The Eight Witnesses were one of the two groups of witnesses who made statements stating that they had seen the golden plates which Joseph Smith said was his source material for the Book of Mormon. An earlier group of witnesses who said they had seen the plates were called the Three Witnesses.
Joseph Smith Sr.
Samuel H. Smith
Jacob Whitmer
John Whitmer
According to Latter Day Saint belief, the golden plates are the source from which Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon, a sacred text of the faith. Some accounts from people who reported handling the plates describe the plates as weighing from 30 to 60 pounds, gold in color, and composed of thin metallic pages engraved with hieroglyphics on both sides and bound with three D-shaped rings.
An 1893 engraving depicting Joseph Smith's description of receiving artifacts from the angel Moroni. The artifacts include the golden plates and a set of spectacles made of seer stones, which Smith called the Urim and Thummim. The sword of Laban and an ancient breastplate are shown nearby.
A 21st-century artistic representation of Joseph Smith translating the golden plates by examining a seer stone in his hat.
A 21st-century artistic representation of the Golden plates, Urim and Thummim, Sword of Laban, and Liahona
Full-scale model of the golden plates based on Joseph Smith's description
