Gold
Gold refers to both a valuable mineral in Middle-earth and golden colour or golden light.
History[edit | edit source]
Gold was present in the deeps of Arda since its creation and Aulë, the great smith was the first to make use of it. Afterwards, it was to be used by all speaking peoples of earth particularly the Dwarves who mastered it and by the Noldor.
One of the Seven Gates of Gondolin was the Gate of Gold.
Although valuable, the metal was not nearly as valuable as mithril. Gimli stated that when the Dwarves mined mithril in Moria it was worth ten times the value of gold and that after the coming of Durin's Bane mithril was beyond price).[1] The Teleri also prized silver (which they called telpe) above gold.[2]
The One Ring was made of gold,[3] as was Vilya, the Elven Ring of Elrond.[4] The treasure of Smaug also contained gold, wrought and unwrought.[5]
Other names[edit | edit source]
Other versions of the legendarium[edit | edit source]
In The Book of Lost Tales a portion of gold was used in the creation of Tilkal, to construct Angainor.[6]
In Gnomish, the word for "gold" is glôr (glôriol means "golden, like gold", and glôrin means "golden, of gold"). The poetic word for "gold" is Culu.[7]
Portrayal in adaptations[edit | edit source]
1982-97: Middle-earth Role Playing:
- Gold (Mal) is valued by the Dwarves above all other metals, save mithril. Elven smiths mix it with other metals to make strong alloys.[8]
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "A Journey in the Dark"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn", "Appendix E: The Names of Celeborn and Galadriel"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "The Shadow of the Past"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Grey Havens"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, "Inside Information"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, "IV. The Chaining of Melko", p. 100
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "I-Lam na-Ngoldathon: The Grammar and Lexicon of the Gnomish Tongue", in Parma Eldalamberon XI (edited by Christopher Gilson, Arden R. Smith, and Patrick H. Wynne), pp. 27, 40
- ↑ Wolfgang Baur (1994), Treasures of Middle-earth (2nd edition) (#2010)
