Palantiri

[skip spence]

It's been a long time since I read Unfinished Tales and the Palantiri part, but weren't they as a general rule rather large and heavy objects, although the one in Ortanc was an obvious exception? I mean, they were perhaps not objects you would hastily put in your back pocket before heading out of a mad march to regain something much more precious. Feanor could also have gifted away the Palantiri to the Teleri in his younger more carefree days, who can tell?

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by skip spence

It's been a long time since I read Unfinished Tales and the Palantiri part, but weren't they as a general rule rather large and heavy objects, although the one in Ortanc was an obvious exception? I mean, they were perhaps not objects you would hastily put in your back pocket before heading out of a mad march to regain something much more precious. Feanor could also have gifted away the Palantiri to the Teleri in his younger more carefree days, who can tell?

The UT essay says:

At smallest they were about a foot in diameter, but some, certainly the Stones of Osgiliath and Amon Sûl, were much larger and could not be lifted by one man.

"A foot in diameter", a bit larger than a standard tenpin bowling ball. Makes one feel sorry for Aragorn's horse, which probably carried the Orthanc-stone all the way from Dol Baren to Minas Tirith.