Richardson, Richardson and Bentley write that the ancient Americans apparently knew of the crucifixion. According to the finding and conclusions of scholars, the ancient Americans believed that Quetzalcoatl died for the sins of man. They believed their great white god had been whipped and hung from a pole. This is especially convincing (since it does not mention the cross) for those who may argue that the Catholic religion, which came with the first explorers, influenced ancient American legend and folklore. The crucifix was an indispensable token of Catholic regalia and architecture. The ancient Americans said that their god had been lashed and placed on a timber with his arms stretched out. Las Casas, the Mesoamerican historian, called him Baca, the son.
Quetzalcoatl gave the ancient Americans the cross--telling them that he was lifted up on it at his death. It was also said to be a symbolic representation of the tree of Life. (Warren and Ferguson, the Messiah in Ancient America, pp. 77-84) Figure 1 below shows a collection of crosses from Mesoamerica. [Allen H. Richardson, David E. Richardson and Anthony E. Bentley, 1000 Evidences for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Part Two-A Voice from the Dust: 500 Evidences in Support of the Book of Mormon, pp. 56-57] [See the commentary on 2 Nephi 10:5, 1 Nephi 19:10]
Mosiah 15:7 He shall be led, crucified, and slain [[Illustration]]: Figure 1. Mesoamerican crosses: No. 1 is a serpent cross; No. 2, cross shown on Quetzalcoatl's tunic; No. 3, cross from Mayapan, Yucatan; No. 4, cross of Teotihuacan (near Mexico City) with Symbol of Life at the top; No. 5, cross from the tablet of the Foliated Cross Temple at Palenque, Chiapas; No. 6, cross and Tree of Life from Yaxchilan, Guatemala, with serpent-like tail feathers extending from the tail of the bird at the top of the cross; No. 7, tree and cross from the Tablet of the Cross at Palenque, Chiapas. [Allen H. Richardson, David E. Richardson and Anthony E. Bentley, 1000 Evidences for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Part Two-A Voice from the Dust: 500 Evidences in Support of the Book of Mormon, p. 57]