Relics in Middel-Earth - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Mithalwen · 01-27-2020, 04:04 AM

What about the horn that Eowyn gave Merry that came from the hoard of Scatha he worm?

Galadriel55 · 01-27-2020, 06:02 AM

Books/ scrolls / writings! Many books in that age are relics by virtue of books not being common. Some collections, eg the Gondor library, are incredibly old and rare. The Book of Mazarbul and the Red Book may yet become old relics, but at the end of LOTR they are relics telling stories of modern heroes.

R.R.J Tolkien · 01-27-2020, 08:36 AM

all great stuff thanks.

Huinesoron · 01-28-2020, 07:50 AM

Two sets of objects jump to mind (sort of). The first is the heirlooms of Numenor, the ones the Edain brought from Beleriand. They include the Ring of Barahir and Narsil, the sword of unspecified original wielder (I still reckon it's Haleth's), but also the likes of Dramborleg the axe of Tuor, Aranruth the sword of Thingol, and the unnamed Bow of Bregor, Lord of Ladros. (Is it unnamed because the Beorians were so effectively destroyed that their language was lost?) Some of them were brought out of Numenor by Elendil and company; the others were lost in the Downfall.

The other set is the set that doesn't exist: evil relics. Yes, there's the One Ring, but other than that I can't think of anything made by Morgoth's or Sauron's forces which is said to have been passed down. (The Seven Rings could count as this, I suppose; the Nine certainly don't, because they only had one bearer.) That has the feel of a deliberate choice by Tolkien: Sauron in particular represents industrialisation, and mass produced objects taking the place of heirlooms sounds like a very firm message by the author.

hS

01-27-2020, 04:04 AM	#1
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,461	What about the horn that Eowyn gave Merry that came from the hoard of Scatha he worm? __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace

01-27-2020, 06:02 AM	#2
Galadriel55 Blossom of Dwimordene Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: The realm of forgotten words Posts: 10,521	Books/ scrolls / writings! Many books in that age are relics by virtue of books not being common. Some collections, eg the Gondor library, are incredibly old and rare. The Book of Mazarbul and the Red Book may yet become old relics, but at the end of LOTR they are relics telling stories of modern heroes. __________________ You passed from under darkened dome, you enter now the secret land. - Take me to Finrod's fabled home!... ~ Finrod: The Rock Opera

01-27-2020, 08:36 AM	#3
R.R.J Tolkien Wight Join Date: Feb 2018 Posts: 156	all great stuff thanks. __________________ “I am in fact a Hobbit (in all but size). I like gardens, trees and unmechanized farmlands; I smoke a pipe, and like good plain food...I am fond of mushrooms.” -J.R.R Tolkien

01-28-2020, 07:50 AM	#4
Huinesoron Overshadowed Eagle Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: The north-west of the Old World, east of the Sea Posts: 3,973	Two sets of objects jump to mind (sort of). The first is the heirlooms of Numenor, the ones the Edain brought from Beleriand. They include the Ring of Barahir and Narsil, the sword of unspecified original wielder (I still reckon it's Haleth's), but also the likes of Dramborleg the axe of Tuor, Aranruth the sword of Thingol, and the unnamed Bow of Bregor, Lord of Ladros. (Is it unnamed because the Beorians were so effectively destroyed that their language was lost?) Some of them were brought out of Numenor by Elendil and company; the others were lost in the Downfall. The other set is the set that doesn't exist: evil relics. Yes, there's the One Ring, but other than that I can't think of anything made by Morgoth's or Sauron's forces which is said to have been passed down. (The Seven Rings could count as this, I suppose; the Nine certainly don't, because they only had one bearer.) That has the feel of a deliberate choice by Tolkien: Sauron in particular represents industrialisation, and mass produced objects taking the place of heirlooms sounds like a very firm message by the author. hS