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:''"Khazad" redirects here. See KHAZAD for the block cipher named after Khazad-dûm.''
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth, 'Dwarves' (also known as the 'Naugrim') are beings of short stature who all possess beards and are often friendly with Hobbits, although long suspicious of Elves. They are typically smiths and stoneworkers by profession, unrivalled in some of their arts, even by the Elves. The Dwarves called themselves the 'Khazâd', the name Aulë gave them; the corresponding definition in Sindarin is ''Hadhodrim'', and in Quenya ''Kasári''. The common words for Dwarves among the Elves were ''Naugrim'' or ''Nogothrim'' ('Stunted People'), but they were not used in actual intercourse, being substituted by Hadhodrim or ''Dornhoth'' ('Thrawn Folk').
Unlike Elves and Men, the Dwarves are not counted among the Children of Ilúvatar. They were created by Aulë the Smith. They were kept asleep until after the Awakening of the Elves. Aulë created the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves, from whom all other Dwarves are descended. Aulë's work was doomed, though, because he did not have the power to grant independent life to his creations, that is, free will — that power belonged to Ilúvatar alone. Aulë later repented and confessed to Ilúvatar. When the Dwarves were completed, though, the voice of Ilúvatar spoke to Aulë and agreed to grant them true life and include them in his plan for Arda. Ilúvatar granted the Dwarves life, and therefore they are known as the Adopted Children of Ilúvatar.
They mined and worked precious metals and stones throughout the mountains of Middle-earth with consummate skills derived from their maker Aulë. Gandalf described gold and jewels as the dwarves' toys and iron as their servant. In ancient times, they were said to have preferred working with copper and iron, though in later days they wrought gold and silver, and the ''mithril'' they found in the mines of Khazad-dûm.
Since they mainly live underground, Dwarves do not like farming or herding, and they obtain all their food supplies through trade with Elves and Men. As stated in 'Of Dwarves and Men,' the Dwarves have often formed trade relations with Men whereby they exchange the items of their smithcraft in return for food grown by the Men, in a mutually beneficial relationship.
Dwarves were famous for using one handed, two handed and throwing axes in battle. However, as seen in ''The Hobbit'', they also used swords, shields and bows. The Dwarves of the Iron Hills, in addition to axes, carried mattocks and shields slung on their backs, with short swords as secondary weapons. Unlike in other fantasy settings, there is no mention of Tolkien's Dwarves using war hammers; these weapons are used by the Olog-hai trolls instead.
Aulë made the Dwarves at a time when the world outside Aman still lay under the dominion of Melkor, so he made them sturdy and hardy to survive the dangers and hardships of that time. In nature, the typical Dwarf is stubborn and secretive. Though they make loyal and good friends, they are also a proud and stern race. They do not suffer grievance or insult, and their hatred is long-lasting. They are said, though, to be quick to learn new skills, but slow to teach their own. Their homes are often underground, and are usually very large and hospitable. Dwarves are also known for their hearty food and drink. While on a march they usually eat "cram", but a Dwarf feast was something to be remembered: "roaring fires, malt beer, red meat off the bone!" -Gimli
In many ways, they were in between the Elves and Men. They were not immortal but usually lived to about two hundred and fifty years of age. They were less corruptible than Men but committed their share of rash and greedy acts (among these was the slaying of Elu Thingol and the sacking of Doriath because of the dispute over the Nauglamír). Also, Thorin Oakenshield and the Dwarves of the Iron Hills were willing to go to war with the Elves of Mirkwood and the Men of Esgaroth over the treasure of Erebor, refusing to share any of it.
Most Dwarves mentioned in Tolkien's works are of Durin's folk, the house founded by Durin I of Khazad-dûm, called the Longbeards. (The inhabitants of the dwarf-cities of Nogrod and Belegost in the Blue Mountains, spoken of in ''The Silmarillion'', are exceptions). The seven different Dwarf kindreds originated in the locations where the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves first awoke before the First Age. There were three pairs of Fathers that awoke together, and their Folk would build their halls near each other, though Durin himself had awoken alone. (In his letters, Tolkien adds that all the Fathers except for Durin also had wives who awoke with them). Therefore the halls of the Longbeards at Khazad-dûm were not located near the halls of another Dwarf-kingdom. The seven houses of the Dwarves were:
# Longbeards. Durin's Folk. Durin originally awoke at Mount Gundabad in the Misty Mountains and wandered alone, but eventually founded the city of Khazad-dûm.
