The Golden Plates: What Joseph Smith Said They Looked Like and How They Disappeared
Explore the physical description and ultimate fate of the ancient record central to the Book of Mormon, as recounted by its translator, Joseph Smith.
- The Golden Plates were described as thin, metallic sheets with the 'appearance of gold,' bound by rings and engraved with ancient characters.
- Joseph Smith reported receiving them from an angel and using divine instruments to translate a portion into the Book of Mormon.
- They were primarily kept hidden, with only a few designated witnesses claiming to have seen or handled them.
- Smith stated that the plates were returned to the angel Moroni after the translation was complete, meaning they are no longer physically present.
The Golden Plates, according to Joseph Smith, were the ancient metallic record from which he translated the Book of Mormon. Smith reported unearthing them in 1827 from a hill near his home in Palmyra, New York, under the direction of an angel named Moroni.
What Joseph Smith Said They Looked Like
Smith described the plates as having the appearance of gold, though he never claimed they were made of pure gold. They were thin metallic sheets, each about the thickness of common tin, and were bound together on one side by three rings, forming a book. He estimated their size to be roughly six inches wide by eight inches long, and about six inches thick in total. The plates were filled with engravings in an unknown language, which Smith called 'reformed Egyptian' characters, written in fine script. A significant portion of the plates was said to be sealed, meaning it could not be opened or translated.
How They Were Used and Kept Hidden
According to Smith's account, the plates were given to him for the specific purpose of translation, not for public display. He stated that he used divine instruments, called the Urim and Thummim, to translate the characters into English. During the translation process, the plates were largely kept hidden from view, even from close associates. Smith emphasized that the plates were sacred and protected, only to be shown to specific individuals as commanded by God. These 'witnesses' later testified to either seeing or handling the plates, though their accounts vary in detail.
Their Mysterious Disappearance
After the translation of what would become the Book of Mormon was complete in 1829, Smith stated that the plates were no longer needed. He reported that the angel Moroni, who had originally delivered the plates to him, returned to retrieve them. This disappearance meant the plates were never subjected to independent scholarly scrutiny or archaeological verification. For believers, their removal underscores their divine origin and purpose; for skeptics, it remains a critical point of contention regarding the Book of Mormon's historicity.
The Golden Plates are central to the foundational narrative of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They represent the tangible (though now unseen) source of its sacred scripture and the physical evidence of Smith's prophetic calling. For adherents, belief in the plates' existence and divine origin is an act of faith, affirming the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and the restoration of Christ's ancient church. For those outside the faith, the lack of physical evidence after their disappearance remains a key aspect of their critical examination of Mormonism's origins.
- Material: Described as having the 'appearance of gold,' not necessarily pure gold.
- Dimensions: Approximately 6 inches wide, 8 inches long, 6 inches thick.
- Binding: Bound on one side by three rings.
- Content: Covered with engraved characters, referred to as 'reformed Egyptian.'
- Condition: A significant portion was 'sealed' and not translated.
Sources
- Joseph Smith—History 1:33-54, 59-60, 62, 75 (Pearl of Great Price, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
- "Testimony of Three Witnesses" and "Testimony of Eight Witnesses" (Book of Mormon)
- "Gold Plates" (Gospel Topics, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints website)
