The book of mormon itself portrays the golden plates as a historical record, engraved by two precolumbian prophethistorians from around the year ad 400. The book of mormon ends by describing the demise of the nephite people at the hands of their lamanite counterparts. Book of mormon witness david whitmer, who once owned the document, said it was this text that martin harris showed to charles anthon. The traditional view of the translation process is that joseph smith concentrated on the text written on the gold plates, and the power of god somehow told him what those words meant. What happened to the golden plates after joseph smith. Five compelling archeological evidences for the book of mormon. Archaeologists discover golden plates believed to be. Joseph smith claimed that the book of mormon is his translation of an ancient book written on gold plates that he found buried in a hill. By the 1930s, when ferguson learned about mesoamerican. Even if you werent able to attend, you dont have to miss it. Many lds scholars place the people of the book of mormon in mesoamerica. The plates weighed approximately sixty pounds witnesses of the book of mormon were consistent in their witness that the plates weighed 4060 pound.
Gold plates with writing have also been found in mesoamerica. Language the language on the plates is called reformed egyptian. In addition, the entire story of the book of mormon occurred within a small 500mile radius within mesoamerica. In precolumbian mesoamerica, an alloy called tumbaga was popular.
Part of the strength of book of mormon apologetics depends upon carefully qualifying how the book of mormon was translated. The name mesoamerica is a term used to identify the heartland of a number of significant precolumbian cultures. The geographical, cultural, historical information in the text of this volume fits only in mesoamerica. The golden plates couldnt be made of pure gold the golden plates couldnt be made of pure gold, new era, july. New revelations of the americas before columbus by charles c. Cheesmans, the world of the book of mormon, deseret book, 1978. How a mormon lawyer transformed archaeology in mexicoand ended up losing his faith. The book of mormon as a mesoamerican record book of. Supplementing jeff lindsays book of mormon evidences page.
Josephs preface and a testimonial written by a group of eight witnesses described the plates as having an appearance of gold. Real gold plates discovered across the world third hour. Those implausible golden plates of the book of mormon. The answer to this question is not known, but informed speculation demonstrates that this poses no difficulty. For decades the descendants of lehi, the lightskinned nephites and the darkskinned lamanites, warred against each other until both sides met for a final battle in the land. Indeed, he held that the book of mormon history belonged in mesoamerica. Metals and gold plates in mesoamerica book of mormon. Lund, mesoamerica and the book of mormon is this the place. The scientific legacy of a quest to prove the book of mormon. Blinded by the gold of the pharaohs and the mighty ruins of babylon, book of mormon students. This alloy consisted primarily of gold and copper, and sometimes included silver. Archaeological trends and the book of mormon origins byu. Mormon and moroni, the book says, had abridged earlier historical records from other sets of.
Are there other ancient records like the book of mormon. In many cases, the biblical quotations in the englishlanguage book of mormon, are close, or identical to the equivalent sections of the kjv. John lund is one of the few lds authors to mention these plates recently. As for israel, not only have we found the famous copper scroll of qumran, but two small silver plates from jerusalem that date to the 7 th 6 th century b. In mesoamerica and the book of mormon, he shows a drawing of one. Thus, vogel must come up with a counterexplanation for the book of mormon. The following kinderhook plates mormon infographic is correct. Book of mormon evidence a closer look with brant gardner duration. Exploring the lands of the book of mormon, by joseph allen, sa publishers, orem, utah, 1989, pp.
Historic similarities include time, place, and content. This is an absolute must have book for any lds formerly or currently believing. In the meantime, daniel has written a new paper on gold plates. Kinderhook plates my search for answers to my mormon doubts. If the book of mormon does not truly describe a culture that had access to advanced metallurgy, and all the references therein are translation artifacts or errors, then the nineteenth century witnesses who testified to seeing and handling actual metallic objects from the book of mormon era, including the gold plates, cannot be accepted as. There is interesting evidence for writing on gold plates from mesoamerica that isnt discussed much. Thanks to edward thompson, an archeologist, the peabody.
Mormon gold plates discovered the 100% proven evidence. Nephi says he made his plates of ore after finding gold, silver, and copper ore deposits. In the original book of mormon, however, there was no chapter break. Plates of gold book of mormon archaeological forum. The first surprising detail to notice here is that the hieroglyphics engraved on them are exact copies of the charactors facsimile, even down to their sequence. Learn exactly what the book of mormon says about the use of metals. He also taught them that moroni had traveled from central america to palmyra, newyork dedicating future temple sites along the way. Archaeological and historical evidence jareditesolmecs. Very little gold and silver east of the mississippi 4 no evidence of cement buildings anywhere in eastern u. This similarity in recording time in mesoamerica and book of mormon times is reinforced by each groups parallel narratives of sequential civilizations. How much would the gold plates weigh that momonisms. If the book of mormon is true, why do indians fail to turn white when they become mormons.
