(Supposed)
Book of Mormon Anachronisms
(c) Copyright Michael R. Ash 1996. All rights reserved
Linen is mentioned nine times in the Book of Mormon (1 Nephi 13:7, 8; 2 Nephi 13:23; Mosiah 10:5; Alma 1:29; 4:6; Helaman 6:13; Ether 9:17; 10:24). Many critics, however, claim that “linen“ was unknown in Book of Mormon lands/times.(Key, 1.) The problem, no doubt, relates to the ambiguity of reassigning familiar labels to unfamiliar items (see for instance my paper on the term “horse“ in the Book of Mormon). Bernal Diaz, for instance, who served with Cortez, described native American garments made of “‘henequen which is like linen.’” (Sorenson, 1985, 232.) Likewise, sixteenth century Bishop Landa described how the Mayan priests used linen garb in rituals which resembled Jewish ceremonies (Warren and Ferguson, 133.) Did Bernal Diaz and Bishop Landa describe the “linen” familiar to Europeans? No. Nevertheless, to Diaz and Landa, these particular native garments were like “linen.” Who could fault the Nephites for referring to similar fabrics with familiar names. “The fiber of maguey plant,” writes Sorenson, “from which henequen is manufactured, closely resembles the flax fiber used to make European linen.• (Sorenson, 1985, 232.)
Michael R. Ash
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