# Firebeards. Originally from Nogrod. Paired with:
# Broadbeams. Originally from Belegost.
# Ironfists. Home unknown, somewhere in the Far East. Paired with:
# Stiffbeards. Home unknown, somewhere in the Far East.
# Blacklocks. Home unknown, somewhere in the Far East. Paired with:
# Stonefoots. Home unknown, somewhere in the Far East.
There was also an eighth group of Dwarves that was not a separate member from these seven kindreds but composed of exiles from each: the Petty-dwarves, who were hunted like animals almost to the point of extinction by the Elves early in the First Age, and died out entirely before the First Age ended.
The dwarves were great smiths and forged many a famous weapon, like Narsil - the sword of Elendil, later the sword of Aragorn - was originally forged by Telchar in Nogrod. They made the first armor that is resistant to the breath of a dragon. Their metalsmiths and craftsmen rivaled even those of the High Elves. They mined ''mithril'', gold, and silver. They reforged the gates of Minas Tirith and repaired the walls of Helm's Deep after the War of the Ring. Little is known about their use of weapons beside axes but it is known that the dwarves of the Iron Hills used mattocks, swords, and shields in the Battle of the Five Armies.
The party with Thorin Oakenshield used bows and arrows, though shot them in the dark, and spent many arrows.
The Dwarves lived and mined in several locations throughout Middle-earth at various times, including:
★ Moria or Khazad-dûm, along with other places in the Misty Mountains.
★ Erebor, the Lonely Mountain.
★ The Emyn Engrin or Iron Hills.
★ The Ered Luin or Blue Mountains, where the cities Nogrod and Belegost existed in the First Age.
★ The Ered Mithrin or Grey Mountains, although they were later driven out by Dragons.
★ Possibly the Orocarni or the Red Mountains of the East.
Male dwarves were overprotective of their women whom they sheltered from other races.
Few female dwarves were seen by other races, hence the myth of Men which lead to the belief that Dwarves grow out of stone (supported by the fact that both male and female Dwarves looked similar).
In addition, no more than one third of the dwarven population was female, and few men took wives because they were too busy in the mines. The female dwarves too are reluctant to marry males that they do not like. Often, if a dwarven female has her eye on a particular dwarven male, and if she cannot have him, she will accept no other.
As a result, they had a slow population growth rate and the attrition caused by the many wars they fought would take many years to recover from, if ever. They dwindled after the Fourth Age like the Elves, until Men were the only of the great races left to rule Middle-earth.
The Dwarven language was created by Aulë and was known as Khuzdul. It was a strange language to Elves and Men and few non-Dwarves learned it because the Dwarves guarded it jealously. However, one Dwarven phrase is well known: the ancient battle cry, going back to at least the First Age: "''Baruk Khazâd! Khazâd ai-mênu!''", which means "Axes of the Dwarves! The Dwarves are upon you!"
They used the Cirth, a writing system invented by the Elves.
In the New Line Cinema version of ''The Lord of the Rings'' trilogy, several square shields were seen in the ruins of Moria.
In the real-time strategy game , and its , dwarves were shown with throwing axes, war hammers, and circular and Roman-esque shields.
★ In the earliest versions of Tolkien's Middle-earth mythology, the Dwarves were evil beings created by Melkor.
★ The enduring popularity of Tolkien's books, especially ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings,'' has led to the popular use of the term ''dwarves'' to describe this race in fantasy literature. Before Tolkien, the term ''dwarfs'' (with a different spelling) was used, as seen in ''Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs''. In fact, the latter spelling was so common that the original editor of ''The Lord of the Rings'' "corrected" Tolkien's ''dwarves'' to ''dwarfs'' (''The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien'', 138).[1] In this matter, one has to consider the fact that the etymological development of the term ''dwarf'' differs from the similar-sounding word ''scarf'' (plural ''scarves''). The emendation ''dwarrow'' is probably Tolkien's own construction. The English word is related to old Norse ''dvergr'', which, in the other case, would have had the form ''dvorgr''. But this word was never recorded, and the f/g-emendation (English/Norse) dates further back in language history.
