City and Land of Jashon (Heartland geography model)

Nephite retreat near Ammoron's record burial site

City and Land of Jashon (Heartland geography model)

The City and Land of Jashon was a Nephite region situated to the south of the land of Shem and in proximity to the land of Antum. This area became historically significant during the Nephite retreat in the face of the Lamanite aggression in the year 345 AD when it was noted that the Nephites were pursued by the Lamanites until reaching the land of Jashon (Mormon 2:16). It was near Jashon where Ammaron, a previous custodian of the Nephite records, had secreted away all the sacred records with the intention that they would be safeguarded from destruction (Mormon 1:3; 2:17).

Jashon’s strategic importance is further highlighted through its connection to Mormon, a key figure in the Nephite history, who retrieved the plates of Nephi from the nearby location specified by Ammaron. Ammaron had given instructions that Mormon, being a descendant of Nephi, should retrieve the records once he reached the age of twenty-four (Mormon 1:4; 2:17, 20). The retrieval of these plates, which contained the sacred records of the Nephites, took place in the year 346 AD, following the instructions left by Ammaron and amidst intense conflicts with the Lamanites. The events surrounding the City and Land of Jashon underscore its role as a place of both critical historical activity and the preservation of Nephite culture and religion.

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