Book of mormon metal plates

Because the plates were written in a language comparable to hebrew, sjodahl had fourteen pages of the english book of mormon translated into hebrew and written out. Ancient metal plates book of mormon archaeological forum. Problems with the gold plates of the book of mormon christian. Metal plates and the book of mormon book of mormon central. Religious studies center, brigham young university, 1990, 20919. The book is made of a set of twelve metal plates, each measuring six inches 15 cm in width, eight inches 20 cm in length approximately half an inch 1. Archaeologists discover golden plates believed to be linked.

Although it is uncertain how much joseph smith or his associates knew about such discoveries in 1829, it is clear that the book of mormon and its discussion of metal plates fit in remarkably well with these findings from antiquity. These articles produced the first knowledge of the nephite people in modern. You can read the testimonies of the witnesses at the beginning of the book of mormon. This doesnt mean, however, that the nephites exclusively kept records on metal plates. According to mormon lore, smith claimed to receive the few plates from moroni in 1827 and from them translated the book of mormon. We do not have the book of mormon metal plates available to us. Previous studies have succeeded in demonstrating the widespread practice of writing on metal plates in antiquity.

The book of mormon plates religious studies center. The brass plates of laban in jerusalem prior to the invasion of babylon. After the translation was completed, however, joseph reported. Those implausible golden plates of the book of mormon. Mormon abridged this record in his plates, and joseph smith translated it, but since it was lost by martin harris, very little is now known about it except what can be inferred from references in other texts brown, pp. Temple study lds temples, mormon temples, study blog march 29, 2011 at 7. When it first appeared, the book of mormon was attacked for the alleged absurdity of having. The plates of darius i, ruler of persia from 518515 b.

The plates he held referred to several other sets of plates and records, an understanding of which is necessary to understand the book of mormon. Metals, weapons, and the book of mormon mormon answersldsfaq. The small plates of nephi and the words of mormon religious. The first edition of the book of mormon was typeset from that printers manuscript. Archaeologists discover golden plates believed to be. Metals and golden plates in mesoamerica, daniel johnsons 2010 bmaf lecture fair mormon. Why have no engraved metal plates or stone been found in the new.

Sloan in the preface to the 1830 edition of the book of mormon, joseph smith wrote that the lost 116 pages included his translation of the book of lehi, which was an account abridged from the plates of lehi, by the hand of mormon. More details about ancient metal plates from the bbc. Sources from which this record was compiled include the following. The abridgments, quotations, and original writings of those book of mormon historians are displayed on the lefthand and middle columns of this chart and are then shown in relation to the new set of plates produced by mormon and moroni that was delivered to joseph smith by the angel moroni.

Book of mormon plates and records the encyclopedia of. Can someone learn about god by reading the book of mormon. The book of mormon plates brigham young university. The most significant witnesses are the three witnesses and the eight witnesses, all of whom allowed their names to be used on two separate statements included with the book of mormon. It is interesting to note that the 20 chapters of the book of mormon isaiah, hand copied from the brass plates by the nephite prophets, and translated into english by joseph smith, by the gift and power of god, represent the most correct and the most ancient record of the book of isaiah in existence. After the death of the prophet mormon, who was the compiler of plates called by his name, his son moroni continued on the work by adding his own book book of moroni and then also translated and abridged part of the 24 gold plates of ether, which translation is. Ancient sealed metal plates with perhaps secret temple.

Jun 17, 2014 the story of the gold plates is an absolutely essential part of the mormon narrative, for in the eyes of many latterday saints, the coming forth of this record, and its subsequent translation into the book of mormon, legitimizes their belief that smith was indeed a prophet sent by god to restore the true christian faith lost long ago due to a. An account written by the hand of mormon, upon plates taken from the plates of nephi palmyra, ny. Book of mormon archaeology and anthropology byu studies. The issue of inscribed metal plates in stone boxes has been so effectively laid to rest by modern archaeology that latterday saints hardly remember when it was one of mormonisms most prevalent and scathing criticisms. Did others in lehis jerusalem inscribe records on metal plates. The various plates and records referred to in the book of mormon and used in making it are 1 the plates of brass. Five compelling archeological evidences for the book of mormon. Four kinds of metal record plates are spoken of in the book itself. The book of mormon is a sacred record of peoples in ancient america and was engraved upon metal plates.

Nov 03, 2017 joseph smith claimed he translated the book of mormon from a set of golden plates that were given to him by an angel named moroni. Book of mormon central evidences of the book of mormon. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the plates of mormon translated by joseph smith and show how the other nephite records were used to produce the book of mormon. Their script, according to the book, was described as. Metals and golden plates in mesoamerica, daniel johnsons. The archaeology of the book of mormon begins with a stone box and a set of metal plates. Inclusion within the bmc archive does not imply endorsement. The following is from the introduction to the 1981 ed. The mormon church owns the property and it certainly has the financial means to do so. The book of mormon is a sacred record of peoples in ancient america, and was engraved upon sheets of metal.

