The Evolution of Anti-Mormonism
Horses in the Americas
Accusation #9: There Were No Horses in the Americas Until the Spaniards Brought Them Over.
This accusation stems from the archeological knowledge in the mid-1800's. It was generally accepted that there were no horses in the Americas at the time of the arrival of the first Spanish explorers.
It is a fact that in The Book of Mormon horses are mentioned fourteen times. These passages are:
1 Nephi 18:25 - And it came to pass that we did find upon the land of promise, as we journeyed in the wilderness, that there were beasts in the forests of every kind, both the cow and the ox, and the ass and the horse, and the goat and the wild goat, and all manner of wild animals, which were for the use of men. And we did find all manner of ore, both of gold, and of silver, and of copper.
2 Nephi 12:7 – Their land is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots.
Note: This last passage is the prophecy of Isaiah that was of the last days. It is not concerned with this topic of horses being in the ancient days. Compare to Isaiah 2.
2 Nephi 15:28 – Whose arrows shall be sharp, and all their bows bent, and their horses’ hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind, their roaring like a lion.
Note: This last passage is the prophecy of Isaiah that was of the last days. It is not concerned with this topic of horses being in the ancient days. Compare to Isaiah 5.
Enos 1:21 – And it came to pass that the people of Nephi did till the land, and raise all manner of grain, and of fruit, and flocks of herds, and flocks of all manner of cattle of every kind, and goats, and wild goats, and also many horses.
Note: The horses mentioned here are in relation to herds of animals that were kept for food.
Alma 18:9, 10 – 9. And they said unto him: Behold, he is feeding thy horses. Now the king had commanded his servants, previous to the time of the watering of their flocks, that they should prepare his horses and chariots, and conduct him forth to the land of Nephi, for their had been a great feast appointed at the land of Nephi, by the father of Lamoni, who was king over all the land.
Note: There is reference here where the horses were most likely used to pull the chariots.
Alma 18:10 - Now when king Lamoni heard that Ammon was preparing his horses and his chariots he was more astonished, because of the faithfulness of Ammon, saying: Surely there has not been any servant among all my servants that has been so faithful as this man; for even he doth remember all my commandments to execute them.
Note: There is reference here where the horses were most likely used to pull the chariots.
Alma 18:12 – And it came to pass that when Ammon had made ready the horses and the chariots for the king and his servants, he went in unto the king and he saw that the countenance of the king was changed; therefore he was about to return out of his presence.
Note: There is reference here where the horses were most likely used to pull the chariots.
Alma 20:6 – Now when Lamoni had heard this he caused his servants should make ready his horses and his chariots.
Note: There is reference here where the horses were most likely used to pull the chariots.
3 Nephi 3:22 – And it came to pass in the seventeenth year, in the latter end of the year, the proclamation of Lachoneus had gone forth throughout all the face of the land, and they had taken their horses, and their chariots, and their cattle, and all their flocks, and their herds, and their grain, and all their substance, and did march forth by thousands and by tens of thousands, until they had all gone forth to the place which had been appointed that they should gather themselves together, to defend themselves against their enemies.
Note: There is reference here where the horses were most likely used to pull the chariots.
3 Nephi 4:4 – Therefore, there was not chance for the robbers to plunder and to obtain food, save it were to come up in open battle against the Nephites; and the Nephites being in one body, and having so great a number , and having reserved for themselves provisions, and horses and cattle, and flocks of every kind, that they might subsist for the space of seven years, in the which time they did hope to destroy the robbers from off the face of the land; and thus the eighteenth year did pass away.
Note: In this last passage horses were mentioned in relation to provisions of grain and herds that were to be used as food.
3 Nephi 6:1 – And now it came to pass that the people of the Nephites did all return to their own lands in the twenty and sixth year, every man, with his family, his flocks and his herds, his horses and his cattle, and all things whatsoever did belong unto them.
Note: In this last passage horses were mentioned in relation to provisions of grain and herds that were to be used as food.
3 Nephi 21:14 – Yea, wo be unto the Gentiles except they repent; for it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Father, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots;
Note: This passage is a prophecy of what will happen to the horses in the last days.
Ether 9:19 – And they also had horses, and asses, and there were elephants and cureloms and cumonms; all of which were useful unto man, and more especially the elephants and cureloms and cumoms.
