV	B of M; lunar cycle.	JSC; B 64, 66, 70, 104, 108; VOTH 120
171	Narrow Pass		B of M	JSC; B 58; B Notes 167
172	Nation	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 23-25, 29, 79
173	Nail	KJV	B of M	JSC; B Notes 161
174	Ore		B of M; "gold...silver...iron...copper" are listed as "ore". (Ether 10:23)	JSC; B 83, 98; the Old English term "ore" means "unwrought metal". This explains how "gold" (naturally found in metallic form) and meteoric iron could be referred to as "ore".
175	Palace	KJV	B of M; King Noah’s “spacious buildings” and “palace” were made of wood. (Mosiah 11:8-10) B of M peoples predominantly built their houses, cities, temples, synagogues, sanctuaries and all manner of buildings, out of timber. (Helaman 3:9)	JSC; B Notes 132; the Oxford English Dictionary defines “palace” as the official dwelling place of an emperor, king, pope, or other sovereign ruler. E.G. Squier (1849) refers to certain Native American timber works as “castles”. (Squier, Ephraim George, Aboriginal Monuments of the State of New York, pp. 82-82) See Kennedy on mound builder "palaces". (Roger G. Kennedy, Hidden Cities - The Discovery and Loss of Ancient North American Civilization, pg. 15)
176	Pillow	KJV OT	B of M	JSC; B 107
177	Pit	KJV	B of M	JSC; B Notes 177, see Snare
178	Planet (Astronomy)	KJV OT	B of M	JSC; B Notes 142; B 65, 117; AA 164
179	Plate (Metal)	KJV OT	B of M	JSC; B Notes 147, 161; AA 175, 179
179a	Plow-share (Plowshare)	KJV OT	See Isaiah 2:4 (2 Nephi 12:4).	JSC
180	Priest	KJV	B of M	JSC; B16, 18
181	Picket		B of M	JSC; B Notes 143; AA 166
182	Potter	KJV		JSC, see Vessel
183	Prison	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 116
184	Quiver	KJV OT	B of M	JSC; B 42; AA 90
185	Raiment	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 15, "fine raiment"
186	Rain	KJV	B of M	JSC; B24
187	River	KJV	B of M; "Sidon", the only river explicitly named in the N. W. setting, flows northward. A Nephite river "Jordan" is implied by Mormon 5:3.	JSC; B 97; B Notes 132; there are northward flowing rivers near the Great Lakes.
188	Road (Street)	KJV OT	B of M	JSC; B 43, 110, 162; AA 160, 255; impressive roads built by mound builders. (Searching for the Great Hopewell Road, Pangea Production Ltd, 1998) See also "Graded ways ... beautiful graded avenue..." (William J. Smyth, Mound Builders, pg. 6)
189	Robe	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 113
190	Rock	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 27, 38
190a	Rope	KJV OT	See Isaiah 5:18 (2 Nephi 15:18)	JSC; see Cord
191	Rust	KJV NT	B of M	JSC; B Notes 161, not necessarily iron oxide - copper "oxyde or rust".
192	Sanctuary	KJV	B of M; e.g. constructed in the similitude of Solomon's Temple. (Ether 13:3, 2 Nephi 5:15-16, 2 Chronicles 20:8)	JSC, AA 108-109; J. Priest notes the discovery in the eastern United States in the region of the Susquehanna River, of a large font like structure "made in imitation of the great Laver in the court of Solomon's Temple". See Temple
193	Salt	KJV	B of M	JSC; B Notes 174, AA 169, natural salt springs and deposits are found in western NY
194	Saw	KJV		JSC
195	Scroll	KJV	B of M	JSC
196	Sea	KJV	B of M; "sea" frequently describes an inland body of water in the KJV.	JSC; see Lake
197	Seashore	KJV	B of M; the same Hebrew word translated "shore" in "sea shore", is translated "bank" in "bank of the Jordan", and "brink" in "brink of the river" (KJV).	JSC; see Sea and Lake
198	Season (Temperate Seasons)	KJV	B of M / Mosaic Law requires the Nephite first month be in sync with the Passover season (When the Lamb of God was sacrificed).	JSC; B 17, 21, 24, 82; VOTH 175, more than two seasons per year. (Alma 46:40)
199	Sepulchre	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 15; AA 101, 171, other works mention "Burial Mounds" as "a place of sepulture" (William J. Smyth, Mound Builders, pg. 10)
200	Shields	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 33; B Notes 162
201	Ship (Sailing)	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 86; B Notes 132
202	Sickle	KJV	B of M	JSC
203	Silver	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 33; B Notes 161, 191; AA 179
204	Sling	KJV OT	B of M; may possible include the atlatl: "...casting over stones and arrows". (Alma 49:19)	JSC; AA 168
205	Snare (Trap, Pit)	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 72
206	Snow	KJV	B of M; to future generations in the Promised Land, Nephi describes his previous vision of the tree of life, comparing its whiteness to "the driven snow". (1 Nephi 11:8; 19:1-3)	JSC; B 39, 97; B Notes 172
207	Soap	KJV OT		JSC
208	Spear	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 34; AA 160, 167
209	Spindle (Director, Pointer)		B of M; from a Hebrew term meaning “director”. (Proverbs 31:19)	JSC
210	Steel	KJV OT	B of M; in the KJV, "steel" is a variety of hardened copper. (Psalm 18:34)	JSC; B 33, 42-43, 66; B Notes 162
211	Stone (Building Material)	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 6, 11, 14, 18, 119, "hewing large blocks of stone…"
212	Stone Wall (Piled Stone)	KJV	B of M; there is no explicit N. W. B of M reference to buildings made of hewn stone.	JSC; B 8; B Notes 167; VOTH 165; mound builder walls of piled stone.
