According to Joseph Allen, another point of interest is that the stone box in which the Prophet Joseph Smith found the gold plates is not like the stone boxes in Mesoamerica. The stone boxes in Mexico consist of one piece with the center carved out, as shown (see illustration). Joseph Smith described the stone box in which the gold plates were found as follows: . . . the box in which they lay was formed by laying stones together in some kind of cement. In the bottom of the box were laid two stones crossways of the box, and on these stones lay the plates and the other things with them. (Joseph Smith--History 1:52) This verse simply suggests that Moroni had carried the plates to an area (New York) where the Lord inspired him to go. Moroni did not have a stone box with him, nor would he have had the tools with which to carve the stone box. He also would have had as difficult task of finding the type of volcanic stone that is used in Mesoamerica for stone boxes. However, coming from the Mesoamerican environment, Moroni would have wanted to safeguard the records in a stone box. Having a knowledge of cement, he would have built the box in the manner in which Joseph Smith described it. [Joseph L. Allen, Exploring the Lands of the Book of Mormon, p. 345]
Moroni 10:2 I seal up this record (Stone box) [[Illustration]]: Stone Box [Joseph L. Allen, Exploring the Lands of the Book of Mormon, p. 346]