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