The book of mormons description of sacred records written on bronze plates fits quite nicely in the cultural milieu of the ancient eastern mediterranean recent reevaluation of the evidence now points to the fact that the book of mormons description of sacred records written on bronze plates fits quite nicely in the cultural milieu of the ancient eastern mediterranean. The book of abraham makes the book of mormon look stupid. I will attempt in this paper to provide a fuller historical context by focusing specifically on the evidence for the use of bronze and other metal plates. Metal plates and the book of mormon jeff lindsays site. The implausible metal plates of book of mormonimplausible. The responsibility for maintaining and adding to this record, begun by the first people who left jerusalem, was passed along from generation to generation. The book of mormon tells how these events were meticulously recorded on metal plates. Contents archaeological trends and the book of mormon origins.

The book of mormon was translated and published in 1830 from an ancient record inscribed on plates that had the appearance of gold. Copying that original manuscript, parts of which survive today, oliver cowdery prepared a printers manuscript owned by the rlds church. As with many other attacks on the book of mormon, something that seemed silly in 1830 is strong evidence of authenticity today. He followed in the footsteps of his father, mormon after whom the book of mormon is named as keeper of an ancient record detailing the history and eventual destruction of their people, the nephites, by their enemies, the lamanites. Those who witnessed to the book of mormon described it as being engraved onto thin golden plates, which were bound together with dc shaped rings. There are a number of evidences of ancient cultures engraving records in metal plates. His approach to anachronistic items such as horses, cattle, elephants, silk, and steel is to complain it is rash to point to these things when one recalls that experts in prior years were absolutely certain there were no such things in the book of mormon times as metal plates, cement, or barley.

When the angel moroni first appeared to joseph smith on the night of 21 september 1823, he said there was a book deposited, written upon gold plates joseph smith history 1. Tumbaga golden plates improvement era article shields. Problems with the gold plates of the book of mormon. Book of mormon lessons archives teaching children the gospel. Centuries later, as mormon was abridging nephis large plates, he came across the small plates. Because the plates were written in a language comparable to. That we have a trope entry on the book of mormon, a book of scripture used by the church of jesus christ of latterday saints and its splinter groups alongside the bible and the canonized revelations of their founder joseph smith and a few other past leaders of the lds church. Book of mormon plates and records the encyclopedia of mormonism. These records were later abridged to create the plates of mormon, or the gold plates that joseph smith translated. Both questions are addressed on a separate web page, metal plates and the book of mormon. Items in the bmc archive are made publicly available for noncommercial, private use. Latter day saint movement and engraved metal plates wikipedia. This volume features articles on archaeological and anthropological aspects of the book of mormon, such as the use of the wheel in ancient america, hagoth and the polynesian tradition, the mulekites, ancient writing in the americas, and the use of metal plates in the ancient world.

The book itself discusses other metal documents, including the brass plates, 20, four gold, jared plates and the underlying knee fight texts from which mormon created his abridgement. The precious metal that the world will go for even to the extent of penning the rivers and streams to find its course of origin whether that gold plate was really gold. Janne sjodahl discusses how the book of mormon would have taken up less space on the plates than in its current translated and printed form. Daniel johnson in his 2010 book of mormon archaeological forum presentation. Modern discoveries now support the idea that writing on metal was a very common ancient practice in both the old world and the new world. The prophet ether recorded the devastation on twentyfour metal plates that were later discovered by nephites and appended to their own writings. The etymology of zyf and a metallurgical analysis of the book of mormon plates online pdf, accessed november, 2015, 79. The translation continues from the rest of the plates of mormon, which were abridged from the large plates of nephi, and includes the books of mosiah, alma, helaman, 3 nephi, 4 nephi, and mormon the last two chapters of which were written by moroni. Metal ore usually has a mixture of various metals in it. The book of mormon witnesses are a group of contemporaries of joseph smith who claimed to have seen the golden plates from which smith translated the book of mormon.

Joseph dictated the original manuscript of the book of mormon from the plates of mormon. Tvedtnes, the book of mormon and other hidden books. Golden plates to book of mormon more about the plates the pages were thin sheets of metal. Others were later privileged to see the plates and some even hefted them and leafed through the plates themselves. It almost seems a shame to use up one of my 5 evidences here. Henrichsen, how witnesses described the gold plates, journal of book.

