Golden Plates

Golden Plates. According to the foundational narrative of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Golden Plates are an ancient record inscribed on metal sheets, which were translated by Joseph Smith to become the Book of Mormon. Smith stated he was directed to their location by an angel named Moroni and that they contained a religious history of ancient peoples in the Americas. The plates are described as having been returned to the angel after translation was complete, and thus are not available for physical examination.

Description and composition

Accounts describe the plates as being made of a gold alloy, bound together by three rings, with individual leaves being as thick as common tin. The total weight was estimated to be between 30 and 60 pounds. The writing was said to be in an unknown script termed Reformed Egyptian, with a portion of the record being sealed. The physical description draws parallels to other ancient metal plate records, such as the Metallic codices from the Roman Empire or the Pyramid Texts inscribed on gold foil in some Ancient Egyptian tombs. The concept of sacred writings on metal plates finds precedent in artifacts like the Copper Scroll from the Dead Sea Scrolls discovered at Qumran.

Discovery and translation

Joseph Smith reported that on September 22, 1827, he retrieved the plates from a stone box buried in Hill Cumorah near his home in Manchester, New York. He stated the angel Moroni, identified as the last custodian of the record, had instructed him over several years prior to this event. During the translation process between 1827 and 1829, Smith primarily used a seer stone, often placed in a hat, to dictate the text to scribes including Oliver Cowdery and Martin Harris. This period was marked by significant events such as the loss of the 116 pages manuscript and the subsequent bestowal of the Aaronic priesthood to Smith and Cowdery by John the Baptist, as recounted in Latter-day Saint history.

Content and significance

The translated text, published in 1830 as the Book of Mormon, purports to be a religious and secular history of several pre-Columbian civilizations, including the Jaredites, Nephites, and Lamanites. Key narrative arcs include the journey of the family of Lehi from Jerusalem to the Americas, the ministry of the resurrected Jesus Christ on the American continent, and a series of wars culminating in a final battle at Hill Cumorah. For believers, the book serves as a second witness of Jesus Christ, alongside the Bible, and is a foundational scripture that informs doctrines on topics like the Plan of salvation, the Great Apostasy, and the Gathering of Israel.

Witness testimonies

To substantiate the plates' physical existence, Joseph Smith presented formal statements from individuals known as the Three Witnesses and the Eight Witnesses. The Three Witnesses—Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris—signed a testimony describing a visionary experience where an angel showed them the plates and they heard the voice of God commanding them to bear record. The Eight Witnesses, which included members of the Smith family like Hyrum Smith, testified they physically handled and examined the plates. While some witnesses later became disaffected from the church, none formally retracted their testimonies regarding the plates.

Modern replicas and cultural depictions

Replicas of the Golden Plates are commonly used as visual aids in religious instruction within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement. They are frequently depicted in church-produced media, artwork displayed in the Church History Museum and visitors' centers at sites like Temple Square, and in films such as The Testaments of One Fold and One Shepherd. The plates also appear as symbolic elements in monuments, including the Angel Moroni statue atop most Latter-day Saint temples, and are referenced in broader cultural discussions about American folklore and the history of religious movements in the United States. Category:Latter Day Saint movement Category:Religious artifacts Category:Book of Mormon