Tree of life
The "Stela #5" stone carving was found in October of 1939 by Matthew W. Stirling
It stood in the temple courts at the ancient ruin City call “Izapa” in the southwestern corner of Mexico.
The Stela measures approximately 8 feet high, 5 feet wide 2 feet thick. Archaeologist date “Stela 5” at approx. 100AD. In 1957, Dr. M. Wells Jakeman, from Brigham Young University, interpreted the carving as a representation of "Lehi's dream" or the "Tree of Life" recorded in Nephi 8: 1-38.
This beautiful illustration of the Tree of Life is an incredible reference to this powerful engraving. The commentary underneath the illustration says: "Among many other engraved stone monuments in the area, a 15 ton Stela located on the Guatemala-Mexico border and close to the City of Tapachula Chiapas bears witness of a Civilization that dates to the time period of The Book of Mormon (600BC-350AD).
Book your tour today with Alma´s LDS Tours, and come learn more about these amazing parallelisms of Ancient Mesoamerica and The Book of Mormon!.
- The Tree of Life with much fruit
- 12 roots representing the 12 tribes from Egypt
- Cheribums guarding the tree of life
- And elder (beardeed?) giving instruction (Lehi)
- Man of great stature, speaking stylus in hand (Nephi) Spirit speaking through him?
- Man in supportive role(Sam)
- Old female with royal headdress (Sariah)
- Two men with their backs to the tree representing rejection, one blinded by smoke (Laman/Lemuel)
- Rod of Iron
- The filthy waters - depths of hell
- Jawbone held over Lehi spokesman for the Lord
- Groping in mist of darkness, hand touching tree
- Partaking of fruit, but turning away from tree
- Several birds and fish - eternal life
- Laughing person - in building the air
