Land of Amulon (Mesoamerica geography model)

Settled by Amulon and priests, between Zarahemla and Nephi

Land of Amulon (Mesoamerica geography model)

The Land of Amulon, presumably named after its founder, Amulon, is an area nestled between the lands of Nephi and Zarahemla, as described in the Book of Mormon. This land was initially inhabited by the priests of Noah3 who had settled and begun cultivating the land (Mosiah 23:31). The strategic location of Amulon drew the attention of the King of the Lamanites, who was impressed by Amulon and appointed him and his brethren as teachers over the Lamanite populace residing in the land of Amulon (Mosiah 24:1).

The Land of Amulon’s description as being midst extensive natural beauty and resource richness, offers a sense of its landscape characteristics. This interpretation is grounded in the mention of “land of pure water” (Mosiah 23:3-4), as well as the observation that the land was settled amidst “a sea of forested, mountainous wilderness.”

The geographic importance of the land, situated between Nephi and Zarahemla, is apparent in its association with significant biblical exoduses. For instance, the Lamanites, in pursuit of Limhi’s people, lost their track after two days, signifying a distance of under fifty miles. They subsequently discovered Amulon while still astray, adding further detail to the spatial relationships between these notable civilizations (Mosiah 22:16; 23:30–31, 35).

Though the Land of Amulon comes across as a somewhat transient settlement, given its hasty abandonment by its founders in pursuit of a non-pioneering life, it nonetheless holds an essential place in the geographical and social tapestry of the Book of Mormon.

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