What Was the Seer Stone Made of?

Joseph Smith Jr., the founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), had a childhood that was deeply influential in shaping his later life and religious experiences. Born on December 23, 1805, in Sharon, Vermont, Joseph was the fifth of eleven children born to Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith. His early life was marked by hardship, poverty, and a strong religious influence from his family. One of the more interesting parts of his life was Joseph Smith’s seer stone use. Here, we will examine the life of Joseph Smith and his interaction and use of seer stones.

The Smith Family

Joseph Smith’s parents were both devout Christians who instilled in their children a sense of spirituality and religious curiosity. His father, Joseph Smith Sr., had a series of prophetic dreams, while his mother, Lucy Mack Smith, was a fervent seeker of religious truth and often read the Bible to her children. The family moved frequently in search of better economic opportunities, living in several towns in Vermont, New Hampshire, and New York.

The Smith family faced significant financial difficulties throughout Joseph’s youth. In 1816, they moved to Palmyra, New York, in hopes of finding better prospects. They purchased a farm in nearby Manchester, but the land proved to be difficult to cultivate, leading to further financial strain. To supplement their income, the family engaged in various endeavors, including the production of maple sugar and the hiring out of family members for labor.

Joseph Smith had limited formal education, attending local schools sporadically due to the family’s financial struggles and the need for his labor on the farm. Despite this, he developed a basic level of literacy and was known to be an avid reader of the Bible and other religious texts. His mother, Lucy Mack Smith, also played a significant role in his education, encouraging his intellectual and spiritual development.

Joseph Smith’s formative years coincided with a period of intense religious revivalism in the United States, known as the Second Great Awakening. The area where the Smith family lived, often referred to as the “Burned-over District,” was particularly known for its religious fervor. This environment exposed Joseph to various denominations and religious debates, which fueled his quest for spiritual truth.

Seer Stones

In his youth around Palmyra, Joseph Smith encountered seer stones. Seer stones were a notable part of the cultural and religious landscape in the northeastern United States during the 19th century. The regions where Joseph Smith lived, such as upstate New York and New England, were characterized by a mix of religious revivalism, folk traditions, and a fascination with the supernatural. These elements combined to create an environment in which practices like the use of seer stones thrived.

Many settlers brought with them a rich heritage of European folk practices, including various forms of divination. Seer stones, also known as peep stones or seeing stones, were among the tools used in these folk traditions. People believed that seer stones could help them locate lost objects, find buried treasure, and gain spiritual insights.

Treasure-seeking was a popular activity in Joseph Smith’s life in the northeastern United States. It was driven by legends of buried pirate gold and lost Native American treasures. Individuals known as “money-diggers” or “glass lookers” would use seer stones in their search for hidden wealth. They believed that by looking into a seer stone, they could receive visions or directions leading them to treasure.

Joseph Smith was involved in treasure-seeking, a practice in early 19th-century America. There are various accounts of how Joseph Smith obtained his seer stones. The two most common accounts of Joseph Smith finding his first seer stone are that he found his first seer stone while gazing into someone else’s stone. The second account is that Joseph Smith found a seer stone while digging a well. The accounts are difficult to parse, but Joseph Smith found this stone either on the banks of Lake Erie or the Willard Chase farm. 

Joseph Smith eventually had at least two seer stones and as many as five seer stones. The two most common of these seer stones are called the brown or chocolate seer stone and the white or clear seer stone. In modern times, we don’t have access to the white seer stones, but The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints currently owns the brown seer stone and published pictures of it in 2015. 

What is the seer stone made of? Based on the images of the brown seer stone, as well as the location it likely came from (upstate New York), some people have speculated that the brown seer stone is made of iron banded jasper or another kind of iron banded stone. This might be interesting to some people as this stone is also called the genesis stone because it was formed eons ago.

While seer stones were initially part of folk magic and treasure-seeking traditions, they eventually took on a more explicitly religious role, particularly in the context of the LDS Church. Joseph Smith’s use of seer stones evolved from treasure hunting to receiving divine revelations. Many of the people who lived and worked around Joseph Smith recorded that he used a seer stone in the translation of the Book of Mormon. He would view the translation on the stone as it appeared through divine means. Joseph Smith only ever said that he translated the Book of Mormon by the gift and power of God. 

Conclusion

Joseph Smith’s youth was a period of significant development and formative experiences that laid the groundwork for his later religious leadership. His early encounters with divine visions, his involvement in treasure seeking, and the influence of his deeply religious family and environment all contributed to shaping his character and mission. These early years set the stage for the establishment of the LDS Church and Joseph Smith’s role as a prophet and religious leader.

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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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