Anachronisms in the Book of Mormon 1000 years before the Jaredite record in the Book of Mormon begins. The main point of contention is how late these animals were present in the Americas before becoming extinct. Various Mormon authors have cited evidence that North American mound-builder cultures were familiar with the elephant. The oldest mound-builder societies date to around 2000 BC. The mound builder/elephant controversy did not originate with the Book of Mormon. In "The Mound Builders, Their Works and Relics", author Stephen Dennison Peet cites instances of exhumed mastodon remains and arguments given for why the remains were believed to be contemporary with mound builders.
Perry Mastodon Perry Mastodon Perry Mastodon (sometimes called "Perry, the Mastodon") is the name for some mastodon skeletal remains that were discovered along Riford Road in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. The remains were found on the property of Judge Joseph Sam Perry and Mrs. Nelle Perry on October 16, 1963, thus inspiring naming the remains after them. The remains can be seen in a recreated state on the campus of Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois at the science building, where the Geology Department also is housed. The mastodon inspired some Wheaton College alumni to submit "Mastodons" as a suggestion for the school's mascot