The Written Word - The Heartland Research Group

The “Newark Holy Stones“. Artifacts found by David Wyrick in 1860 within a cluster of ancient burial mounds near Newark, Ohio. Wood fragments carbon dated to between 32 to 769 AD.

“Keystone” shaped stone with inscriptions found near the Decalogue Stone. Contains phrases: “Holy of Holies”, “King of the Earth”, “The Law of God”, “The Word of God”

Decalogue Stone. Figure on front is Moses. Summarized Ten Commandments in block (monumental) Hebrew written on top and sides of stone box.

Enos 1
14 For at the present our strugglings were vain in restoring them to the true faith. And they swore in their wrath that, if it were possible, they would destroy our records and us, and also all the traditions of our fathers.

Alma 13
20 Now I need not rehearse the matter; what I have said may suffice. Behold, the scriptures are before you; if ye will wrest them it shall be to your own destruction.

Alma 17
2 Now these sons of Mosiah were with Alma at the time the angel first appeared unto him; therefore Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God.

Alma 18
36 Now when Ammon had said these words, he began at the creation of the world, and also the creation of Adam, and told him all the things concerning the fall of man, and rehearsed and laid before him the records and the holy scriptures of the people, which had been spoken by the prophets, even down to the time that their father, Lehi, left Jerusalem.

Alma 22
12 And it came to pass that when Aaron saw that the king would believe his words, he began from the creation of Adam, reading the scriptures unto the king–how God created man after his own image, and that God gave him commandments, and that because of transgression, man had fallen.
13 And Aaron did expound unto him the scriptures from the creation of Adam, laying the fall of man before him, and their carnal state and also the plan of redemption, which was prepared from the foundation of the world, through Christ, for all whosoever would believe on his name.

The Los Lunas Decalogue stone weighing about 80 tons. Inscribed with the Ten Commandments written in Hebrew. The stone first noticed in the 1880’s and examined by archaeologist Frank Hibbon from the University of New Mexico in 1933. At the time it was covered with lichen and patination and was barely visible.

Engraved copper tablet containing the Ten Commandments. From the Michigan Etzenhouser collection
*Both Michigan Relics and Burrow Cave artifacts are controversial. Some assume they are all forgeries and others believe many pieces are authentic. In the case of the Michigan relics there are many thousands (est. 20,000) of relics from hundreds of people found over many years (since 1865) and in different locations, but mostly in upper Michigan. For Burrows Cave there are fewer relics (est. 3,000 rock carvings and 4,000 tablets) and fewer people involved and just one, undisclosed location, Burrows Cave, located in Illinois. For background information, see the Michigan Relics and Burrows Cave and Burrows Cave Artifacts. See also, The Mystic Symbol: Mark of the Michigan Mound Builders and Henriette Mertz. There is proof that some of the Michigan Relics, especially from the "Soper-Savage" collection were faked by James Scotford. This is enough for some to declare that any and all relics pointing to ancient civilization in America are fake, by definition. This theory is unwarranted. Many of the best relics found have a provenance completely independent of James Scotford and his acquaintances. Therefore each of the 1000s of relics, especially those with writing on them, deserve unbiased consideration without prejudice or animus. In my opinion, many relics have already been shown to be authentic in multiple ways. No proven fake artifacts are presented on this site. Let additional research continue.
. This is one of thousands of copper, slate, and clay tablets found in Upper Michigan from the mid 1800’s to about 1930. Many artifacts were found by farmers plowing their fields and by people excavating the many mounds that were still extent at that time. The writing on this copper tablet has been mostly translated by Brian Nettles. It contains the Ten Commandments.

Alma 30
44 But Alma said unto him: Thou hast had signs enough; will ye tempt your God? Will ye say, Show unto me a sign, when ye have the testimony of all these thy brethren, and also all the holy prophets? The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator.

Alma 33
2 And Alma said unto them: Behold, ye have said that ye could not worship your God because ye are cast out of your synagogues. But behold, I say unto you, if ye suppose that ye cannot worship God, ye do greatly err, and ye ought to search the scriptures; if ye suppose that they have taught you this, ye do not understand them.

Mormon 9
32 And now, behold, we have written this record according to our knowledge, in the characters which are called among us the reformed Egyptian, being handed down and altered by us, according to our manner of speech.
33 And if our plates had been sufficiently large we should have written in Hebrew; but the Hebrew hath been altered by us also; and if we could have written in Hebrew, behold, ye would have had no imperfection in our record.
34 But the Lord knoweth the things which we have written, and also that none other people knoweth our language; and because that none other people knoweth our language, therefore he hath prepared means for the interpretation thereof.

How to Read the Michigan Tablets, by Brian Nettles
The following video highlights successful attempts at reading parts of Michigan tablet artifacts.

The Bat Creek Stone. Found in a Native American burial mound excavation in Loudon County, Tennessee, in 1889 by the Smithsonian Bureau of Ethnology’s Mound Survey, directed by entomologist Cyrus Thomas. It was carelessly described by the Smithsonian for many years as “Proto-Cherokee” until Henrietta Mertz and Cyrus H Gordon recognized that the inscription was published upside down. When turned right side up it is a form of Paleo Hebrew which says “For the Judeans” or “For the People of God”.

Depicts the events of the flood of Noah and has been translated by Brian Nettles.

Depicts astronomical events that have been dated to July 27, 352 AD, by David Allen Deal.

Translated by Brian Nettles. Depicts Shem, Ham, and Japeth with some of the translated symbols at the bottom.

Creation tablet. The first two lines of writing to the left translated by Brian Nettles as “The Son of God {unknown symbols} on the earth and He said was good”.

Historical “Caractors” document written by John Whitmer. It is read top to bottom, right to left and according to Nephi is “the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians.” Brian Nettles has identified it as Pre-Coptic & Demotic Egyptian.	“Caractors” document translated by Brian Nettles to verses in 1 Nephi 1 & 1 Nephi 2. The Brian Nettles translation is a work in progress.
“Caractors” document translated by Brian Nettles to verses in 1 Nephi 1 & 1 Nephi 2.	“Caractors” document translated by Brian Nettles to verses in 1 Nephi 1 & 1 Nephi 2.
“Caractors” document translated by Brian Nettles to verses in 1 Nephi 1 & 1 Nephi 2.	“Caractors” document translated by Brian Nettles to verses in 1 Nephi 1 & 1 Nephi 2.

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