Book of Mormon Swords

Book of Mormon Swords: Early settlers and researchers found swords in Hopewell Indian Mounds

1.      The Book of Mormon Mentions swords. Swords were found in Indian Hopewell mounds by early American settlers. Modern archeology has not confirmed the use of iron smelting by Hopewell Indians or swords; they have confirmed woven cloth copper breast plates, meteoric iron tools, copper and silver jewelry and copper tools. Why modern day archaeology has not confirmed iron swords can be explained by two things: The description of the iron swords are of an extreme state of oxidation. Some of the swords had nothing left but the handle and iron oxide left for the blade.

2.      When some swords were found early settlers assumed it to be of European manufacture and not of the native aborigines. Most researchers believed that aborigines did not make iron tools. The Hopewell and Adena have proven they did make and use metal tools and weapons. In these cases listed below many of the swords were found in graves of the mound builders.

Alma 44:18

18 But behold, their naked skins and their bare heads were exposed to the sharp swords of the Nephites; yea, behold they were pierced and smitten, yea, and did fall exceedingly fast before the swords of the Nephites; and they began to be swept down, even as the soldier of Moroni had prophesied.

Mosiah 8:11. In reference to Jaredite swords

11 And again, they have brought swords, the hilts thereof have perished, and the blades thereof were cankered with rust;

“In digging the Louisville canal, nineteen feet below the surface, with the coals of the last domestic fire upon them, medals of copper and silver, swords and other implements of iron. Mr. Flint assures us that he has seen these strange ancient swords.”
(Conant, pg. 111, 1879)

(Items found in Hopewell Indian Ruins)

“A few miles from the town of Columbia, in Maury county, in West Tennessee, and on Duck river, are a number of fortifications, … also, several fragments of earthen ware, and a sword about two feet long, differing from any in use since the white people visited the country, apparently once highly polished, but now much eaten with rust. Those who buried these articles there, could fashion the sword, and could make bricks, and use them by the masonic art.”
(Haywood 1823, pg. 179)

(The sword at this site was found in the state of New York by Smithsonian Researchers)

“Engravings of the silver-plated discs and also of the embossed silver plate sup-posed by Dr. Hildreth to have been a sword ornament, are herewith presented. These articles have been critically examined, and it is beyond doubt that the copper “bosses” are absolutely plated, not simply overlaid, with silver. Between the copper and the silver exists a connection, such as, it seems to me, could only be produced by heat…. Again, if Dr. Hildreth is not mistaken, oxydized iron, or steel, was also discovered in connection with the above remains ; from which also follows, as a necessity upon the previous assumption, the extraordinary conclusion that the mound-builders were acquainted with the use of iron,”
(Squier, pg. 87)

(Items found in Hopewell Indian Ruins)

“On the back side, opposite the depressed portion, is a copper rivet or nail, around which are two separate plates, by which they were fastened to the leather. Two small pieces of the leather were found lying between the holes of one of the bosses. They resemble the skin of an old mummy. The plates of copper are nearly reduced to rust. Around the rivet of one of them is a quantity of flax or hemp in a tolerable state of preservation. Near the side of the human body was a plate of silver, the upper part of a sword scabbard, six inches long, two wide, weighing one ounce. Three longitudinal ridges were on it, which perhaps corresponded with the edges or ridges of the sword.”
(Haywood 1823 pg. 347)

(An iron sword was found in a North Carolina mound. Due to this item Cryus Thomas who believed that the mounds were built after the Europeans arrived. We know the Hopewell mounds were built before Columbus)

“The iron implements which are alluded to in the above-mentioned articles also in Science, as found in a North Carolina mound. “

(Cyrus Thomas 1889 pg. 31)

(Items found in Hopewell Indian Ruins)

“The iron was considerably oxidated, and when exposed to the air, dissolved and fell into small particles of rust, leaving only the handle, which was thick, and central parts adhering together. There were four or five of these swords, if we may so call them. The handle was round and cylindrical, and encircled with ferules or rings of silver.”
(Haywood 1823 pg. 328)

(Items found in Hopewell Indian Ruins)

“The aborigines had some very well manufactured swords and knives of iron, and possibly of steel.”
(Haywood 1823 pg. 349)

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