Thus to the extent that one believes the evidence points to a nonhistorical book of mormon, it also points to something other than real gold plates under the cloth. Why havent any of the book of mormon proper names such as nephi, laman, zarahemla, etc. The story of their discovery is supported by a large number of similar archeological finds. Thomas stuart fergusons archaeological search for the book of mormon larson, stan on. The reported weight, dimensions, and composition of the gold plates are believable. Thomas stuart ferguson lay in his hammock, certain that he had found. The book of mormon, on the other hand, indicates that the nephites used iron, copper, brass, steel, gold, and silver almost from the first of their history, and the jaredites knew gold, silver, and other metals more than a millennium earlier.
Today farms and a number of mormons in the united states would agree with ferguson and point south when asked where the book of mormon events took place. True book of mormon geography lands western new york model home. Archaeological remains of peccaries have been found in mesoamerica from the. Numerous observers have suggested that the book of mormon appears to be a work of fiction that parallels others within the 19thcentury moundbuilder genre that was pervasive at the time. In mesoamerica and the book of mormon, he shows a drawing of one of them and gives a translation of its. Thomas stuart fergusons archaeological search for the book of mormon. If the gold plates were originally in mesoamerica, how did they get to new york. New church video explains the significance of the gold plates and why we still need them today greyson gurley for latterday saints, the gold plates are immediately associated with the translation of the book of mormon, but when someone asks, what are the gold plates. Here is the document that represents the book of mormon characters on the gold plates. Metals, weapons, and the book of mormon mormon answers. This find is extremely important to latterday saints, since the book of mormon was inscribed with writing on golden plates.
The idea that the book of mormon was engraved onto golden plates and. I purchased this book a few days prior to leaving, had it personalized and signed by him, and read it before, during, and after my adventure in the book of mormon lands. And several of their unusual featuressuch as being bound by dshaped rings, having a sealed portion, and being written in reformed egyptianhave a surprising amount of. Do mormons know what happened to the urim and thummim which joseph smith used to translate the book of mormon. Archaeologists discover golden plates believed to be linked to joseph smith jr. 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.
The final battles of the nephites took place in the land of cumorah. In precolumbian mesoamerica, an alloy called tumbaga was. In mesoamerica and the book of mormon, he shows a drawing of one of them and gives a translation of its carvings see dr. This is the area of greatest civilizational complexity in the americas. Cement in ancient mesoamerica and the book of mormon. In ancient mesoamerica, caves held deep mythological symbolism. Claims the narrow neck of land is the isthmus of tehuantepec, and the basic area is that of mesoamerica. A true testimony of the book of mormon comes from reading it and, as counseled by moroni in a promise he left to us in moroni 10. I had the pleasure of being amongst many on a tour to mesoamerica with john lund. The three authors of an lds guide to mesoamerica, walk us through the lands of the book of mormon. Plates of tumbaga would fit witness descriptions of the weight and appearance of the plates. And i take mine account from the twenty and four plates which were found by the people of limhi, which is called the book of ether. Since the publication of the book of mormon in 1830, mormon archaeologists have attempted.
Archaeological trends and the book of mormon origins. Although unknown in joseph smiths time, numerous examples of writing on ancient metal plates are now known. Korea, egypt, syria, iran, even mesoamerica too many to mention. Smith translated the text of the book of mormon over the next several years by using a seer stone, which he placed in the bottom of a hat and then placed the hat over his face to view the words. And now i, moroni, proceed to give an account of those ancient inhabitants who were destroyed by the hand of the lord upon the face of this north country.
Archaeology research in precolumbian americas and the book of mormon. How a mormon lawyer transformed archaeology in mexicoand. Metals and golden plates in mesoamerica, daniel johnsons. The book of mormon states that some nephite dissenters who moved in a land northward became exceeding expert in the working of cement and built cities of both wood and of cement beginning in 46 b. Dimensions according to joseph, the book was 6 x 8 x 6 and each plate was thinner than common tin. The implausible metal plates of book of mormonimplausible. Putnam suggested that this alloy may be the material used to make the book of mormon plates. Metals and gold plates in mesoamerica is now online. A significant portion of the book of mormon quotes from the brass plates, which purport to be another source of old testament writings mirroring those of the bible. A sort of quasibiography on perhaps the most famous thinking mormon. True book of mormon geography lands, western new york model.
Even the hill cumorah, where joseph smith obtained the gold plates, is not really the same hill cumorah mentioned in the text. Daniel johnson in his 2010 book of mormon archaeological forum presentation. American setting for the book of mormon salt lake city, utah. The gold guild may have worn off on the edges, allowing for the oxidation of the edges. Did the mormon church once promise to show the golden plates to the world. 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.
However, new data and new interpretations again place the book of mormon in a better light. Proposed book of mormon geographical setting wikipedia. This is an exciting topic and one that is at the heart of the book of mormon. Daniel johnson, bmaf member and principal author of an lds guide to mesoamerica, shares the presentation that he gave at the october, 2010 bmaf conference. These man credited joseph smith with teaching them that the land of bountiful mention in the book of mormon was in central america. A dna study by emory university, accepted by the smithsonian, acknowledges that some native americans have ancestry in common with the peoples in modern israel and the mediterranean area. Many people would be surprised to learn that gold disks or plates with carved images and writing have been found in mesoamerica. Metals and golden plates in mesoamerica, daniel johnsons 2010. His tireless efforts eventually brought great discoveries to light. If the gold plates were originally in mesoamerica, how did they get to.