JarMan Posted January 25, 2022 Posted January 25, 2022 (edited) Meet the kunga--part donkey and part wild @ss. Bred in the third millennium BC to pull wagons, they sound a little bit like a curelom or a cumom. Quote 19 And they also had horses, and asses, and there were elephants and cureloms and cumoms; all of which were useful unto man, and more especially the elephants and cureloms and cumoms. They fit the context and time period of Ether 9 very well. There is a tiny problem with the location. (But when has that ever been a problem?) https://www.sciencenews.org/article/kunga-donkey-wild-***-hybrid-biology Edited January 25, 2022 by JarMan
The Nehor Posted January 25, 2022 Posted January 25, 2022 So do you think it is the curelom or the cumom?
James 1 5 Posted January 25, 2022 Posted January 25, 2022 Thank you, JarMan. I have a vested interest in this issue. Since the etymological definitions for curelom and cumom are “mountain sheep” and “plow beast”, one can look to Mesoamerica to see what potential animals existed there that might be candidates. One also needs to consider other animals that had a reasonable potential to exist anciently (3rd millennium BC), even though evidence has not yet been found (for example, extinct animals or existing animals with a reduced habitat range). Various faunal works were consulted, and a liberal initial list of potential animals for evaluation is as follows: Llama Alpaca Tapir Pronghorn Deer (various types) Wapiti Moose Mastodon (extinct) - I think of these as a type of elephant. Mountain goat Bighorn sheep North American bison/buffalo Shrub-ox (extinct) Woodland muskox (extinct) Animals that were mentioned along with curelom and cumom in the Book of Ether were not included in the list (i.e. mammoth for elephant). Some of these animals are also candidates for some of the other classifications (i.e. bison for cattle or ox). https://www.quora.com/What-is-a-curelom-Do-we-think-they-existed-Book-of-Mormon
strappinglad Posted January 26, 2022 Posted January 26, 2022 It seems to me that the original translator of the ether plates was unfamiliar with the animals referred to as cureloms and cumoms. He didn't seem to balk at horses and asses and elephants. Most of the animals named above are difficult if not impossible to domesticate. 2
Robert F. Smith Posted January 26, 2022 Posted January 26, 2022 (edited) 5 hours ago, JarMan said: Meet the kunga--part donkey and part wild @ss. Bred in the third millennium BC to pull wagons, they sound a little bit like a curelom or a cumom. Useful animals in the New World included the caiman, alpaca, vicuña, chinchilla, guinea pig, llama (domesticated guanaco), tapir, agouti, capybara, gomphothere, iguana, turkey, peccary, etc. Sumerian kur means “dragon,” thus suggesting that a curelom might be an iguana -- which are good to eat, and look like small dragons. This might also apply to caimans, which are much larger, and were sought after for meat and hide. However, kur also means "mountain," and Jerry Grover suggests combining this with Sumerian eli, e3-li, e3-li-um "a description of ewes or lambs," to obtain *kur-e3-li-um “mountain-sheep,” or the like. As for the cumom, note that Mayan Cum, “Pot” (God 8), is identified with the front head of the celestial rain dragon (Itzamná “Iguana-house” = Cumhau, Cumku). Itzam “caiman, lizard, large fish” (postclassic God D). Grover, Jerry D., Sumerian Roots of Jaredite-Derived Names and Terminology in the Book of Mormon (Provo: Challex Scientific, 2020). 5 hours ago, JarMan said: They fit the context and time period of Ether 9 very well. There is a tiny problem with the location. (But when has that ever been a problem?) https://www.sciencenews.org/article/kunga-donkey-wild-***-hybrid-biology The extinct Hemippus is a subspecies of the Onager. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onager . EDA: @James 1 5 Edited January 26, 2022 by Robert F. Smith 2
JarMan Posted January 26, 2022 Author Posted January 26, 2022 The nice thing about the kunga is that it actually fits the context for cureloms and cumoms. In a list of beasts of burden, a kunga, which is a known beast of burden, fits nicely. Cureloms and cumoms were described as especially useful and kunga were highly valued and even given as gifts to other rulers. So, another fit. Kunga were bred in the third millennium BC potentially overlapping the Jaredite period. So, three-for-three, now. Throw in the fact that Joseph likely didn't know the word for kunga (even if that word existed in his day) and now you have a potential reason why we got a gibberish word out of it. (Note, though, the common first syllable.) If you're going to accept horses, asses, and elephants I think you have to accept hybrids of those animals, too. Maybe there was an elephant-mammoth hybrid. Or maybe a wildass-horse hybrid. Or maybe a wild horse-donkey hybrid.
rodheadlee Posted January 26, 2022 Posted January 26, 2022 4 hours ago, JarMan said: Meet the kunga--part donkey and part wild @ss. Bred in the third millennium BC to pull wagons, they sound a little bit like a curelom or a cumom. They fit the context and time period of Ether 9 very well. There is a tiny problem with the location. (But when has that ever been a problem?) https://www.sciencenews.org/article/kunga-donkey-wild-***-hybrid-biology Hey, we have those in the canyon. The idiot city people keep hitting them It really makes me mad. There are signs everywhere.
strappinglad Posted January 26, 2022 Posted January 26, 2022 Elephants and cureloms and cumoms seem to be grouped as animals useful to man. I don't think it means useful as a food source ,but as beasts of burden. How is the Asian elephant used today ? They are used to move trees and logs etc. They also pull heavy loads. They might have been used as war machines a la Hannibal . So, I personally don't see cureloms and cumoms as small beasts. I imagine such beasts as useful in clearing the jungle growth for making cities.
MacGyver Posted January 26, 2022 Posted January 26, 2022 Llama and Alpaca are the most likely candidates.
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