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Photos from the "Zarahemla Temple" Excavation

11/19/2016

21 Comments

 
-The excavation at the purported site of the "Zarahemla Temple," which I first wrote about here, has apparently already taken place.

As I indicated in my last post on the topic, all indications were that the "temple" property was purchased in January of 2015 (for $300,000) with intent to excavate in the spring of 2015. The (now-defunct) webpage for the project proclaimed that a professional ground-penetrating radar (GPR) survey had identified the location of a rectangular wooden "temple structure" with walls extending 5-22' below the ground surface. Dr. John Melancon, ridiculously billed as "one of the few American archaeologists fully certified to conduct digs in Israel because of his training in Hebrew archaeology" was supposed to head up the investigation.

I found a series of photos of the excavation on the Hidden in the Heartland group on Facebook. The photos were posted over a period of several days in May of 2015. They show Wayne May, Melancon (I think), a camera crew, and a gaggle of volunteers excavating in a field. Unsurprisingly, the photos do not show the discovery or excavation of a 20' wooden wall associated with a burned temple. The only "artifacts" pictured are a table full unidentifiable rocks, including a small round one which seems to have been the star of the show (many pictures of that).  Over the course of several days, the strategy apparently moved from hand excavation blocks (n = 2?), to dowsing, to bulldozing, all apparently in effort to locate a wall that's not there. 

If you enjoy looking at photos of a sloppy, sandy excavation that careens from optimism to desperation over the course of just a few days, I encourage you to go and look at the photos yourself (I suspect they won't be there for long). Here are few samples:
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A hand excavation block in progress (first day of excavation?); image posted on May 11, 2015.
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Looking for something in the wall using a metal detector?
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The wooden wall has to be down there somewhere, right? (this image is posted as "end of day 1").
Picture
Wayne May employing the always-worth-a-shot dowsing technology (day 2?).
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Hand excavation takes too long, I guess (day 3?).
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Anybody see a wall yet?
Anyone with any serious archaeological background will immediately recognize this effort for what it is: an undisciplined treasure hunt. Here's my summary on what I think happened (I wasn't there, of course, so this is conjecture). The goal of this effort was to find a buried wall that someone told them was there (based on GPR data that they didn't understand). The effort begins with using actual tape measures, nails, and string to lay out excavation blocks. These blocks were placed in areas where they should have come down on the walls of Zarahemla. After starting relatively carefully, however, impatience quickly sets in when all that materializes is more and more sand. Various additional "technologies" (i.e., metal detectors and dowsing rods) are employed to solve the mystery of where the walls are, and the units are aggressively dug downward because surely those walls are down there somewhere. This effort begins by tunneling down by hand in the excavation blocks, but even eventually impatience wins here also and mechanical excavation equipment is desperately used to blow a big crater into the earth. And still there are no walls. And so the dirt is pushed back in the holes and everyone goes home.

Or perhaps I'm totally wrong and this was a very careful, precise effort that located and responsibly documented all kinds of cultural wonders. There was film crew there, so maybe the "temple excavations" appear in one of the episodes of "Hidden in the Heartland." I hope they do -- then I can see if I'm right.
21 Comments
Sara link
11/19/2016 06:43:18 am

My god.

Reply
Jim
11/19/2016 08:02:45 am

Looks like it started out as a small BYOB affair (bring your own bucket) and grew to a "Bring your own backhoe" extravaganza ! Oh well, back to Oak Island where they always find wood.

Reply
Clint Knapp
11/22/2016 10:14:40 pm

While the heavy machinery pictured is a bulldozer, not a backhoe, it is worth noting that Burlington, Iowa, just to the north is regarded the Backhoe Capital of the World thanks to one of the larger employers in town being the Case factory... You might be onto something.

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Peter Geuzen
11/19/2016 08:57:07 am

I think you missed a step, based on the air photo interpretation we did. After the majority of the volunteers left, the last one or two people threw all the piled logs seen in the air photos, into the hole. There's your wall or walls. Backfilll over top, dupe someone to fund a second effort, come back and miraculously you make the discovery to rewrite history.

