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I’m saddened to hear of Diane’s passing. This article has some wonderful thought-starters that hopefully other scholars can take and run with. Her quote from Gillette’s “Shaman’s Secret” was enlightening. Certainly the fish motif deserves further exploration.
Diane’s work in Mesoamerica has shed light on some very interesting correlations to Book of Mormon historicity and theology. I was impressed with her earlier work on infant baptism in her “Decoding Ancient America”, so predominant (and unique) in Mormon’s commentary/narrative through various parts of the Book of Mormon.
Hoping that others (Mesoamericanists) can build on her work in shedding more light on the worlds of the Olmec and Mayan cultures.
I don’t see how any serious Book of Mormon researcher could reasonably deny that Stela 5 was a Nephite artifact and that therefore Izapa was a Nephite city about 500 to 400 BC.
However, it is contrary to the text of the Book of Mormon and to the Lord’s purpose of scattering Israel that the Nephites remained confined in Mesoamerica for the next 800 years.
Sorry to hear about the passing of Diane Wirth.
Her article is very interesting. I had never heard of this fish motif connecting human souls to the premortal and postmortal life. It brings to mind:
“And I, God, made the firmament and divided the waters, yea, the great waters under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament, and it was so even as I spake.
And I, God, called the firmament Heaven; and the evening and the morning were the second day.” (Moses 2:7-8)
There are “waters” above and below the firmament of Heaven. A fish would be a good symbol for a soul passing through these waters.