Yaxchilan as Zarahemla

The temple at Yaxchilan. The buildings were oriented towards the winter solstice.



The stairway that one had to climb in order to pay tribute to the king of Yaxchilan.


"An archaeological survey in the rain forest on the border between Mexico and Guatemala is revealing a series of stone walls that were used to defend the border between the warring Maya kingdoms of Yaxchilan and Piedras Negras."(Photo courtesy of the Sierra del Lacandon Regional Archaeology Project) - from "Archaeology Magazine" Vol.64 Number 5 Sept.- Oct. 2011.


The "Times and Seasons" newspaper 1842: The declaration of Zarahemla being in Guatemala and the “narrow neck of land” being in Central America, occurred while the Prophet Joseph Smith was serving as Editor of the Times and Seasons.

The Guatemalan Zarahemla hypothesis originated with an 1842 Mormon newspaper article ..... "Behold the back pass, through the back wall, on the back side of the city" - from the Book of Mosiah.
Samuel the Lamanite - He returned to Zarahemla but the people would not let him into the city. So he climbed up on a wall and prophesied. Samuel said that within 400 years heavy ..."

Yaxchilan was protected in the front by a surrounding bend in the Usumacinta river but the back of the city was protected by a wall.


"The building on the right has more entrances and it is completely dark inside, so bats live there, careful when you walk as they fly really low. If you are scared of dark, take a torch with you. With or without a torch, it is going to take you a while to get out of the building through one of the halls. No wonder the building has always been called a labyrinth. It was the first time I saw this kind of building in the ruins of native Indians and I really enjoyed it. It was fun!" - travel blog.




The Rio Usumacinta which flows south to north in direction.


Yaxchilan laberinto - a labyrinth at Yaxchilan.


On the way to Yaxchilan along the Usumacinta River.



The capital city Zarahemla lay near the west bank of the Sidon river (Alma 2:25), The river Sidon empties into the sea downstream from Zarahemla (Alma 3:3).


"Yaxchilan is an ancient Maya city located on the bank of the Usumacinta River in what is now the state of Chiapas, Mexico. In the Late Classic Period Yaxchilan was one of the most powerful Maya states along the course of the Usumacinta, with Piedras Negras as its major rival. Architectural styles in subordinate sites in the Usumacinta region demonstrate clear differences that mark a clear boundary between the two kingdoms.
Yaxchilan was a large center, important throughout the Classic era, and the dominant power of the Usumacinta River area. It dominated such smaller sites as Bonampak, and had a long rivalry with Piedras Negras and at least for a time with Tikal; it was a rival of Palenque, with which Yaxchilan warred.
The site is particularly known for its well-preserved sculptured stone lintels set above the doorways of the main structures. These lintels, together with the stelae erected before the major buildings, contain hieroglyphic texts describing the dynastic history of the city.
The ancient name for the city was probably Pa' Chan. Yaxchilan means "green stones" in Maya." Was Yaxchilan the city of Zarahemla?





Yaxchilan was built within a surrounding bend in the Usumacinta River and walled. Was the Usumacinta the River Sidon?