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Bob Jase
11/20/2016 08:14:26 am

I note the careful gridding of the area to map finds, the advance dowsing method (plastic rather than outdated wood) and, most of all, the two excavated structures in the 5th photo.

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Jim
11/20/2016 08:44:19 am

It's kinda cool that they found the Temple throne rooms.

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Graham
11/20/2016 04:59:01 pm

After having watched many, many episodes of the (sadly defunct) British TV series Time Team I can say that that is not how you do it. Backhoes and whatnot are used, to remove the topsoil and then only with a qualified archaeologist watching the process to ensure they damage the archaeology as little as possible during this process and then it's down to hand digging to recover the artifacts.

I hope you've taken copies of all of the photographs and websites. This might make for a very interesting episode of the Archy Fantasies podcast.

Reply
Clint Knapp
11/22/2016 10:24:17 pm

Imagine that. They went digging for Nephite ruins in Iowa and found sandy soil in the ever-changing topography of the Mississippi River floodplain.

I will somehow manage to contain my shock and surprise.

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shthar
11/22/2016 10:59:05 pm

and it ends with the land owner showing up.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE!!!!!"

Cue Three Stooges music...

Reply
Paul Wood
7/16/2017 07:56:25 pm

Wow! I've had the sad misfortune of stumbling across this domain. Now, I don't know this Wayne may... but from the looks of things, if you all stood one on top of the others shoulders here, you'd only be able to claim you're still smaller and more petty than Mr May.
I have to admit, its been since playing on the playground in grade school when I could claim to have witnessed such childish, emotional retardation and seething hatred for ones fellow man.
You all must be SO proud.

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Matt
4/12/2018 07:12:38 pm

You've got to admit. That is pretty dang funny.

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Rodney
6/29/2018 09:48:02 pm

Everyone is passionate about something. It seems like criticism is something some of you are passionate about. Wayne was quite over zealous but he didn’t hurt anyone so why all the hateful comments?

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Duane Dimick
7/27/2018 05:17:29 am

I undetstand Mr. Mays passion. I am passionate about the book of mormon too. I'm glad hes out there trying to prove the books truth by produceing physical evidence for it. There are a multitude of reasons we should be grateful for people like him. But they, by devine cannot succeed . Abousolute truth through physical evidence is not going to happen. As you know this would violate the most precious princple of agency. God will not allow that.

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Lisa link
9/27/2018 07:00:28 pm

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5pgZbsNqurc

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Bill E
1/21/2019 05:59:00 pm

It's easy to armchair quarterback Wayne's efforts. There is so much other than this site that Wayne has shed light on that nobody makes a peep about - presumably because it's pretty solid in its detail and can't really be refuted. Many don't listen to him because he's not a 'professional'. Ironically, the professionals have done all they can to suppress what Wayne has shed light on. One has to wonder what the professionals have to hide (other than their bought and paid for credentials).

Reply
Andy White
1/21/2019 06:00:59 pm

So what's the best "irrefutable" evidence that Wayne May has produced, Bill?

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Deb F
9/3/2019 08:18:36 am

Looking for archaeological evidence to support a belief is shaky territory. Since May isn’t an archeologist he can take a leap of faith and not get into too much trouble. I believe he champions the plight of all members of the church who’d like to see a person on their side do the searching that they wish they could do. I feel confident enough in the work he’s done to give him a thumbs up and a pat on the back. Much of it is his interpretation as is most evidence of this kind. If I had to pick something of irrefutable evidence it would be the fortifications that have been found that perfectly match those described in the BOM. Is it irrefutable? No, but nothing is.

Joel
11/21/2019 06:47:23 pm

These comments are revealing just more of a common group mentality of hostile attitudes and prejudices. More predictable group think by non believers of their unmasked condemnations and poking fun at the efforts to find out whether the site had evidence of any archaeological artifacts.

I suggest you who throw ridicule reserve judgements of the purity or impurity of a man's motives, which no one can truly discern, to find physical evidences of something which his (May's) spiritual experiences have told him is deeply compelling.

