Related article: set of 6 plates known as the Kinderhook Plates in 1843. James J. Strang, one of the rival claimants to succeed Smith also claimed to discover and translate a set of plates known as the Voree Plates. Criticisms A criticism involves the descrepancy concerning the weight of the plates. If the plates were of pure gold, 60 pounds would be a very low for an estimate of its weight. Dan Vogel writes: A block of solid tin measuring 7 x 8 x 6 inches, or 288 cubic inches, would weigh 74.67 pounds. If one allows for a 30 percent reduction due to the unevenness and space between the plates, the package would then weigh 52.27 pounds. Using the same calculations, plates of gold weigh 140.50 pounds; copper, 64.71 pounds; a mixture of gold and copper, between 65 and 140 pounds. (Vogel, Alli Mg The Making of a Prophet, 600) While this does not cast doubt on the existence of the plates, it challenges the assumption that they were pure gold. Referring to Smith's statement that the plates "had the appearance of gold," some have speculated that the metal of the plates was tumbaga, the name given by the Spaniards to a versatile alloy of gold and copper which could "be cast, drawn, hammered, gilded, soldered, welded, plated, hardened, annealed, polished, engraved, embossed, and inlaid." Tumbaga can be treated with a simple acid like citric acid to dissolve the copper on the surface. What is then left is a shiny layer of 23-karat gold on top of a harder, more durable copper-gold alloy sheet. This process was widely used by the pre-Columbian cultures of central America to make religious objects. Tumbaga plates of the dimensions Joseph Smith described would weigh between fifty-three and eighty-six pounds. With the lack of physical evidence today, the Golden Plates remain solely an article of faith rather than an actual artifact or religous relic. Plates outside of the Latter Day Saint tradition Other cultures have kept records on metal plates, and those found to date have been extremely thin, so as to facilitate their being engraven into with a pointed utensil. For utilitarian reasons alone, to make it both easier and feasible, the plates would need to be thin enough to allow depressions to be made into them simply by applying pressure, rather than having to scratch and dig as thicker plates would necessitate. Michael R. Ash points to the discovery of objects made from tumbaga, a gold-copper alloy in South America. He writes that using this alloy would make the plates more rigid and lighter. [2] This claim is congruent with William Smith's idea (cited above) that the plates might be part gold and part copper. Orichalcum, the legendary metal of Atlantis and the Temple of Solomon, is held by many to match this same description. In 500 B.C (concurrent with the Book of Mormon), Darius the Great of Persia inscribed his history on a gold plate and sealed it in a stone box in the temple at Persepolis. [3], [4]. The BBC wrote a news story about a six page gold book on display in Bulgaria. This is claimed to be the world's oldest multiple-page book. The book is written in the lost Etruscan language. Unique book goes on display. From checker at panix.com Mon Aug 8 01:36:06 2005 From: checker at panix.com (Premise Checker) Date: Sun, 7 Aug 2005 21:36:06 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [Paleopsych] Economist: Modelling conflict: Rules of engagement Message-ID: Modelling conflict: Rules of engagement