The Book of Mormon itself must stand as the best witness of the criteria necessary to locate the Nephite, Lamanite, and Mulekite cultures. Therefore, fifteen cultural criteria were determined from the text:
1. cities in the vicinity of the hill: 3 Nephi 8:8-14; 9:3-10;
2. towers or stepped pyramids for religious purposes: Mosiah 2:7; 11:12-13; 20:8; Helaman 7:10
3. efficient agriculture: Mosiah 7:22; 9:9; 9:14
4. metallurgy: 1 Nephi 18:25; 2 Nephi 5:15; Jarom 1:8; Mosiah 22:12
5. formal political states with centralized law enforcement: Mosiah 29:38-42; Alma 10:14-15; 3 Nephi 1:1
6. organized religion: 2 Nephi 5:18; Alma 4:4-5; 3 Nephi 11-28; 4 Nephi 1:26-41
7. idolatry at certain times:
8. craft specialization such as textiles:
9. trade and commerce: Alma 63:5-8; Helaman 3:10; Helaman 6:7-8; 3 Nephi 3:24; 4 Nephi 1:46
10. writing: Alma 63:12; Mormon 9:32
11. weaponry in the immediate vicinity of the hill:
Criteria applicable only for the Nephites. (However, the absence of mention of these four traits for the Jaredites does not preclude their presence during those times.)
12. astronomy: Alma 30:44; Helaman 12:15; 3 Nephi 1:21;
13. calendar systems:
14. cement: Helaman 3:9-11;
15. wheels: Alma 19:6; 3 Nephi 3:22
The Cerro Vigia in Mexico meets all of these cultural criteria. The hill in New York meets none of them. Modern archaeological research shows that there was little culture there until A.D. 1100. [David A. Palmer, Book Review in Review of Books on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 2, 1990, pp. 69-71]