Book of mormon metallurgy

Exploring the book of mormon in americas heartland book. A temperate, dry climate greatly reduces the corrosion rate of. One of his purposes was to show the current strong evidence for the history of metallurgy and metal artifacts in ancient america, including late classic mayan gold plates with hieroglyphic writing. Read this weeks knowhy connected with the come follow me curriculum, and watch a video elucidating an insight in this weeks scripture reading. Let me spend a little time talking about the relationship between iron and corrosion or rust as many of us call it. There are a number of words and phrases in the book of mormon that are anachronistictheir. Exploring the book of mormon in americas heartland a visual journey of discovery book project was originally started by tonya meldrum, wife of rod meldrum in an effort to help rod make available the most requested item by fellow heartlanders over the years. It was such a huge undertaking in my mind that quite frankly, it scared me. None of the foregoing technical demands are met by the archaeology.

The mainstay of mesoamerica land of promise models and support, john l. 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. Thoughtful insights from 32 top scholars continue the journey into the book of mormon s thousandyear span, aiding understanding of this sacred text. Recovery this is an interesting story for mormons to read to see how jws react to antijw material and how they treat those who leave the watchtower. For instance, the mormon scriptures contain references to a sevenday week, domesticated horses, cows and sheep, silk, chariots and steel. The book of mormon mentions brass, steel, gold, silver, copper, and other metals. None of the foregoing technical demands are met by the archaeology of the region proposed as bookofmormon lands and places. The book of mormon contains several textual references about metallurgy being practiced by the cultures it describes. As far as the book of mormon civilizations consisting of many large cities, fortifications, and huge battles, there is nothing in the americas that has been found. Yet many nonlds scholars have concluded that metallurgy was unknown. As early as the 1960s, metallurgical technician read h. Metallurgy in ancient america was completely unknown in america before 900 a. I promised i would report back on the webinar book of mormon metallurgy by rod meldrum.

The anachronistic use of advanced metallurgy in the book of mormon, combined with the frequent mention of gold and silver as important items in the nephite world, present one of the greatest challenges to book of mormon scholars. Vikings, iron, and the book of mormon book of mormon central. For many years mesoamerican scholars contended that metallurgy was unknown in the area until after the end of the classic era around a. Labans sword had a hilt of pure gold, a blade of the most precious steel, and exhibited exceedingly fine workmanship 1 nephi 4.

Book of mormon metallurgy evidence is there evidence for book of mormon metallurgy and swords. Well, the book of mormon is a migration story, similar to the idea of the book of exodus in the old testament, except there are three migrations involved in this. It seems after reading these posts that the only possible answer is that the book of mormon happened just like joseph and others claim. Grant hardy1 despite the effort that went into the translation, joseph smith did not make the book the foundation of the church. Back to mormon quotes index metallurgy does not appear in the region under discussion until about the 9th century a.

Vikings, iron, and the book of mormon wherefore, he came to the hill ephraim, and he did molten out of the hill, and made swords of steel for those whom he had drawn away with him. Although there is one intriguing archaeological discovery of some significant metallurgy in the area of the baja peninsula before european contact, that discovery on its own is not sufficient to prove that metallurgy was practiced in our model areas as described in the book of mormon. That fits the bill of the softer metal, not a functional one. This paper also discusses writings on metal plates and the possible composition of the book of mormon plates. If one is to believe that the book of mormon took place in mesoamerica, it is challenging to explain how iron, copper, brass, steel, gold, silver and.

Posted on october 28, 2015 october 28, 2015 by dave mack. Joseph smith did not refer to passages from the book of mormon in his writings or sermons, nor was it cited very often by early church leaders. The shiny bits of gold tend to catch the eyes of humans. Book of mormon artifacts and metallurgy life after ministry. The book of mormon clearly states that the jaredite and nephite civilizations had advanced metallurgical technologies ether 10. I dont subscribe to any model, i subscribe to any evidence that supports the book of mormon. The book of mormon mentions a steel sword owned by a military leader named laban in jerusalem near 600 b. Visible angelic involvement in the recovery of the book of mormon far. Ancient near eastern metallurgy dan levene and beno rothenberg wrote about tin and tinlead alloys in hebrew and jewish aramaic, 1 which may have some indirect relevance to the plates of the book of mormon. Although it serves primarily as a religious text, it is to be interpreted literally as being an actual, historical record of the inhabitants of the ancient. Sorenson, metals and metallurgy relating to the book of mormon text, discussing specimens of metal from about forty sites that predate the ad 900 metal curtain claimed by archeologists, as far back as 100 bc. Metallurgy was first utilized in the americas in andean peru around 2100 b.

