Gold Plates
Title
Gold Plates
Secondary Title
Encyclopedia of Mormonism
Publication Type
Encyclopedia Entry
Year of Publication
1992
Authors
Hardy, Grant R. (Primary)
Editors
Ludlow, Daniel H. (Secondary)
Number of Pages
555
Volume
2
Publisher
Macmillan
Place Published
New York
Citation Key
573
Gold Plates
Author: Hardy, Grant R.
On September 21, 1823, the angel Moroni appeared to Joseph Smith and instructed him about a record engraved on thin goldlike sheets. The record, written by Moroni 2, his father Mormon, and other ancient inhabitants of the Americas, was buried in a stone box in a hill not far from the Smith residence. Moroni eventually delivered these plates to Joseph, who translated and published them as the Book of Mormon and returned them to Moroni. While the plates were in Joseph's keeping, others saw them, including eleven witnesses whose testimonies appear in all editions of the book. Various descriptions provided by eyewitnesses suggest that the plates may have been made of a gold alloy, measured about 6 inches by 8 inches (15.2 cm by 20.3 cm), were 6 inches (15.2 cm) thick, and weighed about 50 pounds (22.7 kg). [See also Book of Mormon Plates and Records; Book of Mormon Translation By Joseph Smith; Book of Mormon Witnesses; Plates, Metal.]
Bibliography
Welch, John W. and Kelsey D. Lambert. "Two Ancient Roman Plates." BYU Studies 45:2 (2006):54-76.
GRANT R. HARDY
Subject Keywords
Bibliographic Citation
Terms of use
Items in the BMC Archive are made publicly available for non-commercial, private use. Inclusion within the BMC Archive does not imply endorsement. Items do not represent the official views of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or of Book of Mormon Central.