There are numerous examples of ancient writing on metal plates. The video is the third in book of mormon centrals evidence video series, the two previous videos being one on the archaeological evidence for the place called nahom, mentioned by nephi 1 nephi 16. Why is words of mormon at the end of the small plates. We cannot heft them, examine the engravings, or handle the leaves. Gold and silver are often mixed together in an alloy called electrum. Engraved metal plates hold a special significance in the latter day saint movement because in 1827, the founder of that religion, joseph smith, claimed to have obtained a set of engraved golden plates from an angel and from them translated the book of mormon, a religious text of that religious tradition. The book of mormon repeatedly emphasizes the utility of metal plates in preserving writings. Mar 22, 2011 more details about ancient metal plates from the bbc temple study lds temples, mormon temples, study blog march 29, 2011 at 7.

Ancient sealed metal plates with perhaps secret temple texts. Evidence has been found revealing that important messages were engraved into metal objects at the time just prior to the captivity of babylon. Thus, the present book of mormon contains only the second account of early nephite history. The history and doctrine from these other records weave in and out of the text of the plates of mormon and combine together into a harmonious testament of jesus christ. Apr 25, 2019 to date, thousands of ancient metal documents have been discovered all over the world, including the mediterranean and near east. Mormon and moroni, the book says, had abridged earlier historical records from other sets of metal plates. In translating the plates of mormon, joseph smith learned that many other records and plates were kept and preserved by the family of lehi. This video discusses the many discoveries over the last century of ancient engraved metal plates, some in stone boxes and some bound with rings, which reverse all of the scoffing from critics in. The plates were written in a language called reformed egyptian. In the past critics of the book of mormon have attacked the alleged absurdity of the book of mormon having been written on golden plates and its claim of the existence of an early sixth century b.

When mormon decided to include the small plates with the rest of his abridgment, he gave an editorial explanation for why this material was included words of mormon 1. Moroni, as a mortal man, was the last author of the book of mormon, burying the metal plates upon which it was recorded, some 421 years after the birth of christ. All these records are referred to as plates because they were engraved on thin sheets of metal. The small plates covered many of the same events described in the large plates that mormon had already abridged, but the small plates focused more on spiritual matters and the ministry and teachings of the prophets. The book of mormon is the main piece of holygodgiven writ that distinguishes mormonism from catholicism and the. The text of the book of mormon itself refers to nephis seeking ore from which to make his plates.

Another characteristic of the book of mormon text that makes one skeptical about its having been engraved on metal plates where space was precious, is the extreme wordiness of many passages. Mormon apologist john tvedtnes doubts that the hill cumorah contains any caves. In addition to the golden plates, the book of mormon refers to several other sets of books. The book of mormon claims that a record was kept on brass plates prior to the invasion and captivity of babylon. The book of mormon has been described as the bible of north america i. Items do not represent the official views of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints or of book of mormon central. Metal plates and the book of mormon the law was engraven upon the plates of brass. Sjodahl journal of book of mormon studies 101 2001. Jacob through words of mormon, to learn with joy, eds. The use of metal plates upon which records are inscribed is fairly well attested throughout the middle and far east from many centuries before to many centuries after lehi, but none so far appear to be from lehis seventhcentury bc judea. Logically, the book of mormon plates could have been composed of these two metals. Without doubt, the high point of the book of mormon is recorded in third nephi. Is the book of mormon like other ancient metal documents.

Introduced at the beginning of every copy of the book of mormon are the testimonies of the three and eight witnesses these three witnesses all over calgary, david whitmer and martin harris wrote that they were shown the plates by an angel who also attested to them that joseph smith translated the book by the gift and power of god. When he was finished translating the plates he gave them back to the angel who he claimed has them in his charge joseph smith history 1. Eldin ricks, the small plates of nephi and the words of mormon, in the book of mormon. Also see ancient metal plates by daniel johnson book of mormon archaeological foundation, 2011. However, the golden plates are just one of many known and reputed metal plates with significance in the latter day saint movement. Moroni, the last scribe who had charge of the plates, placed them inside a box made of stones cemented together.

Since then, researchers have found several examples of ancient metal plates, gold plates, and plates with rings. On a page of my ldsfaq section of this website, i provide evidence that the concept of ancient people writing sacred scripture on metal plates has found increasing support since the days of joseph smith. Book of mormon the idea of an ancient record on gold plates was one of the most mocked claims of joseph smith. The story of the gold plates is an absolutely essential part of the mormon narrative, for in the eyes of many latterday saints, the coming forth of this record, and its subsequent translation into the book of mormon, legitimizes their belief that smith was indeed a prophet sent by god to restore the true christian faith lost long ago due to a great apostasy. However, plates mentioned in the book of mormon, such as labans plates of brass, ethers 24 gold plates, and the record that moroni eventually buried were all made by cultures that lived in or originally came from the middle east. The book of mormon was written by many ancient prophets who recorded their words on different sets of metal plates. The book of mormon itself refers to a long tradition of writing historical records on plates, of which the golden plates are a culmination see list of plates latter day saint movement. The plates are made of a coppergold alloy and are held together by three dshaped rings, forming a sort of book.