The volume has long invited scrutiny from all branches of science. Neither is it a scientific paper on engineering or metallurgy or agriculture or warfare. Book of mormon difficulties, contradictions and explanations. This is the one subject about mormonism that ive put off the longest. If the book of mormon does describe a culture that had access to advanced metallurgy, then the dilemma remains that no evidence has been found in specified period and time that supports the assertion that at least some ancient mesoamerican cultures practiced advanced metallurgy, despite the fact that other evidence has been found to support the presence of the technology at a later time period. In 1992, farms issued a preliminary paper by john l. Here is an article about a portion of the book of mormon metallurgy. Most of the described ores save ironsee below are soft metals. We build enduring faith in jesus christ by making the book of mormon accessible, comprehensible, and defensible to the entire world. Lets say that joseph smith wrote the book of mormon.

Book of mormon artifacts and metallurgy life after ministries. Metals and the book of mormon book of mormon archaeological. Book of mormon metallurgy and wishful thinking mormons and archaeology. Of course these inconsistencies could readily be explained by understanding the book of mormon as a work of fiction written by a nineteenth century american, but book of mormon scholars often approach the topic with the a priori acceptance of the theory that the book of mormon is. In october 2010, daniel johnson, principal author of an lds guide to mesoamerica, gave this presentation at the book of mormon archaeological forums annual conference. Tribe of manasseh technology and animals by dave mack. Now, before this becomes a meldrum bashing thread, just move on.

There is an inherent improbability in specific items that are mentioned in the book of mormon as having been brought to the new world by jaredites andor nephites. Supporting evidences of the book of mormon are broadly identifiable. Learn about the book of mormon with verse by verse commentaries from renowned book of mormon scholars like john w. Also, we should remember that the book of mormon tells only part of the story of a relatively small group of people in a limited geographical area during a relatively brief period of time.

You will be treated to witnessing artifacts recovered from archaeological excavations proving the use of gold, copper, silver, lead and even iron and steel, just as claimed by the prophets of the book of mormon. Book of mormon artifacts and metallurgy life after. Book of mormon metallurgy back to mormon quotes index metallurgy does not appear in the region under discussion until about the 9th century a. Labans sword had a hilt of pure gold, a blade of the most precious steel, and exhibited exceedingly fine workmanship 1. Metals, weapons, and the book of mormon mormon answers. Book of mormon christ is completely accepted in bible he is rejected. The old world that lehi and his family came from was certainly familiar with metal working. This paper also discusses writings on metal plates and the possible composition of the book of mormon. The challenge of the book of mormon religious studies center. They quickly develop a complex metallurgical culture that other civilizations in history required centuries to create. This assertion, if true, would discredit the authenticity of the book of mormon.

Metal and metallurgy the mines of timna book of mormon. Sorenson, himself an archaeologist and head of the anthropology and archaeology department at byu for many years and author of numerous books and works on the subject, makes it quite clear that. Among the critics list of supposed book of mormon anachronisms are various metals and metallurgy the process of altering ores into useful. I explain in my story that metallurgy in the book of mormon was one of the reasons i no longer believe the book of mormon to be a story of real people. Some studies have shown that metallurgy did exist in a primitive state in mesoamerica during the preclassicformative and classic periods. Metallurgy does not appear in the region under discussion until about the 9th century a. First, the terms barley and wheat, as used in the book of mormon, may refer to certain other new world crop plants that were given old world designations.

But none of the witnesses was expert in ancient metallurgy, and, thus, their testimony on this point isnt decisive. Sorenson journal of book of mormon studies 152 2006. Metals in the book of mormon book of mormon research. Our changing understanding of ancient america and its scripture. In the book of mormon the strongest textual evidence for metalworking is the presence of gold plates.

Metallurgy in ancient america was completely unknown before 900 ad. The book of mormon, on the other hand, indicates that the nephites used iron, copper, brass. This scenario is one explanation for the lack of advanced metallurgy among the olmec or preclassic maya. Metal weapons and tools book of mormon archaeological forum. Book of mormon prophecies of christ specific bible prophecies veiled actually nonexistent unless scripture misquoted or prophecies stretched to have two meanings. The metallurgy is likely from ores from placer deposits. Critics of the book of mormon have long cited anachronisms in its narrative to argue that it is not the work of god. Book of mormon problems lds church members are taught that the book of mormon bom is scripture, as well as a true record of the inhabitants of the americas from about 2200 bc to 420 ad. One of his purposes was to show the current strong evidence for the history of metallurgy and metal artifacts in ancient america, including late classic mayan gold.