The above images are of gold tablets and a stone box of Darius the Great, a Persian king who reigned from 550-486 BCE. Images taken from Wikipedia. Historical accounts of the Book of Mormon golden plates (or golden tablets) also suggest that the engravings may have been inked similar to the gold tablets of Darius the Great to increase contrast for better readability. It is thought that the Book of Mormon golden plates may have been an alloy of gold and copper known as Tumbaga which has an appearance of gold and was commonly used in the Americas.

…we know that the things which we write upon plates must remain; But whatsoever things we write upon anything save it be upon plates must perish and vanish away; … Now in this thing we do rejoice; and we labor diligently to engraven these words upon plates, hoping that our beloved brethren and our children will receive them with thankful hearts, and look upon them that they may learn with joy… For, for this intent have we written these things, that they may know that we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of His glory many hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves had a hope of his glory, but also all the holy prophets which were before us. Behold, they believed in Christ and worshiped the Father in His Name, and also we worship the Father in His Name. And for this intent we keep the law of Moses, it pointing our souls to Him; and for this cause [in Jesus] it is sanctified unto us for righteousness, even as it was accounted unto Abraham in the wilderness to be obedient unto the commands of God in offering up his son Isaac, which is a similitude of God and His Only Begotten Son. Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many revelations and the spirit of prophecy [which gift emanates from Christ]; and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope [in Jesus], and our faith becometh unshaken [in Jesus]

Jacob 4:1-6

The Golden Plates of the Book of Mormon are symbolic of Jesus Christ. They contain His words which endure forever, remain bright, and which do not rust nor fade away. The symbolic representation of Jesus by the plates is alluded to by a large chiasmus in Jacob chapter 4. The golden plates at the beginning of the chapter are paralleled by the rock and sure foundation at the end of the chapter. Both are symbols of Jesus’ enduring love. We can build our lives and our house of faith on Him. Like the stone tablets given to Moses and kept in a golden ark and the golden plates of the Book of Mormon which were placed in a stone ark, Jesus is our sacred treasure. His bright words are written on our hearts and kept within us. We become living arks and temples of His words and his teachings, thinkings, lovings, and ways of being. His words become alive within us and give us a newness of life. We treasure His words which point our souls to Him and His love. He is the source of eternal life.