★ Tolkien's Dwarves are loosely based upon those of Norse myths. Also, for ''The Hobbit'' almost all the names of the dwarves of Middle-earth are taken from the Icelandic saga of Völuspá.[2]
★ In the movie ''Lord of the Rings'', The Fathers of the Dwarves were portrayed as receiving the Seven Rings. However, the Rings of Power were forged in the Second Age, long after the Fathers must have died. However, these could just be the Seven Kings of the Seven Kindreds, descendants of the Seven Fathers but not the originals.
★ List of Middle-earth Dwarves
★ Dwarf
★ Dwarf runes
★ War of the Dwarves and Orcs
★ Petty-dwarf
★ Aulë
1. According to Tolkien, the "real 'historical'" plural of ''dwarf'' is ''dwarrows'' or ''dwerrows''. He once referred to ''dwarves'' as "a piece of private bad grammar" (''Letters'', 17), but in Appendix F to ''The Lord of the Rings'' he explains that if we still spoke of ''dwarves'' regularly, English might have retained a special plural for the word ''dwarf'' as with ''man''. The form ''dwarrow'' only appears in the word ''Dwarrowdelf'', a name for Moria. Tolkien used ''Dwarves'', instead, which corresponds with ''Elf'' and ''Elves'', making its meaning more apparent. The use of a different term also serves to set Tolkien's Dwarves apart from the similarly-named creatures in mythology and fairy-tales.
2. "9. Then sought the gods their assembly-seats, / The holy ones, and council held, / To find who should raise the race of dwarfs / Out of Brimir's blood and the legs of Blain. / 10. There was Motsognir the mightiest made / Of all the dwarfs, and 'Durin' next; / Many a likeness of men they made, / The dwarfs in the earth, as Durin said. / Nyi and Nithi, Northri and Suthri, / Austri and Vestri, Althjof, 'Dvalin', / 'Nar' and 'Nain', Niping, 'Dain', / 'Bifur', 'Bofur', 'Bombur', 'Nori', / An and Onar, Ai, Mjothvitnir, / 12. Vigg and Gandalf, Vindalf, 'Thrain', / Thekk and 'Thorin', 'Thror', Vit and Lit, / Nyr and Nyrath, / Regin and Rathvith — now have I told the list aright. / 13. 'Fili', 'Kili', 'Fundin', Nali, / Heptifili, Hannar, Sviur, / 'Frar', Hornbori, Fræg and Loni, / Aurvang, Jari, Eikinskjaldi. / 14. The race of the dwarfs in Dvalin's throng / Down to Lofar the list must I tell; / The rocks they left, and through the wet lands / They sought a home in the fields of sand. / 15. There were Draupnir and Dolgthrasir, / Hor, Haugspori, Hlevang, 'Gloin', / 'Dori', 'Ori', Duf, Andvari, /Skirfir, Virfir, Skafith, Ai. / 16. Alf and Yngvi, Eikinskjaldi; / Fjalar and Frosti, Fith and Ginnar; / So for all time shall the tale be known, / The list of all the forbears of Lofar. (Sturluson, Snorri. "Catalogue of Dwarfs", ''Völuspá'', ''Prose Edda''. ISBN 0-460-87616-3).
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth, 'Dwarves' (also known as the 'Naugrim') are beings of short stature who all possess beards and are often friendly with Hobbits, although long suspicious of Elves. They are typically smiths and stoneworkers by profession, unrivalled in some of their arts, even by the Elves. The Dwarves called themselves the 'Khazâd', the name Aulë gave them; the corresponding definition in Sindarin is ''Hadhodrim'', and in Quenya ''Kasári''. The common words for Dwarves among the Elves were ''Naugrim'' or ''Nogothrim'' ('Stunted People'), but they were not used in actual intercourse, being substituted by Hadhodrim or ''Dornhoth'' ('Thrawn Folk').
