Twelve houses of the Gondothlim

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The Twelve Gondolin Houses by Shyangell

The Twelve Houses of the Gondothlim were the kindreds of Gondolin, according to the early version of the Legendarium in The Book of the Lost Tales. Their lords and deeds are described in the "The Fall of Gondolin" in great detail.

History

When the Fall of Gondolin began, all the folks and lords were reunited coming from all parts of the city. Here are named in the order they came when King Turgon called them to council:[1]

House Symbol(s) and atributes Leader
House of the King Moon, Sun, Scarlet Heart Turgon
House of the Wing White Wing Tuor
House of the Mole (no emblem), Moleskin Meglin
House of the Swallow Arrowhead, Fan of Feathers Duilin
House of the Heavenly Arch Rainbow, Opal, Jewelled Boss Egalmoth
House of the Pillar A Pillar Penlod
House of the Tower of Snow A Tower Penlod
House of the Tree Tree, Iron-studded club, Slings Galdor
House of the Golden Flower Rayed Sun, Golden Flower (celandine) Glorfindel
House of the Fountain Fountain, Silver, Diamonds, Flute Ecthelion
House of the Harp Silver Harp, Tassels of silver and gold Salgant
House of the Hammer of Wrath Stricken Anvil, Red gold and Black iron, Maces Rog

Other versions of the legendarium

Tolkien never wrote again about the Houses of Gondolin in later texts, because his writings never include details about the city. The only exception is in the Quenta Noldorinwa, where there is a simple mention of "the chieftains of the noble houses and their warriors"[2] (notice that this is the text used in the twenty-third chapter of the published Silmarillion).

Christopher Tolkien explains that the idea would have re-emerged if his father had finished Of Tuor and his coming to Gondolin: in the description of the Seven Gates, there are seven groups of guards, each one with rich 'heraldic' descriptions.[3] But Tolkien didn't finish the tale, so beyond the Lost Tales the only vestiges are the titles Ecthelion 'of the Fountain' and Glorfindel 'chief of the House of the Golden Flower of Gondolin'.[4] They are the only chaptains of Turgon mentioned in the published Silmarillion, but there are also later texts of the Legendarium that include individual mentions to Rog[2]and Egalmoth.[5]

The Gnomish name Gondothlim for the people of Gondolin was later changed by the Sindarin Gondolindrim.

References

  1. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, "III. The Fall of Gondolin", pp. 172-4
  2. 2.0 2.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Shaping of Middle-earth, "III. The Quenta: §16 in the Q II version", p. 144
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Of Tuor and his Coming to Gondolin", pp. 46-50
  4. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, "III. The Fall of Gondolin": "Notes and Commentary", p. 211
  5. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part Three. The Wanderings of Húrin and Other Writings not forming part of the Quenta Silmarillion: III. Maeglin", p. 318