Out of the Dust: Steel in Early Metallurgy

Title

Out of the Dust: Steel in Early Metallurgy

Publication Type

Journal Article

Year of Publication

2006

Authors

Journal

Journal of Book of Mormon Studies

Pagination

108-109, 127

Volume

15

Issue

2

Terms of use

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Bibliographic Citation

Abstract

During the 19th century, critics of the Book of Mormon claimed that steel was not known in the Near East or ancient America during the appropriate Book of Mormon times. This assertion, if true, would discredit the authenticity of the Book of Mormon. However, in more recent decades, proof that Mesopotamian peoples used steel has been revealed. This discovery means that steel was used well before the oldest Book of Mormon people lived. Further research regarding steel in ancient America is still necessary; however, it appears that five Mesoamerican proto-languages have a word for metal, suggesting that the people who spoke those languages were familiar with some form of metal.

Mesoamerica
Language
Metal
Historicity
Anachronisms
Steel
Metallurgy

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