So far as I can discern, all of the magical devices in Spalding’s Roman story
and in the Book of Mormon are his inventions — or adaptations from other
sources, whether meant for satirical purposes or not.
1. Lobsaka’s flying machine — an adaptation of the flying ability of
Quetzalcoatl,the Aztec god of the air — (taken from Clavigero)
2. The Liahona — an adaptation of the magical Divine gift that suddenly
appears in the camp of the migrating Aztecs — (taken from Clavigero)
3. Jaredite submersibles — taken from Southey’s mention of Merlin’s
submarine, coupled with the biblical ark of Noah
4. Shining stones — taken from Southey’s mention of the shining stone in
Merlin’s submarine — coupled with traditions of a light in Noah’s ark
5. Seer-stone — taken from Solomon Spalding’s own Revolutionary War
experiences among necromancers in Rhode Island — probably including
the Stafford family, who later settled next door to Joseph Smith, Sr.
6. Interpreters — probably an adaptation of the Roman story’s seer-stone,
but also related to the “urim” which provided light in Noah’s ark
Here’s a short-cut to the origin of the Liahona, in Clavigero:
http://olivercowdery.com/texts/1806Clv1.htm#pg154aQuote:
>Proceeding from the country of the Zapotecas towards the south …
>in the year 1196 they [the first Aztecs] arrived at the celebrated
>city of Tula.
>
>In their journey from Chicomoztoc to Tula, they stopped a while in
>Coatlicomac, where the tribe was divided into two factions, which
>became perpetual rivals, and alternately persecuted each other. This
>discord was occasioned, as they say, by two bundles which miraculously
>appeared in the midst of their camp … they prized them more than the
>precious stone.
>
>They who appropriated to themselves the gem were those, who, after the
>foundation of Mexico called themselves Tlatelolcas… they who took the
>pieces of wood were those who in future bore the name of Mexicans…
>
>Notwithstanding this dissention both parties travelled always together
>for their imaginary interest in the protection of their god…
And a follow-up from Sorenson, in “Book of Mormon Authorship Revisited”
Quote:
>…The Título de los Señores de Totonicapán, another lineage history,
>speaks of “the precious gift which our father Nacxit gave us; it will
>be useful to us, because we have not yet found the place in which we
>are going to settle” (p. 205); — in other words, it served as an
>instrument to receive divine guidance as to where they should travel
>and settle.
>
>Carmack,following Nicholson, says that “this sacred symbol of power
>corresponds precisely” with the sacred bundle revered by descendants
>of the Toltecs in central Mexico. There it consisted of green stones
>(jade or turquoise) set into pieces of wood with holes bored in them
>and wrapped in cloth mantles; it symbolized “the hearts of [their]
>gods” (see Carmack, “Toltec Influence,” 73).
>
>I find the similarities to the Liahona and the ” interpreters” of
>the Nephites striking. The Liahona was a guide for Lehi’s party when
>they had “not yet found the place in which they were to settle.” The
>interpreters were sacred stones set in a device to facilitate their
>handling. Both instruments were divine gifts…
Of course Sorenson does not mention that Clavigero was the source for
the Toltec/Aztec tradition of the sacred gift that appeared suddenly in
the camp of the two rival factions, migrating to a new home under the
direction of their God.
Of course Sorenson does not mention that this tradition was made available
to readers like Solomon Spalding, by writers like Robert Southey, who
re-told Aztecs stories in his fictionalized Madoc epic long before the Book of Mormon.
It’s kinda like saying “I got this book from my ancestors,” without
bothering to mention that it was your uncle who gave it to you, at a
certain date, etc.