This is Where the Garden of Eden May Have Been

Where was the Garden of Eden? The various books of The Bible certainly pose a lot of questions about the location of places within. We can certainly place locations like the various kingdoms, especially in the New Testament. However, one area is rife with speculation. Today's list takes a closer look at where the Garden of Eden may have been.

One of the more likely places thought to be the original site of the Garden of Eden may have been Iraq. Iraq is home to the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, both contributing to the Fertile Crescent. While it might not seem like a likely place these days, the sands of time have led to many ecological changes in modern Iraq.

Africa is often held up as the Cradle of Life, thanks in part to anthropological studies finding early evidence of mankind's ancestors. This makes a country like Botswana a likely candidate for the Garden of Eden. The country is home to a temperate climate with lush greenery, and plenty of wildlife, and has fossilized river banks that might point to signs of a more vibrant past.

We're staying in Africa for this next contender for the Garden of Eden. Ethiopia has had long ties to Christianity, especially with myths like Prester John persisting for centuries. The climate of Ethiopia could certainly encourage such an idyllic paradise on earth. However, the jury is out as to whether the country is the true home of the Biblical garden.

Iran can be considered part of the Fertile Crescent and has always been situated at the heart of civilizations. Societies have come up and fallen into ruin over thousands of years. This room for growth and prosperity makes for an ideal candidate for the Garden of Eden.

Going back to the Biblical references to the four rivers flowing through the Garden of Eden, Armenia could be an ideal candidate. It has two major rivers flowing through it. A further two have since dried up over thousands of years. Some Christian traditions hold the Garden of Eden to be situated in modern Armenia.

This location is very unlikely, but does bear mention. The early 20th century played host to the Panacea Society. It can be charitably described as a small English Christian cult. While membership was quite low. It never topped more than 80 members at a given time. They held that a small town in England, Bedford, was the true site of the Garden of Eden.

Closing out our list of potential Garden of Eden sites might not be a surprise for members of the Mormon Church. Early leaders of the Mormon Church, including Brigham Young, contended that the Garden of Eden was located in Jackson County, Missouri. Whether that is true is a matter of conjecture, but it is an interesting divergence from conventional thought.