Seer Stones in Joseph Smith’s Day

Anyone researching the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints may have heard that in the early 19th century, Joseph Smith—the founder of the Church—used seer stones for prophetic purposes. One may have even heard that Joseph translated the Book of Mormon by looking at a “rock in a hat.”  

For modern readers unfamiliar with such objects, seer stones may seem strange or even troubling, especially when connected to religion. But to understand Joseph Smith seer stones, it’s necessary to step back into his world and examine the historical and spiritual context.

What Are Seer Stones?

Seer stones (also known as peep stones), were part of a centuries-old folk tradition tracing back to medieval Europe. These stones were believed to help a person “see” things beyond the natural eye: lost objects, hidden treasures, or even spiritual truths. To answer the question of what is the seer stone made of, they were usually quartz or other polished rocks. European settlers brought this practice with them to North America, where it remained a familiar part of rural life well into the early 1800s, particularly in regions like upstate New York where Joseph Smith grew up.

In Joseph’s day, the use of seer stones was already fading in mainstream culture. But among rural Christian communities, it was still seen as legitimate by many. According to the Joseph Smith Papers, Joseph used a seer stone in his youth to help neighbors find lost items or search for buried treasure. The Smith family believed Joseph had a God-given gift to be a seer, and that he should practice good judgement in his use of it. The family and others in Joseph’s community saw this not as sorcery, but as an extension of their Christian faith—a belief that physical objects could aid sincere seekers in connecting with the divine.

By 1826, Joseph reportedly possessed at least two seer stones, and later, according to Brigham Young, as many as five.

Folk Christianity and Treasure Digging

Joseph’s early experiences with seer stones are often tied to treasure digging—a practice that has invited criticism and confusion. However, treasure digging in early 19th-century New England was not simply a get-rich-quick scheme. As anthropologist Manuel Padro noted, it was often seen as a form of Christian folk religiosity. Many who engaged in treasure quests believed that they were helping the souls of the dead move on by retrieving improperly buried treasures.

According to Padro’s research, some practitioners believed that if a person died with hidden or unused wealth, their soul might remain bound to the earth until someone found and used the treasure righteously. With this worldview, treasure seekers were performing a kind of spiritual rescue mission. They saw themselves as participants in a sacred endeavor, preparing with fasting and prayer and invoking divine help to overcome the evil spirits believed to guard such treasures.

Objects like a seer stone, parchments inscribed with angelic names, or even divining rods were part of this spiritual toolkit. While critics often frame such practices as simple-minded, occult, or fraudulent, those involved saw them differently. This wasn’t witchcraft to them—it was devotion.

Reframing the Narrative

The fact that Joseph Smith participated in these practices before the official organization of the Church can be jarring to some modern observers. Critics, both secular and religious, often use this history to question Joseph’s character or prophetic claims. But such critiques often reveal more about modern assumptions than about the past itself.

As one scholar put it, “the past is a foreign country—they do things differently there.” Just as many Christians uncritically decorate Christmas trees (a practice with pagan roots) or paint Easter eggs (symbols of an ancient fertility goddess), Joseph’s contemporaries saw no issue with the Joseph Smith seer stone being a way to receive spiritual guidance. What is labeled as “magic” today may have been seen then as simply a different method of accessing the divine.

Furthermore, the Bible supports the use of divinatory objects many times. The Old Testament speaks of the Urim and Thummim—instruments used by the high priest to determine God’s will. The prophets and apostles cast lots for a similar reason. Even Joseph of Egypt had a silver cup that he used for divination. Joseph Smith and early Latter-day Saints often drew upon these biblical patterns to understand their own practices. In fact, Joseph eventually referred to his seer stones—including those used in translating the Book of Mormon—as “Urim and Thummim.”

From Folk Practice to Prophetic Calling

Joseph’s use of seer stones didn’t end with treasure digging. According to historical records, when the angel Moroni revealed the golden plates to him in 1823, Joseph was also shown a sacred instrument—two stones set in silver bows—which had been used by “seers in ancient times.” He used this tool, and later his own brown seer stone, in the translation of the Book of Mormon. Witnesses described him placing the stone in a hat to block out light and then dictating the text of the Book of Mormon to his scribes.

By 1830, Joseph appeared to have mostly moved away from using physical instruments to receive revelation. He dictated most of his later revelations without a seer stone, indicating an evolving prophetic relationship with God.

Martin Harris, an early supporter, even reported that the angel Moroni instructed Joseph to “quit the company of the money-diggers,” marking a clear break between Joseph’s early folk religious practices and his emerging prophetic role.

What This Means Today

To a modern audience, the Mormon seer stone may still seem unusual, but it isn’t unlike many historical and religious objects used to access the divine. Understanding the cultural, spiritual, and biblical background of Joseph Smith’s time helps demystify these practices.

As one Latter-day Saint scholar suggested, “magic” is often just a label people apply to things they don’t understand or that fall outside their religious comfort zone. But if one can accept that God worked through burning bushes, brass serpents, and Urim and Thummim in the Bible, it’s not terribly unreasonable to also accept that a young prophet could be prepared for a divine calling through the humble means available in his environment—even a small, smooth stone.To believers, Joseph Smith’s story is not one of deception, but of inspiration. His use of seer stones, far from disqualifying his prophetic mission, is seen as an example of how God works through culture, context, and individuals to bring about a greater purpose. The stones were just the tools. The message—the Book of Mormon—was the miracle.

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Mormonism Explained is a resource that was designed to provide objective and factual information about Mormonism, its history, doctrines, and policies. Our team of researchers consults experts and primary sources to present factual information on a variety of topics relevant to the Mormon Church.

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