Zarahemla

Zarahemla
Nephite capital in the Book of Mormon
Baptism of Limhi by George M. Ottinger (1888). Zarahemla is visible in the background.
Named after	Zarahemla (ruler)

Zarahemla (/ˌzærəˈhɛmlə/)^[1] is a land in the Book of Mormon that for much of the narrative functions as the capital of the Nephites, their political and religious center. Zarahemla has been the namesake of multiple communities in the United States, has been alluded to in literature that references Mormonism, and has been portrayed in artwork depicting Book of Mormon content.

Most adherents of the Latter Day Saint movement regard the Book of Mormon as a translation of a genuinely historical text from the ancient Americas (a belief that mainstream academic archaeology does not corroborate). Some adherents have speculated about where Zarahemla would have been located or attempted to find archaeological evidence of it. Such attempts have been unsuccessful.

Zarahemla is described as being near the mouth of a prominent river which the Book of Mormon calls the Sidon River and this river is described as flowing northward into the sea. The book further describes Zarahemla as being south of the Land of Bountiful and immediately south of a "narrow neck of land" that separates the southern land (which includes Zarahemla) from a northern land. Zarahemla is described as being north of the Land of Nephi and the Land of Nephi is described as being north of the Land of First Inheritance. Narrow "strips of wilderness" are described as surrounding Zarahemla on the west, east and south of the River Sidon. The Book of Mormon claims Zarahemla has significant ore deposits full of gold, silver, and copper.