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==Historicity==

==Historicity==

Although extensive exploration has been performed by both Mormon and non-Mormon historians and archaeologists, no artifacts supporting this story have ever been unearthed.  Native Americans did not use metal of any kind in their weaponry (which was primarily made from stones (such as obsidian) or wood). This is most obvious at Hill Cummorah in upstate New York (owned by the LDS church) where the Book of Mormon claims a battle took place where millions of people were killed.  In this battle, spears, swords, chariots, armor and other preparations of war were purported to have been used. Although the LDS church owns the land where the battle is said to have taken place and the church has performed archaeological excavations there, not a single trace of the battle has ever been uncovered.

The Book of Mormon is often criticized for a supposed lack of "evidence" and authenicity" which would be necessary to support the claimed Historical platform which it is built upon. However, [[Mormon]] apologists have made deep and detailed efforts to combat criticism from mainstream archaeologists. In the old world narrative in the first Book of the Book of Mormon (1 Nephi) apologists have made accurate discoveries of numerous locations thought not to have existed prior to discovery. An example of this is the discovery of the place known as "Nahom" as mentioned here ([http://lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/16.34?lang=eng#33) a burial place which was discovered and is referenced in no other text.<ref>[http://en.fairmormon.org/Nahom FAIR Wiki- Mormon Apologetic resource- Nahom]</ref>. Likewise Old world geography has been very accurately pinpointed by apologists.<ref>[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Geography/Old_World]</ref>.

The cities named throughout the Book of Mormon include: Aaron, Ammonihah, Ani-Anti, Antiparah, Bountiful, City by the Sea, Cumeni, Desolation, Gid, Gideon, Jacob, Judea, Jordan, Josh, Kishkumen, Laman, Lehi, Lemuel, Manti, Melek, Mocum, Morianton, Moroni, Moronihah, Mulek, Nehor, Nephi, Nephihah, Noah, Omner, Onihah, Shilom, Shimnilom, Sidom, Teancum and Zarahemla as well as various other named lands and places.  No traces of these cities have ever been found.  Although LDS apologists have attempted to identify Mayan ruins such (as Palenque in Southern Mexico) as Book of Mormon cities, such attempts have failed.  Accordingly, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints takes no official position on the geography of the Book of Mormon.

For the New World setting fo the Book of Mormon, there has been criticism directed towards the Book that numerous "Anachronisms" in regards to supposed items mentioned in the Book which are thought not to exist within the Americas, or accusations of alleged Anachronisms within the Book. Mormon Apologists though have worked to find counterarguments and responses to all of these claims in detail to draw more plausible debate around the Book<ref>[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms]</ref>

Further, none of the artifacts named throughout the Book of Mormon including buildings of cement, buildings covering the face of the land, elegant spacious buildings, cities, villages, thrones, temples, towers, vineyards, swords, spears, shields, chariots, machinery, breastplates, tools, iron, copper, brass, gold, silver, coins and metal plates (this list is not exhaustive) have ever been discovered in the Americas by any Mormon or non-Mormon archaeologists. 

Linguistically the Book of Mormon has infact been more positive. Linguists have worked to find links numerous between Hebrew and Native American languages<ref>[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Anachronisms/Language/Hebrew_and_Native_American_languages]</ref>. At the same time there has been claimed linguistical anachronisms in the text, such as the mention of the French word "adieu". Though nonetheless the Book of Mormon been found to have numerous Semetic linguistic and literary traits within it which make it appear to be more authenitic, such as the inclusion of Chaismus<ref>[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Evidences/Hebraisms/Chiasmus Chiasmus]</ref> and numerous other Hebrew traits within the text<ref>[http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Evidences/Hebraisms]</ref>. Nonetheless, how much this fits in to confirmed evidence regarding pre-columbian America is largely limited and Mormon apologists do ultimately confess that the main evidence and support of the Book of Mormon does center upon ones very faith in it that it is a divinely inspired document.

 

In recent years, genetic studies have proved that all native Americans (from north, central and south America) are in fact genetic descendants of populations in Asia, most specifically the region of Russia known as Siberia. This confirmed what was already believed by anthropologists (from studies of linguistics and archaeology) - that Siberians traveled approximately 50 miles across the Bering Straight (over a now-absent land-bridge, ice or by using watercraft) and populated the Americas - not over thousands of miles of ocean from Israel as the Book of Mormon purports.

==Contents==

==Contents==