The tree of life in archaeology

[All-American]

Originally Posted by Solon

The tree is an important symbol in Maya culture as well. It connects the underworld (the roots of the tree) with the overworld (the high branches). We live in the middle world, and Maya religion (so archaeologists et. al. conjecture) dealt very much with accessing these upper and lower realms and receiving communication with their divine inhabitants. The tree intersects and connects all three worlds, while other places, holy places, represent limnal realms where the worlds meet. Mountains represent the connection between middle and upper worlds; thus (some think), the Maya temples were artificial mountains, intended to replicate this limnal location. Caves were also boundary areas between middle and lower worlds, and the entrances atop the pyramids might have been symbolic of cave openings.

At any rate, the idea of a mountain being a place of connection and communion between heaven and earth is a better comparanda (IMO) between "indigenous" American and Ancient Near East cultures. It wouldn't be a strong case, since I'm sure many cultures independently came to consider mountains holy places, but it's an interesting phenomenon throughout the ANE and even early mormonism. The pyramids of Egypt are supposed to be artificial mountains, as are the ziggurats of ancient mesopotamia; the temple in jerusalem is called "the mountain of the lord" and is located on Mt. Moriah; when the pioneers arrived in Salt Lake, they observed their temple ceremonies on Ensign Peak.

Hmm. As a link to all three worlds, that makes it very comparable to the Temple itself. I admit, I had never thought of the Tree of life as being so intrinsically linked with the temple. That makes 1 Nephi all the more interesting.