Timeline of the Great Rings

[Arvegil145]

Originally Posted by Huinesoron

All of this is very plausible, but not proven by the text. Is there a source for the 7 Rings to 7 Clans in 7 Mansions connection we all seem to make, or did we just guess that? Neither the Three nor the Nine are evenly spread among their respective peoples - two of the Three are held by heirs of the Noldor, and three of the Nine went to Numenoreans. Several in one house of the Dwarves is entirely possible.

Of course it's speculation - if it weren't everyone and their grandmother would be flooding in with quotes.

However, I take issue with you pointing out the 9 (Men) and the 3 (Elves) in contrast to the 7 - simply put:

1) in regards to the Mannish 9 there really is no equivalent to the Dwarven '7 symbology' - Men are so diverse in their modes of life that there couldn't be an equivalent (unless the number 9 had a special significance in regards to the Awakening of Men or something)

2) in regards to Elves - the original bearer (and maker) of the 3 was Celebrimbor (a Noldo): he then gave the three to Galadriel and Gil-galad (both of them being Noldor) - it was only afterwards that Elrond and Cirdan/Gandalf inherited Vilya and Narya, respectively


Basically, the number 7 is connected to the Dwarves in a way that no other number (except maybe 12 and its square 144 in regards to Elves) is connected to any other race.