True Book of Mormon Geography
Land - Seas - Prophecies
4. Elephants
The Book of Mormon says that there were elephants in the Land Northward:
And they also had horses, and asses, and there were elephants and cureloms and cumoms all of which were useful unto man, and more especially the elephants and cureloms and cumoms. (Ether 9:19)
One can't help but wonder if part of the usefulness of the elephant, curelom, and cumom was for logging since the horse was excluded.
10 And it came to pass as timber was exceedingly scarce in the land northward they did send forth much by the way of shipping.
11 And thus they did enable the people in the land northward that they might build many cities both of wood and of cement. (Helaman 3)
Were there elephants in the Irondequoit Bay area? Yes there were. On display at the Rochester Museum & Sciene Center are two full sized Mastodons that were dug up right there in Rochester:
The objection some may have with placing Mastodons during Book of Mormon times is with the dating of their existence. Believers should have discovered that much of scientific dating has been skewed to reflect a framework supporting evolution. Once a person understands that, these objections quickly disappear. See also New Mastodon Discovery in Western New York.
We encourage readers to get up to speed with the debate on Creationism verses Evolution. Creationists scientists have blown such large holes in the evolutionary framework, it is a wonder anyone exclusively believes it anymore. Dr. Carl Baugh of Creation Evidence Museum is a good place to start. Make sure you visit his "Museum Displays" page for startling evidence supporting creation and an entirely different dating system.
The dinosaur discovery that shocked the world!
The point is, don't let skewed theories prevent you from accepting the truth of the scriptures. Be sure to visit the newly opened 60,000 square foot, $27 million dollar Creation Museum in Petersburg Kentucky for more evidences.
Cureloms & Cumoms
We discovered the identity of Cureloms and Cumoms serendipitously. Firstly we found evidence that Lamanites co-existed with Mastodons (i.e. elephants):
Lamanites
And it came to pass that there were many of the people of Ammon who were Lamanites by birth did also go forth into this land. (Helaman 3:12)
Mastodons co-existed with ground sloths, the genus Megatherium and Paramylodon harlani in particular were well suited for heavy pushing, pulling and carrying.
Curelom
Cumom
Mastodon Discoveries
Ralph Bishop
"Mastodon bones found in Nipomo and carbon-dated to approximately 20,000 years ago will be on display when the Orcutt Mineral Society’s annual Rainbow of Gems Show returns to Nipomo.
Ralph Bishop, a lifelong Santa Maria resident, began unearthing the bones more than a decade ago at a location he will identify only as “Secret Canyon.”
What makes the find unusual is that the bones were found with stone implements indicating the animal was either killed or, at least, butchered by early Native Americans, Bishop said.
One stone implement found at the site matches V-shaped cracks in a leg bone, showing the stone was likely used to break open the bone to reach the nutrient-rich marrow inside.
He also found burnt stones at the site, indicating the possibility of a fire ring."
"The mastodon bones aren’t the only ones Bishop has found at the site. He’s also found the bones of horses, mammoths, giant ground sloths, huge bison and the largest cat that ever lived."
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