If people were reading the Book of Mormon and allowing the spirit to guide them as to its great value, and gleaning the profound merits of its lessons, those who are critical at every effort to bring better understanding to the strange work and wonder the Lord has commenced would find a very priceless influence in their minds and would be influenced toward respectful speech for those involved in any meaningful way to help the world realize the value of and spiritual truths contained in the Book of Mormon. It's purpose is reflecting to the world another Testament of Jesus Christ. Reading it to find it's truths is very very rewarding.

There are so many textual evidences, within the words of the book, of complexities and inter-related internal events written about congruently from so many prophetic authors who wrote their experiences in to the Book, that textual consistency and those inter-relationships of events and teachings are sufficient as the single kind of "evidence" of its veracity to prove it is what it purports to be: a true record.

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Camae link
1/28/2020 08:55:49 pm

Seems to me the guy searching for KING TUT'S tomb took many years at great expense, searching and digging until he, by luck, happened to come across the young king's tomb. And when he found it, it was the WOW of the century, and considered the greatest collection of antique wealth ever found. Wayne May believed there was a possibility at this spot, after all didn't Joseph Smith say, he knew Zarahemla had been located on the other side of the Mississ-ippi across from the city of Nauvoo? Well he and many of us were very hopeful, and if someone didn't make and take the courage to find out, how would we ever know? We realized it was taking a chance, still so did the guy search for the young king's tomb. I happen to love taking chances, peeking around the corner, hoping to find something exciting, something new. Kinda like goin' fishin'. Wayne, I hope you won't quit, don't give up. If Joseph said Zarahemla was there, you need to keep looking. It's probable you were just a matter or so many feet from the spot. Thanks for trying this time...and keep trying!.

Reply
Rochelle
11/6/2021 10:25:10 pm

This Zarahemla is not the Book of Mormon Zarahemla, as I understand it. This Zarahemla is the new settlement of the Saints in Iowa, as Joseph Smith told them to do in D&C 125:3: "Let them build up a city unto my name upon the land opposite the city of Nauvoo,and let the name of Zarahemla be named upon it". Any archaeology find would simply be of a 19th century settlement, not ancient BofM origin. Where does it say that Zarahemla in Iowa was BofM Zarahemla? Nowhere that I can find.

Reply
Ed Tillman
8/31/2022 03:07:37 pm

I'm having a hard time seeing this location being the place for the capital city just because Joseph Smith Jr said so. Not here to made any one mad, just want to share my veiw on why I don't see it. I would like to calm down the water.I believe that the Book Of Mormons is the truest account ever writen about pre Columbian visit to Americas. However I do not believe that the Book of Mormons was or is being taught to the fullest,there is more to that book that meets the eye.
I would think that the capital would be in the heart land closes to center as possible. Iowa would work. But when Smith left New York he heads straight to Independece,Mo. This is where Moroni sent him in 1830 after Missouri was declaired a state.in 1820.The same year god talk to him.
He proclaimes it to be the center of Zion,the Garden of Eden the new beginning that year in 1830.After he was killed Young took over and headed to Utah .But before he gets there he was told to look for carvings on the cliffs and he will know he reached his goal.
Independence,Mo has carvings on cliff or rock called the Independence Rune Stone IRS.This stone has possible geographical locations on it one leads to Adem-ondi-Ahman the first center longitude of the new Zion. But this was change after the 1300 Icelandic Geographical Treaty. The new center longitude moved to Pierre S.Dakota where another runestone was found in 1738. That geographical center is also on the IRS and the Nerriganset Rune Stone NRS as well as others.
But before he is able to do much he had to go back to NY and then Missouri declained war on the Mormons. Then coming in with there 10,000 people was enough to upset elections, Smith was arrested and his people head back to ILL. After Smith breaks out of jail after 2 yrs he to gose to ILL.
I think that some of this came to play out the way it did was because he defied Moroni. Moroni told Smith that If he shows or loses any part of the translations from fault of his own he will be smitten (killed) Was he not killed? After he flees MO,and gets back to ILL and comes to Nauvoo its then that he said that Zarahemia was across the river from Nauvoo. I believe it to be in Independence
The mormons was involved with the creation of these runestone long before Columbus. This is where the second time lime comes into play. More on these thories are in my book Heaven Holds the Answer by EG Tillman on Amizon paper or E-book.




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