Papyri once belonging to Joseph Smith, prophet-founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, will first go to Brigham Young University to be used in research on the "Pearl of Great Price" by Dr. Hugh Nibley, professor of history and religion, it was announced Tuesday at a press conference called by N. Eldon Tanner, member of the First Presidency.

Gift of Museum

The papyri, including a manuscript identified as the original document from which Joseph Smith copied the drawing he called Facsimile No. 1, and published with the Book of Abraham in the "Pearl of Great Price," were recently presented to the church by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City. Accompanying the papyri was a letter of May 26, 1846, signed by Emma Smith Bidamon, widow of the prophet, attesting as to their ownership.

Through a long series of transfers they reached the Metropolitan in 1947, and were discovered there recently by Dr. Aziz S. Atiya, who recently retired as director of the University of Utah Middle East Center. He was instrumental in having them returned to the church.

Careful Study

President Tanner said the pieces of papyrus, number 11 altogether, will be studied carefully, and whatever further information develops will be made known.

Dr. Nibley is publishing a series of articles in the Improvement Era, beginning in January, under the title, "A New Look at the 'Pearl of Great Price.'"

President Tanner explained that Dr. Nibley began his work several years ago, and the publishing of articles is coincidental with receipt of the papyri by the church. After the BYU work, the fragile documents, still mounted as Joseph Smith himself prepared them, will be placed in the church library, Pres. Tanner said.