John Sorenson asks, Where would the land of Antionum be located [in the Americas]? It was a zone in the east sector where Lamanite influence was expanding into and colliding with the Nephite sphere. . .
The Book of Mormon student will notice that in the future textual story, Moroni will clear the east wilderness of Nephites and establish a "line" separating the Nephites from the Lamanites. This line will run in a "straight course from the east sea to the west" (Alma 50:8, 11).
According to Sorenson's geographical model, a line marking the limit of Mayan languages and culture runs through this east central area. This border apparently held at the time of the Spanish conquest, just as it had many centuries earlier in Classic times. . . . Taking the Lamanite-Nephite line as the Mayan/non-Mayan boundary near the Seco River, the land of Antionum would seem to fall just beyond [towards the east--Sorenson's "south"], on the Mayan side. Since there was at least one named hill in the land of Antionum (Alma 32:4), it was likely situated at the edge of the foothills rather than on the open, flooded plain nearer the sea. Around Teapa or Pichuacalco, Chiapas, or even as far seaward as near Villahermosa, the setting fits the requirements; archaeological materials of appropriate date are also found in the vicinity. Gareth Lowe puts his "Mixe-Zoque/Maya interaction zone," a cultural boundary across which he sees long-lasting conflict, at this precise point. [John L. Sorenson, An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon, F.A.R.M.S., p. 251] [See the commentary on Alma 50:8]
Alma 31:3 Antionum (Illustratrion): John Sorenson's proposed site for Antionum (around Teapa or Pichuacalco, Chiapas, or even as far seaward as near Villahermosa). Archaeological Map of Middle America: Land of the Feathered Serpent. Produced by the Cartographic Division, National Geographic Society, 1972.
A Land Which They Called Antionum Borders
According to Grant Harris, Alma 31:3 demonstrates clearly that Mormon considered geographical detail an important part of his record. Why else would such detail have been included?
Let us review the verse: "Now the Zoramites had gathered themselves together in a land which they called Antionum, which was east of the land of Zarahemla, which lay nearly bordering upon the seashore, which was south of the land of Jershon, which also bordered upon the wilderness south, which wilderness was full of the Lamanites." (Alma 31:3)
It seems that this verse establishes the four borders of the land of Antionum:
1. The west border: This border "was east of the land of Zarahemla," which probably means the general land of Zarahemla because this verse seems to be establishing definite borders and the borders of the local land of Zarahemla probably did not reach this far.
2. The east border: This border "lay nearly bordering upon the seashore," but how close to the seashore? What does the word "seashore" mean? Is it the beach by the ocean or does it extend farther inland? and if so, how far? If we assume a Mesoamerican setting and also assume that the term "wilderness" is represented by mountains, then perhaps the term "seashore" has reference to all or a good part of the flatland between the mountain wilderness and the sea. [See the commentary on Alma 22:27]
3. The north border: This border was "south of the land of Jershon." Apparently now there were three territories on the east of the general land of Zarahemla. On the far north (east) was the land of Bountiful (Alma 27:22), in the middle (east) was the land of Jershon (Alma 27:22, 31:3), and on the south (east) was the land of Antionum.
4. The south border: This border was "the wilderness south, which wilderness was full of the Lamanites." Was this a distinct wilderness area called the "Wilderness South"? Or was Mormon just designating an area which was south of the land of Antionum? or both? [Grant Harris, personal communication] [See the commentary on Alma 16:7]