Ether finishes his record and views the end of his people from a cave during the last of at least 13 years. (Ether 13:18,24,31; Ether 14:7,11; Ether 15:14) During this time Shared will place himself on the throne of Coriantumr in "the land of Moron" (Ether 14:6). The text of the Book of Mormon states that the land of Moron "was near the land which is called Desolation by the Nephites" (Ether 7:6), and the land Desolation was "by the narrow pass which led into the land southward" (Mormon 3:5). The final battles of the Jaredites will take place at the hill Ramah. If "by night [Ether] went forth . . . viewing the destructions which came upon the people" (Ether 13:13-14), then could the hill Ramah (Cumorah -- see Ether 15:11) be very far away from the land of Moron, or the land Desolation, or the narrow pass which led into the land southward? [Alan C. Miner, Personal Notes] [See the commentary on Mormon 6:6]
Ether 13:14 [Ether] dwelt in the cavity of a rock ([Illustration]): Ether Hiding in the Cave. "As [Ether] dwelt in the cavity of a rock he made the remainder of this record, viewing the destructions which came upon the people, by night." Artist: Gary Smith. [Thomas R. Valletta ed., The Book of Mormon for Latter-day Saint Families, 1999, p. 641]
Ether Made His Written Records
In Ether 13:14, Moroni states that Ether "made . . . this record." According to Warren and Palmer, it would not be surprising to find evidence for writing in the New World, as it was certainly known in Sumer, the proposed homeland of Jared. However, the Jaredites experienced many catastrophes during the 1200 years before they really developed a distinctive culture. That period quite possibly destroyed all knowledge of the cuneiform practiced in the Old World. Nevertheless, the importance of writing was certainly known.
One evidence for writing during the Olmec period consists of a script on a cylinder seal found in the Valley of Mexico at Tlatilco. Kelley concludes that the unique script (see illustration) is an early form of Olmec writing (Kelly, D.H., 1966:744) [Bruce W. Warren and David A. Palmer, The Jaredite Saga, p. 8-8,10] Carl Jones has written an article comparing the writing on these cylinder seals to the writing on the Anthon transcript (see illustration). [Carl H. Jones, "The 'Anthon Transcript' and Two Mesoamerican Cylinder Seals," Newsletter and Proceedings of the S.E.H.A., Number 122, September 1970] [See the commentary on Ether 3:22]
Ether 13:14 [Ether] made . . . this record (Written Records) [Illustration]: Markings on the inscribed roller stamp ("cylinder seal") found at La Venta, Tabasco, and Anthon Transcript equivalents. [Carl H. Jones, "The 'Anthon Transcript' and Two Mesoamerican Cylinder Seals," Newsletter and Proceedings of the S.E.H.A., Number 122, September 1970]