For years the best evidence suggested that metallurgy was unknown in the Americas until about 900 A.D. Recent studies have altered this view. “Current information,” writes one non-LDS scholar, “clearly indicates that by 1000 B.C. the most advanced metallurgy was being practiced in the Cauca Valley of Colombia.”1 Peruvians began metallurgy as early as 2000 B.C. and since it is generally accepted that Peru and Mesoamerica were in contact by trading, it seems reasonable that this knowledge was passed on to Mesoamerican peoples, especially since at least a dozen pieces of metal have been found in Mesoamerica dating to before 900 AD. 2
The problem with ancient metal artifacts is that metal (left untreated or exposed to the elements) corrodes and deteriorates—especially in the humid and wet jungles of Mesoamerica. Language studies, however, help confirm that metallurgy was known anciently in the Americas. Non-Mormon scholars who have reconstructed parts of several ancient Mesoamerican languages were puzzled to find a word for “metal” existed as early as 1000 B.C. while the early language of the Olmecs had a word for metal as early as 1500 B.C.3
There is no evidence of metallurgy prior to 900 AD in Mesoamerica. Peru doesn’t change that fact. There are plenty of metal artifacts that have survived the environment – the problem is that they all post-date 900 AD, with the exception of metal that is worked by hand without metallurgy. And that, by the way, is what the Olmec word for “metal” was signifying – you know, like the stuff they used to make iron-ore mirrors. They’ve survived the environment, too, and no metallurgy was involved.
As mentioned, one should not reject the possibility of "loan-shifting," — candidate species for "horse" under this interpretation include the tapir, deer [13] or llama.[14]
A llama in Mesoamerica? The Israelites came from a region that had deer. Why would they, or Joseph Smith who also knew deer and horse, use “horse” for “deer”? That needs to be discarded immediately. So we’re left with tapir, which is also the candidate for the donkey. No animal is suggested for cattle: I suppose the author was embarrassed to use tapir three times in a row. The sheep is ignored. So, basically, it’s “tapir” for all the large land animals mentioned in the Book of Mormon. That makes zero sense under any translation model.
If you want to discuss these issues seriously, please take the time to read my website, where I go into detail on these issues. I created the site precisely so I don’t have to reinvent the wheel over and over. (cough, chariot, cough)
http://mormonmesoamerica.com/metallurgy.htm
http://mormonmesoamerica.com/Book of Mormon%20Horse.htm