I’ve written before that Book of Mormon geography is elusive. LDS scholars place the Book of Mormon in a Mesoamerican setting, but it’s not a comfortable fit. The most compelling—or at least the most curious—correspondence between the Book of Mormon and real world geography, though, isn’t found in the American continents at all, but Africa.
The Comoros Islands are located off the east coast of Africa and just northwest of Madagascar. This small archipelago nation would have never caught my attention were it not for its capital: Moroni.
Now, the Mormon connection with the name Moroni is obvious, but the connection with Comoros is probably less so. Before the French colonized the islands in 1841, the Comoros Islands were known by its Arabic name “Camora.” And it’s this name that bears a resemblance to Cumorah, the hill where Moroni deposited the gold plates—a resemblance made all the more striking by the fact that in the first (1830) edition of the Book of Mormon, Cumorah was uniformly spelled “Camorah.”
Mere coincidence?
This observation isn’t new. It has been discussed at various ex-Mormon sites for years. Because these sites are not always reliable, I was hesitant to conclude anything. It seemed unlikely that a young Joseph Smith would have been aware of an obscure archipelago thousands of miles away. And despite being a very old Arabic settlement, the city Moroni didn’t become the capital of the Comoros until 1958. Few maps before then even made reference to it.
Upon further research, however, it became increasingly plausible that Joseph Smith could have known about the Comoros. Last night, I read an article in the Mormon studies journal Dialogue entitled “From Captain Kidd’s Treasure Ghost to the Angel Moroni.” The author Ronald V. Huggins argues that the angel Moroni might have evolved from folklore about treasure guardian ghosts. It’s a lengthy article, so I’ll only address those points relevant to the Book of Mormon-Comoros connection.
The article details Joseph Smith’s familiarity with the infamous pirate Captain William Kidd. This is important in establishing the plausibility that Smith knew about the Comoros, because Kidd and other notable pirates visited those islands. Kidd in particular lost a third of his crew to cholera there and was hanged for crimes he committed in the vicinity of Moroni.
Consider the following evidence from the article that Smith was aware of Captain Kidd:
Palmyra natives Philetus B. Spear and Pomeroy Tucker both recall (though decades later) that Smith enjoyed reading about Captain Kidd and his adventures. Historian James H. Tucker, in his 1888 book Early Day of Mormonism, writes that the autobiography of Captian Kidd “made a deep impression upon [Smith].”
Joseph Smith and his family were intimately involved in “money-digging,” a practice where hidden treasure was sought using diving rods or seer stones. On some of their money-digging ventures, it appears the Smiths were after Kidd’s treasure. Several sources attest to this, but the earliest is an 1844 letter to Joseph Smith by his former Vermont neighbors: “If you studied piracy while digging for the money your Father pretended old Bob Kidd [William Kidd was also known as Robert or Bob] buried, you should also have studied the fate of the pirates.”
And lastly, the early Mormon hymn “How Precious is the Name” is set to the tune of a popular song about Captain Kidd.
So what does all this prove? Nothing, conclusively. But it does strongly suggest that Smith was familiar with Captain Kidd, and—through Kidd—might also have been familiar with the Comoros and its capital Moroni.
To be sure, my argument is not necessarily that Joseph Smith deliberately plagiarized the names “Cumorah” and “Moroni.” Rather, I just think this adds to the heap of evidence that the Book of Mormon reflects a 19th-century environment where legends about pirates and buried treasure were pervasive.
Interesting. Thanks for posting this and summarizing the attached article so I don’t have to bore myself with long, drawn out stuff.
The article is still worth a read, though. Its argument that the angel Moroni was informed by folklore about treasure guardian ghosts is fascinating.
You ever read “Eary Mormonism and the Magic World View”?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D._Michael_Quinn#Early_Mormonism_and_the_Magic_World_View
Or heard of D. Michael Quinn?
Yes, I’ve read Quinn’s “Mormon Hierarchy” series. But I’m embarrassed to say that I haven’t yet read “Early Mormonism and the Magic World View.”
That is . . . quite embarrassing.
Quinn’s Magic World View is essential reading for anyone serious about this subject. I’m worried that the book, as well as Quinn himself, are misunderstood by both LDS and non-LDS. My feeling is that the arguments Quinn makes in his MWV are ones that should be adopted by believing and informed Latter-day Saints. His readings of Smith are, in my opinion, right on. Those LDS who read this blog would do well to read and take seriously Quinn’s work, if for no other reason than to protect themselves from those who would overstep the bounds of history in their claims. Magic, after all, is a very sexy subject. Too many of the heavy-handed critiques that have been handed down by Smith’s critics utilize the magic connection irresponsibly and, tragically, are hardly ever called on it. While Quinn’s 2nd edition is highly critical of those at FARMS, it would be unfair to view his work as critical of Smith’s prophetic claims, as he himself, while no longer a member of the LDS church, remains an open believer in Joseph Smith.
Quinn’s claim that Smith died with a Jupiter talisman on him has proved to be suspect, right?
I’m hesitant to totally discard it. Reed Durham backed away from his claims, but I believe he did this for reasons other than an unprovable thesis.
Dang, I almost forgot: Nice post, Jon!
That Joseph Smith had a fascination with Kidd (who turned to piracy in the Comoros–BRITANNICA, 1971) but came up with the names “Moroni” and “Cumorah” (“Comora”) independently is about as likely as a Madagascan witch doctor fascinated with Ben Franklin innocently claiming the “Angel Philadelphia” sent him to the sacred hill he called “Pennsylvania.”
Smith quite possibly heard the names “Moroni” and “Comora” from sailors in Salem, Mass., where he recuperated from leg surgery as a child. Salem’s ships were particularly known for sailing “beyond the Cape of Good Hope” (BRITTANICA, 1971). According to Charles Grey’s PIRATES OF THE EASTERN SEAS (1971), “Most of the ships went up to the Comoro Islands” to reprovision after rounding the Cape.
Also, Moroni sits at the foot of the largest shield volcano in the world. Karthala erupted in 1828 while Smith worked on the Book of Mormon. Such news may have found its way to Palmyra.
For more, see my Oct. 2003 EVANGEL article “Kidd stuff or Joe Versus the Volcano.”
Moroni makes more sense coming from a Prophet. Love those Mormons.