Warfare in Ancient Mesoamerica

I had often wondered why Mormon, who edited a thousand years of Nephite records, chose to include so much information about their wars.  He gives us the answer in Chapter 3 when he said that he wrote to the gentiles, the remnants of his people (including the Lamanites) and to all the house of Israel, so that all might know the fate of those who openly rebel against God. 
 

Throughout Nephite history up to that point in time, their wars had been wars of defense.  An earlier Nephite captain named Moroni created a Title of Liberty banner upon which he wrote: In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole. (Alma 43: 12 - about 76 B.C.) 

Mormon refusal to lead the armies anymore was because the Nephites no longer valued the things that Moroni's people had cherished and defended, but had set their hearts upon vengeance and aggression.  One message of the Book of Mormon is that defensive warfare may be justified in the eyes of the Lord, but aggressive warfare is inexcusable. 

The Book of Mormon contains a lot of details of weapons, armor, and fortifications.  This is not an area that I find interesting, so I have never searched through the text looking for those detail.  Others have, and experts on Mesoamerican warfare have concluded that the account in the Book of Mormon are right on target of what the archaeological record shows.  In the interest of time, I will share just one such piece of evidence: fortifications.

 

The Book of Mormon describes Nephite fortification as being deep ditches dug around the protected area; the excavated earth was piled inward to form a bank.  Atop it a fence of timers was planed and bound together with vines.  That very arrangement is now well document archaeologically.  The National Geographic Society - Tulane University project at Becan in the center of the Yucatan peninsula has shown the pattern to be very old. [Archaeologist David] Webster's interpretation of the excavations sees a massive earthen rampart around the center somewhere between A.D. 250 and 450, during the period when the final Nephite wars with the Lamanites occurred. [1]

 

From the bottom of the ditch to the top of the mound (not taking into account the timbers which had long since disappeared to age and decay) was over 35 feet.  The ditches were filled with water like a deep moat, so that enemy archers were shooting uphill and far away while defending archers could shoot straight down on their enemies at will.  The walls were also very thick so that  arrows and spears couldn't penetrate. [2]

 

[1] John L. Sorenson,  An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon pp 260-261

[2] Ibid.

 

Text copyright January 2014, Gebara Education

Pictures:

Mormon and Capt. Moroni from www.lds.org

Mayan Warfare from www.wikispaces.com

Fortifications around Becan from www.mayannature.it

Moat at Becan from www.fairmormon.org