An Archaeological Perspective ~ The Tree of Life Motif in Ancient America ~ Personal Thoughts on the Subject



Izapa Archaeological Site, Chiapas, Mexico

 

In the state of Chiapas, Mexico, there is an extremely large pre-Columbian archaeological site known as Izapa.  The site covers close to a mile and a half, making  it one of the largest.  It has 89 stelae, 61 stone altars, 3 thrones, and 68 other monuments. [1]  To quote LDS scholar, Garth Norman: "There are 7 Stela arranged to represent the seven major Mesoamerican families or tribes in the area.  Four are on one side and three on the other.  The Book of Mormon names 7 major tribes: Nephi [with which Sam was numbered - perhaps Sam had no children], Jacob and Joseph [sons born to Lehi on the Arabian Peninsula] and Zoram on the good side and Laman, Lemuel, and Ishmael on the bad side." [2]

Wikipedia quotes: "Stela 5 is one of a number of large, carved stelae found in Izapa, along the present-day Guatemalan border. These stelae date from roughly 300 BC to 50 or 100 BC, although some argue for dates as late as 250 AD. Also known as the "Tree of Life" stone, it appears to illustrate a Mesoamerican creation myth.  Based on parallels with traditions originating in the Old World, a few researchers have linked the stone to theories of Pre-Columbian trans-oceanic contact. LDS scholar, M. Wells Jakeman, proposed that the image was a representation of a tree of life vision found in the Book of Mormon." [3]

 

 

 

In this drawing, you can see the symbols more clearly.  It is easy to see why Jakeman and Norman see parallels to Lehi's vision in the stone.  The tree is the central figure in the carving.  The waves of a large river can be seen along the bottom.  A large, ornate building is in the background behind the tree and dominates the upper edge of the stone.  A stylized gulf is between the river and the tree, and a straight rod runs along the top of the gulf.

 

Most archaeological scholars (non-LDS as well as LDS) agree that the two larger-than-life figures with the elongated (perhaps masked) faces, on either side of the tree represent holy spirits, deities, or angels (hence their feet are in the air.)  The one on the left appears to be talking to a man. (Could that be Nephi?*)

 

There is a figure of an elderly, bearded man sitting on the ground and offering a burnt sacrifice.  He has on a conical headdress that scholars believe identifies him as a key figure in the carving. Behind him sits a woman with the headdress or crown of a princess (Lehi's wife was named Sariah, or Sarah, which means princess in Hebrew.)  The woman is holding an ornate umbrella of sorts over the man's head.  The umbrella looks like the stylized jawbone of a crocodile (Remember that the name Lehi in Hebrew means jawbone.)  There are also two smaller people.

 

On the opposite side of the tree are three other men, one of them wearing an ornate headpiece and shielded from the sun by an umbrella.  (Could this represent Laman with Lemuel and Ishmael, the rebellious members of Lehi's party? As the eldest, Laman claimed the kingship, although Lehi gave the birthright to Nephi because of his faithfulness to God.)

 

While there is far more research needed on the stela (and all of the artifacts in Izapa), it is easy to see why Stela 5 resonates with Latter-day Saints. [4]  How is it, you ask, that a Book of Mormon theme might have appeared in southern Mexico?  More on that over the next few weeks on the Couch!

 

* Comments in purple are my musings and are not supported by scholarly research, LDS or non-LDS.

 

[1] Garth Norman, www.Wikipedia.com/Izapa

[2] www.ancientamerica.org/library/Izapa

[3] www.Wikipedia.com/stela5

 

[4] The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has never made an official claim as to a Book of Mormon connection for Stela 5 or any archaeological findings in the Americas.  Their focus for the Book of Mormon has consistently been spiritual, Another Testament of Jesus Christ.

 

Copyright June 2013, Gebara Education

Picture of Izapa site from www.wikipedia.com/Izapa

Picture of Stela 5 from www.wikipedia.com/Izapa/Stela5

Graphic representation of Stela 5 from multiple sources on the web