Yes, Joseph Smith used a seer stone, sometimes referred to as a "glass-looking" stone, for treasure digging before founding the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In the early 1820s, as a young man living in upstate New York, Joseph Smith participated in the practice known as "money digging" or treasure-seeking. This was part of a larger cultural milieu in rural America at the time, where many individuals believed in and practiced methods to locate hidden treasures. Using seer stones, Joseph Smith and others would claim to see where buried treasures might be located. Joseph Smith's
Joseph Smith's use of a glass-looking stone, commonly referred to as a "seer stone," for treasure digging prior to founding the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is well-documented. This practice took place during the early 19th century, a time and place where treasure digging and folk magic were common cultural phenomena, especially in rural New York where Smith lived. Smith's activities in treasure digging were reportedly extensive; he participated in as many as eighteen to forty treasure digging ventures, seeking hidden treasures believed to be buried by pirates or in ancient cach