Recent archaeological discoveries actually support the existence of horses in America prior to the Spanish discovery. In the book The World of the Book of Mormon, Paul R. Cheesman discusses the facts and evidence of horses in the Americas prior to the first Spanish discovery. Mr. Cheesman states that:
“The existence of horses in the pre-Columbian Americas has been a point of debate among Book of Mormon and scientific researchers. Ample evidence has been found in an archaeologically sound context to show beyond doubt the horse was once in the Americas. But the skeletal remains, as interpreted by scientists, show that the horse died out about ten to eleven thousand years ago, or sometime near the end of the Pleistocene Age(1).”
Further evidences as listed by Cheesman of horses being in America are:
- “A Catholic priest in Cuenca, Ecuador, keeps a large collection of metal plates and panels purchased from local indians. The plates and panels were dug up by the Indians. One of the many pictures on the panels clearly depicts a horse(2).”
- “Some bones found in 1953 near Midland, Texas, have been identified as those of a horse. Dating places this find at eight thousand years old(3).”
- “Victor Von Hagan reports that a story recorded by two chroniclers related the finding of a hide and the jaw of an animal, which both sources said looked like those of a horse(4).”
- “Rock art of the American Indian depicting horses can be found in Kansas, Utah, and Colorado. Many of these figures were no doubt made after the Spanish arrived, but there is still the possibility that some were carved earlier. It is very difficult to determine the age of this type of inscription.”
- “Ancient horse bones have also reportedly been found in Argentina(5).”
- “Evidences of extinct horses have also been reported at Fells Cave on the Straits of Magellan(6).”
- “Evidences of extinct horses have also been reported at … Tule Springs, northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada(7).”
- “…that they (horses) had disappeared almost completely at the time of Columbus. The exact date of their extinction is not known; remains of horses are found in the most recent geological formations, and they continued here after the introduction of man. Professor W. D. Matthew of the American Museum of History believes it probable that they were destroyed by early hunters. He implies that few of them may have lived to the time of Columbus(8).”
- “The University of Nebraska reports the discovery of man and horse bones together in the Guadalupe Mountains of New Mexico, and remains at Burnet Cave and Hermit’s Cave have been declared several thousand years old. The researchers conclude that the horse was used only as food(9).”
- “Leo Deuel says his research points to the fact that horses were found in ancient America, leading him to conclude that “we had found the first evidence that this ancient horse was hunted and eaten by the early natives of South America(10).”
- “Readers of The Book of Mormon have found that although horses are mentioned fourteen times, no one is reported to have ridden on one. Most of the references are in connection with the use of a chariot. Another clue to the purpose of the horse may be in 3 Nephi 4:4, where we read that “horses, cattle, and flocks were gathered by the Nephites so they “might subsist” for the space of seven years.”
It appears that in The Book of Mormon, “horses were used for food until they became extinct—which would seem a logical explanation for the lack of their presence at the time of the Spanish conquest(11)”. This evidence certainly supports the use of the horses in the Americas as translated by Joseph Smith through the power of God!
Remember, Joseph Smith was 21 years old when he committed to having horses in America prior to the Spanish discovery in 1492! Isn’t it strange that the people of the Book of Mormon did not ride them... but they did eat them! How do you think Joseph Smith could have gotten that right when it was so common for people to ride them in the 1830’s!
It is hard to believe, but there are actual anti-Mormons who have professed, as of the year 2007, that The Book of Mormon is false because there were no horse in America prior to the Spanish discovery. If one would look at the dates of these archeological studies, one will find them to be 1961, 1966, 1967, 1969 and 1984.
Again, the early anti-Mormons where not lying when they tried to discredit Joseph Smith for having mentioned horses in The Book of Mormon. It is currently a geological fact that there were horses in the Americas before the arrival of the Spanish. What would the current anti-Mormons be called when using this accusation under false pretenses?
Science cannot be predicated by opinion!
(1) Cheesman, Paul R., The World of the Book of Mormon, Horizon Publishers & Distributors, Inc., 50 South 500 West, Bountiful, Utah 84010, 1984, page 180.
(3) Josephy, Alvin M., ed. The American Heritage Book of Indians. New York: American Heritage Publishing Co., 1961, page 44.
(4) Von Hagan, Victor Wolfgang. The Ancient Sun Kingdoms of the Americas. New York: The World Publishing Co., 1961, page 135.
(5) National Geographic, October 1969, page 473.
(6) Clark, Grahame. World Prehistory. 2nd ed. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1969, page 272.
(7) Reed, Alma M., The Ancient Past of Mexico. New York: Crown Publishers, 1966, page 3.
(9) University of Nebraska News Museum Notes, January 1963.
(10) Deuel, Leo. Conquistadors Without Swords. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1967, page 538.
(11) Ibid. Cheesman, page 183.
