Evidence #188 | April 26, 2021

Book of Mormon Evidence: The Frankincense Trail

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Scripture Central

Abstract

Lehi’s journey away from Jerusalem and to the ocean coincides with the only known route through Arabia in antiquity, which was used primarily for the incense trade.

Lehi’s Journey

When Lehi led his family out of Jerusalem, he went down to the Red Sea and encamped in a valley along its borders (1 Nephi 2:5–10).1 After staying at this location, which they called the Valley of Lemuel, for an undefined period of time, they continued their journey, traveling in “nearly a south-southeast direction” (1 Nephi 16:13). They stopped from time to time, but whenever they resumed their journey, they generally maintained this “same direction” (v.14), continuing on in “nearly the same course” (v. 33) until they reached a place called Nahom (v. 34). From there, they went “nearly eastward” until they arrived at a coastal location they called Bountiful (1 Nephi 17:1–6).

This travel narrative—featuring a long north-south journey parallel to the Red Sea, which eventually transitions into a substantial east-west journey that ends at the ocean—follows the broad outlines of the Frankincense Trail in ancient Arabia.

Main trade routes in western Arabia in Lehi’s time. Image and caption via Warren P. Aston, “Across Arabia with Lehi and Sariah: ‘Truth Shall Spring out of the Earth,’” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 15, no. 2 (2006): 11.

The Frankincense Trail

The Frankincense Trail was an ancient trade route that began in the Dhofar region of southern Oman. From there, merchants transported incense and other luxury items westward through the South Arabian kingdoms of Yemen, and then northward along the western edge of the Arabian Peninsula, on a route that paralleled the Red Sea. Once reaching the northern end of the Red Sea, caravans could take trails leading to Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, and other places to sell their lucrative goods.2

Image via Richard Wellington and George Potter, “Lehi’s Trail: From the Valley of Lemuel to Nephi’s Harbor,” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 15, no. 2 (2006): 29.

The most detailed information on the ancient incense trade comes from Greco-Roman times, when trade in Arabian aromatics was at its height. Various sources, however, make it clear that the export of South Arabian luxury goods to other parts of the ancient Near East was already happening by the 8th century BC, and possibly centuries earlier.3

Trade caravans using this route were constrained by two key factors: (1) the availability of provisions, especially food and water; (2) terrain suitable for camels to walk along. The importance of water is obvious—most of the Arabian Peninsula consists of a harsh desert climate, through which travelers could not survive long-term without making regular stops at oases and waterholes.4 Since water is vital to all kinds of life, it was naturally at these places where travelers could find game for hunting and where settlements sprung up to provide travelers with additional provisions.

Areas of fertile land west (red) and east (blue) of the Hijaz mountains. A route east of the Hijaz (the Frankincense Trail) would encounter decreasing fertility between Medina and Najran, a reality that fits Nephi’s account. Image and caption via Richard Wellington and George Potter, “Lehi’s Trail: From the Valley of Lemuel to Nephi’s Harbor,” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 15, no. 2 (2006): 31. 

The harsh conditions also made using horses, mules, or other pack animals impractical. Only the camel was well-suited to travel in such an arid climate, but camels had their own limitations. Because a loaded camel is very top-heavy and their feet do not handle rocky terrain well, steep mountain passes had to be avoided.5

Lehi and Sariah leading camels. Image via churchofjesuschrist.org. 

This limited virtually all traffic through Arabia to a single course along relatively flat ground of sand or gravel, connected by a long chain of oases and waterholes stretching across the length of the Arabian Peninsula, each about a one-day journey apart.6 The trail was not necessarily narrow or confined to a single track, nor was it well-defined or clearly marked. While at times it would go through narrow passes, it generally consisted of a broad course several miles wide, and sometimes included several break-off trails moving in generally the same direction.7 For long stretches, the travelers were in the middle of nowhere, and without a guide or years of experience traveling through the area, it could be easy to get lost or miss the next watering hole.8

Empty Quarter. Wanderers who get lost in this region can quickly die of dehydration. Image via Wikipedia.

Thus, the existence of an established route through the Arabian desert did not eliminate the need for guidance or navigation, nor did it completely alleviate the risks of dehydration and starvation in the desert. The infrastructure of the Frankincense Trail made it possible to survive the long journey, but significant departures from the established route and away from the water, food, and provisions it provided could be disastrous.

Conclusion

It is easy to overlook Nephi’s brief, matter-of-fact, and seemingly insignificant statements about the directions his family traveled. Given the challenges of surviving long-term in the Arabian desert, however, Nephi’s directional statements take on added significance. In his terse account, he provided a basic outline of the only survivable route through Arabia. The ancient Frankincense Trail would have provided food, water, and other vital resources Lehi’s family needed to survive their journey—even as they still faced hunger, thirst, and fatigue at times (1 Nephi 16:35).

Yet, as inexperienced travelers along this route, it is understandable that they still needed the directional guidance of the Liahona, especially since they did not necessarily know the final destination the Lord was leading them to.9 Whether or not they directly followed the Frankincense Trail in all cases, its presence meant that there would certainly have been important oases, waterholes, and huntable game for the Liahona to point them toward along the way (1 Nephi 16:26–31).

Beyond the general outline, Nephi provided specific details that allow for a tight correlation with key sections of the Frankincense Trail. For instance, he mentioned a place called Nahom in close association with the family’s turn “nearly eastward” (1 Nephi 16:34; 17:1). In connection with this major shift in direction, the Frankincense Trail—both the main route and its short-cuts—branched out eastward near the Nihm tribal region, which has been strongly identified as Nahom.10 And then, nearly due east of Nihm, travelers arrive in Dhofar, where Nephi’s Bountiful is most plausibly located and where the Frankincense Trail also ended.11

As Eugene England observed, “the [Frankincense] trail conforms in detail to Joseph Smith’s account of distances, turns, and specific geography.”12 This degree of specificity would not have been evident or obvious based on knowledge of Arabia available in the 1820s.13 According to S. Kent Brown, “Neither Joseph Smith nor anyone else in his society knew these facts. But Nephi did.”14

Further Reading
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