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War Banners: A Mesoamerican Context for the Title of Liberty

TitleWar Banners: A Mesoamerican Context for the Title of Liberty
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2015
AuthorsHull, Kerry
JournalJournal of Book of Mormon Studies
Volume24
Pagination84-118
Type of ArticleEssay
KeywordsCulture; Mesoamerica; Title of Liberty; War Banners; Warfare
Abstract

The title of liberty fashioned by Moroni represented a rallying point for those who would defend the most cherished aspects of Nephite culture: families, religion, peace, and freedom. A key facet of the title of liberty incident is its deep-rooted martial setting, suggesting that the title of liberty functioned as a war banner. Numerous aspects of the title of liberty episode related to warfare and battle standards fit comfortably in an ancient Mesoamerican context. Additionally, various linguistic and poetic features in the details surrounding the title of liberty in Alma 46 closely correlate to Mesoamerican traditions, indicative of a common cultural origin.

URLhttps://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jbms/vol24/iss1/5

Scripture Reference

Alma 46:1-41