Quote:
Originally Posted by Zigūr
Saruman's hair and beard were black when he came to Middle-earth and slowly turned white over the millennia: "His hair and beard were white, but strands of black still showed about his lips and ears." ("The Voice of Saruman")
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That actually brings up an interesting question (if I may veer off topic for a bit) why did the Istari have beards AT ALL. They were sent to rally the people the people of Middle Earth to resist Sauron, so one would assume they would choose a form that would in someway facilitate conveying their message. Given that a fairly large proportion of the major powers in ME (the one's whose support would be ESSENTIAL to any resistance) did not as a rule wear facial hair it would seem a bit of an odd choice. To the elves (who don't usually grow facial hair until they are quite old) it would make them look even older than they were. This is fine for the wise (who would respect age and wisdom) but I imagine some younger elves would see them and think "doddering old fool". In Gondor it would mark them out as pretty perpetual strangers since the Gondorians also do not grow facial hair (I've never been sure based on the text if it is a matter or choice (to look more like the elves) or if the generation have actually bred hairiness out of the Numenorian bloodline). In Rohan the same would probably be the case (Again I can't remember and specifc mentions as to whether the Rohirrim wear beards, but if it is genetic then what applies to Gondor applies to them.) Moreover since I seem to recall a lot of the people who Oppose Rohan (like the Dunlendings) DO grow beards, it might make them look not merely like "strangers" but like "the enemy". A lot of the other Men of Middle earth of course do have facial hair (The fact that Stoor hobbits can grow beards is regarded as a Mannish thing, so it's safe to say than the Breelanders grow beards) but power wise, they are a lot more diffuse and making oneself more attractive to them at the cost of alienating other, larger powers does not seem to me to make much logistical sense. Saruman I can sort of see since, as Aule's choice, he might share Aule's love of the Dwarves and want to make himself as attractive to them as possible.