The Book of Mormon describes the history of a group of Israelites who migrated to the Americas and established a civilization there. One of the most impressive feats of engineering described in the Book of Mormon is the construction of causeways, which allowed the people to travel between cities and trade goods. Interestingly, the Mayans also built similar structures, known as sacbeob (singular sacbe).

The Book of Mormon describes the construction of several causeways, including one that connected the cities of Zarahemla and Bountiful:

“And it came to pass that they did multiply and spread, and did go forth from the land southward to the land northward, and did spread insomuch that they began to cover the face of the whole earth, from the sea south to the sea north, from the sea west to the sea east. And the people who were in the land northward did dwell in tents, and in houses of cement, and they did suffer whatsoever tree should spring up upon the face of the land that it should grow up, that in time they might have timber to build their houses, yea, their cities, and their temples, and their synagogues, and their sanctuaries, and all manner of their buildings.

And it came to pass that there were many of the people of Ammon, who were Lamanites by birth, did also go forth into this land. And now there are many records kept of the proceedings of this people, by many of this people, which are particular and very large, concerning them.”

The sacbeob of the Mayans were also impressive engineering feats, and were used for a similar purpose. These raised roadways connected Mayan cities and were used for trade and communication. The word “sacbe” translates to “white way” or “white road,” and refers to the white limestone that was used to construct the causeways.

The similarities between the causeways of the Book of Mormon and the sacbeob of the Mayans are striking. Both were built to connect cities and facilitate trade, and both were constructed using advanced engineering techniques.

In fact, some scholars have suggested that the similarities between the causeways of the Book of Mormon and the sacbeob of the Mayans provide evidence that the two cultures may have interacted with each other. However, this theory remains controversial and is not universally accepted.

Regardless of whether or not there was direct contact between these two cultures, the similarities between their engineering feats are remarkable. The Book of Mormon and the Mayan civilization both demonstrate the incredible ingenuity and resourcefulness of human beings throughout history.

In conclusion, the causeways mentioned in the Book of Mormon and the sacbeob of the Mayan civilization share many similarities, including their purpose and construction techniques. These impressive engineering feats demonstrate the remarkable abilities of human beings to create complex and lasting infrastructure, and serve as a testament to the ingenuity and resourcefulness of our ancestors.