213	Storm	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 86
214	Street	KJV	B of M	JSC; see Road
215	Sword, Sheath	KJV	B of M; the Hebrew “herev” is a cutting instrument, knife or sharp implement. The word is variously translated “sword”, “knife” (i.e. flint knife, Joshua 5:2), “dagger”, “tool”, “mattock”.	JSC; B 27, 31, 33, 38; B Notes 161, 191; AA 179; archaic hardened copper blades and projectile points have been unearthed in North America. (Salvatore Michael Trento, The Search for Lost America - The Mysteries of the Stone Ruins, pg 192. See Arrow and Cimeter
216	Synagogue	KJV	B of M	JSC
217	Tabernacle		B of M	JSC; B 48; VOTH 120, 165
218	Temple	KJV	B of M; the temple built by Nephi and his small following was a timber structure in form like Solomon’s temple. (2 Nephi 5:15-16, Mosiah 11:10) It was not a massive stone building. (1 Kings 5:17, cross-reference 17a)	JSC; B 81; B Notes 132; AA 18. See also "...temple, or sacrificial mounds..."(William J. Smyth, Mound Builders, pg. 6) See Sanctuary
219	Tent	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 97; AA 190
220	Tools	KJV OT	B of M	JSC; B 14, 38, 119; AA 167, 169
221	Town	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 5, 109; AA 190
222	Tower	KJV	B of M; the tower built by king Noah. (Mosiah 11:12) Biblical tower. (Judges 9:51-52)	JSC; B 11, 15, 81; B Notes 145; AA 168
223	Trap	KJV	B of M	JSC, see Snare
224	Treasure	KJV	B of M	JSC; AA 91, 101
225	Tribe	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 155, 163, 166; AA 55-56
226	Vapor (Vapour)	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 110, see Mist
227	Veil (Vail)	KJV	B of M	JSC
228	Village	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 9
229	Vessel (Pottery etc.)	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 56; B Notes 147, 149; AA 89
230	Wall	KJV	The B of M mentions city walls of earth and timber. (Alma 53:4) No mention is made of walls of hewn stone.	JSC; B Notes 132-133, 145. See also "walls ranging in height from three to thirty feet, enclosing areas from ten to 400 acres..." (William J. Smyth, Mound Builders, pg. 4)
231	Weapon	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 15, 34; B Notes 162
232	Wheel	KJV	The B of M / biblical term "Gilgal" can be translated "Wheel". (Joshua 5:9) It is possible, though not definite, that the Nephites not only knew about the wheel (2 Nephi 15:28, Isaiah 28:28) but also made use of it. (Jarom 1:8)	JSC; B 34, 38, 41, 108; Late mound builder peoples developed an athletic sport named chunkey which involved rolling an ingeniously rounded disk shaped object carved from stone. (Timothy R. Pauketat, “America’s First Pastime – Did rolling stones spread Mississippian culture across North America?”, Archaeology, Sept. 2009) See Chariot and Cart
233	Whirlwind (possibly Tornado, Tempest)	KJV OT	B of M	JSC; B 39, 56
234	Wind	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 20, 97
235	Window	KJV	B of M	JSC; B 39, 44
236	Wine-press	KJV	B of M	JSC; see Grape
237	Writing	KJV	B of M	JSC; B Notes 191; AA 90-94
238	Year	KJV	B of M; cycle of the seasons	JSC; B 30, 39
239	Ziff		B of M "ziff", similar to the Hebrew word for "overlaying with metal" (צפה), may refer to plated metal e.g. silver plated onto copper.	B 83; Times and Seasons, July 15, 1842, "American Antiquities", (editorial by Joseph Smith) notes "Silver very well plated on copper, has been found in several mounds…"