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With the Hill Cumorah/Ramah in New York, it is easy to identify plausible locations of other Book of Mormon sites.
Cumorah/Ramah in New York is the pin in the map
Cumorah/Ramah in New York is the pin in the map
Once we accept the teachings of the prophets about Cumorah, we can interpret the text accordingly.
We can infer that Lehi left the Arabian peninsula, sailed around Africa and across the Atlantic Ocean, and arrived in what is now the southeastern United States, probably in the panhandle of Florida. In this scenario, the Land of Nephi would be in the Chattanooga area of Tennessee. From there, Mosiah would have fled from the Lamanites by sailing down (north) on the Tennessee River to southern Illinois (the land of Zarahemla).
For most of the Book of Mormon, the Ohio River was the boundary between the Nephites and Lamanites.
Interpreting the Book of Mormon. To interpret the text, readers make basic assumptions. The following three assumptions help clarify some of the geographical passages in the text.
The terms "land northward" and "land southward" were relative terms, not proper nouns. By comparison, Salt Lake City can be both the "land northward" from the perspective of someone in Provo, or the "land southward" from the perspective of someone in Ogden.
The "narrow neck of land" is a distinct geographical feature that appears only in Ether 10:20. It is separate from the "small neck of land" in Alma 22:32 the "narrow neck" in Alma 63:5, the "narrow passes" of Alma 50:34, Alma 52:9, and Mormon 3:5, and the "narrow passage" of Mormon 2:29. Often, a "narrow neck" refers to a neck of water, which is why Ether 10:20 specified it was a neck of land. For more discussion, see Narrow Neck and Narrow and small necks.
Like other ancient people, the Nephites and Lamanites traveled mainly on waterways.
Plausible routes to America
Plausible routes to America
The feasibility of these proposed voyages of the Lehites and Mulekites on this map have been demonstrated by the two voyages of the Phoencia ship.
Locations in the old world
Lehi's family left from Jerusalem (See I Nephi 1:7)
Possible burial place of Ishmael (I Nephi 16:34, may be historical "Nehem" (see Ensign, August 1978, p73)
Possible site of Bountiful where Nephi built a ship (see I Nephi 18:5)
Moroni, capital of Comoros (see I Nephi 18:8; may have been passed by Lehi's family as they sailed southwest from Bountiful)
Four days of tempest on the ocean (see I Nephi 18:15; Cape of Good Hope is notorious for stormy sailing conditions)
Possible landing site of Mulekites (See Omni 1:16)
Possible Location of Zarahemla (See D&C 125:3)
Known Location of Ramah/Cumorah See Ether 15:11. Mormon 6:6, D&C 128:20, Letter VII
Possible location of Bountiful where Resurrected Christ visited the temple (See III Nephi 11:1)
Possible site of the Land of Desolation (see Alma 22:30)
Possible location of City of Nephi (See II Nephi 5:8)
Possible location where Gideon pursued King Noah to his tower [Lookout Mountain is a strategic point where 7 states are visible at once] (See Mosiah 19:6)
Flint River: Possible escape route when Nephi left Laman and Lemuel (See II Nephi 5:21 "they had hardened their hearts against him, that they had become like unto a flint")
Possible Landing Site of Lehi's Family See I Nephi 18:23
Zarahemla: See D & C 125:3 "Let them build up a city unto my name upon the land opposite the city of Nauvoo, and let the name of Zarahemla be named upon it."
Burial of Zelph: "Joseph is reported to have identified the remains as those of Zelph, a righteous Lamanite warrior killed in battle (see History of the Church, 2:79, 80n)" from Ensign April 1979
Adam-Ondi-Ahman: See D&C 116:1
Location of Manti: See Alma 58:1 and Doctrines of Salvation 3:239
Future Site of New Jerusalem: See D&C 84:4
Plains of the Nephites according to Joseph Smith Letter to Emma from Zion's Camp 4 June 1834
Head of River Sidon: headwaters or confluence, see Alma 16:6
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