Is it possible: 1 Silmaril found: The Arkenstone

[Gwathagor]

You've got me convinced, skip.

[skip spence]

Glad to have won a few folk over. Unfortunately there's a catch I didn't notice at first, being eager an all.

This was an idea that did not fit the chronology, for Melian left Valinor in 1050, the year of the awakening of the elves ... Feanor was born more than a hundred Valian years later ... and in GA 2 the story of the great pearl Nimphelos was substituted.

Oh well...

[Gwathagor]

Oh. Drat.

[Eönwë]

Anyway, how did she get the pearl?

[Ibrîniðilpathânezel]

It may not exactly fit with the Melian story, but it does give a pointer, I think. Not all of the Noldor were unfriendly with the Elves, and I suspect that if Feanor had other gems of his making, he might well have taken them with him when he left Valinor (especially given his anger at the Valar, and his unwillingness to have others touch his creations without his leave). Even if it didn't come from Feanor, he wasn't the only jewel-smith in Middle-earth. Celebrimbor was the greatest jewel-smith of Eregion, and by one version of the story in UT, created the version of the Elessar that came down to Aragorn through Galadriel. Since the smiths of Eregion were at one time friendly with Durin's folk, it's entirely possible the Arkenstone was made by them and given to the Dwarves of Khazad-dum as a token of the peace between them. Thorin was a direct descendant of Durin's line, so such a gift might well have become a treasured heirloom of his house, despite the animosity that eventually grew between the Elves and Dwarves.

Then again, this could be an example of what happens when things change in rewriting and revising. New things are substituted, but not all of the loose ends are removed. Could happen.

[skip spence]

If we are going to speculate I may offer an alternative.

If I'm not mistaken, Finrod Felagund were said to have brought more riches out of Tirion than all the other elven princes put together. Maybe the Arkenstone, in this case quite possibly a work of Feanor, was a part of the Dwarves' payment for helping Felagund delve out Nargothrond?

(then again, would Feanor really give anything to Finrod, son of Finarfin, son of Indis?)

[skip spence]

Originally Posted by Eönwë

Anyway, how did she get the pearl?

If my memory serves me well the great pearl was fished up in the Bay of Balar by Cirdan (maybe not personally but you get my point) and given to Thingol among many others of lesser scale and beauty. The Dwarves went crazy about 'em as they'd seen nothing like it before. Remember, a mere glimpse of the ocean was enough to make a dwarf shriek like a sissy.

[William Cloud Hicklin]

The story of Melian's gem seems lijke an (abortive) attempt by Tolkien to create a backstory for the Arkenstone ( and demonstrate it was not, in fact, a Silmaril); but elsewhaere he says, I believe in App a Durin's Folk, that Thrain I discovered the Arkenstone digging under Erebor. So it doesn't quite fit the gift-of-the-Noldor theory.

[Eönwë]

Ok, well maybe other stones went into the earth with the Arkenstone, or from Angband. Just a suggestion (I don't have any evidence anywhere to back this up)