| Contents |
| Overview |
| Characteristics |
| The Seven Houses of the Dwarves |
| Skills |
| Location |
| Decline |
| Language and writing systems |
| Adaptations |
| Trivia |
| See also |
| References |
Overview
Unlike Elves and Men, the Dwarves are not counted among the Children of Ilúvatar. They were created by Aulë the Smith. They were kept asleep until after the Awakening of the Elves. Aulë created the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves, from whom all other Dwarves are descended. Aulë's work was doomed, though, because he did not have the power to grant independent life to his creations, that is, free will — that power belonged to Ilúvatar alone. Aulë later repented and confessed to Ilúvatar. When the Dwarves were completed, though, the voice of Ilúvatar spoke to Aulë and agreed to grant them true life and include them in his plan for Arda. Ilúvatar granted the Dwarves life, and therefore they are known as the Adopted Children of Ilúvatar.
They mined and worked precious metals and stones throughout the mountains of Middle-earth with consummate skills derived from their maker Aulë. Gandalf described gold and jewels as the dwarves' toys and iron as their servant. In ancient times, they were said to have preferred working with copper and iron, though in later days they wrought gold and silver, and the ''mithril'' they found in the mines of Khazad-dûm.
Since they mainly live underground, Dwarves do not like farming or herding, and they obtain all their food supplies through trade with Elves and Men. As stated in 'Of Dwarves and Men,' the Dwarves have often formed trade relations with Men whereby they exchange the items of their smithcraft in return for food grown by the Men, in a mutually beneficial relationship.
Dwarves were famous for using one handed, two handed and throwing axes in battle. However, as seen in ''The Hobbit'', they also used swords, shields and bows. The Dwarves of the Iron Hills, in addition to axes, carried mattocks and shields slung on their backs, with short swords as secondary weapons. Unlike in other fantasy settings, there is no mention of Tolkien's Dwarves using war hammers; these weapons are used by the Olog-hai trolls instead.
Characteristics
Aulë made the Dwarves at a time when the world outside Aman still lay under the dominion of Melkor, so he made them sturdy and hardy to survive the dangers and hardships of that time. In nature, the typical Dwarf is stubborn and secretive. Though they make loyal and good friends, they are also a proud and stern race. They do not suffer grievance or insult, and their hatred is long-lasting. They are said, though, to be quick to learn new skills, but slow to teach their own. Their homes are often underground, and are usually very large and hospitable. Dwarves are also known for their hearty food and drink. While on a march they usually eat "cram", but a Dwarf feast was something to be remembered: "roaring fires, malt beer, red meat off the bone!" -Gimli
In many ways, they were in between the Elves and Men. They were not immortal but usually lived to about two hundred and fifty years of age. They were less corruptible than Men but committed their share of rash and greedy acts (among these was the slaying of Elu Thingol and the sacking of Doriath because of the dispute over the Nauglamír). Also, Thorin Oakenshield and the Dwarves of the Iron Hills were willing to go to war with the Elves of Mirkwood and the Men of Esgaroth over the treasure of Erebor, refusing to share any of it.
The Seven Houses of the Dwarves
Most Dwarves mentioned in Tolkien's works are of Durin's folk, the house founded by Durin I of Khazad-dûm, called the Longbeards. (The inhabitants of the dwarf-cities of Nogrod and Belegost in the Blue Mountains, spoken of in ''The Silmarillion'', are exceptions). The seven different Dwarf kindreds originated in the locations where the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves first awoke before the First Age. There were three pairs of Fathers that awoke together, and their Folk would build their halls near each other, though Durin himself had awoken alone. (In his letters, Tolkien adds that all the Fathers except for Durin also had wives who awoke with them). Therefore the halls of the Longbeards at Khazad-dûm were not located near the halls of another Dwarf-kingdom. The seven houses of the Dwarves were:
# Longbeards. Durin's Folk. Durin originally awoke at Mount Gundabad in the Misty Mountains and wandered alone, but eventually founded the city of Khazad-dûm.
# Firebeards. Originally from Nogrod. Paired with:
# Broadbeams. Originally from Belegost.
# Ironfists. Home unknown, somewhere in the Far East. Paired with:
# Stiffbeards. Home unknown, somewhere in the Far East.
# Blacklocks. Home unknown, somewhere in the Far East. Paired with:
# Stonefoots. Home unknown, somewhere in the Far East.
There was also an eighth group of Dwarves that was not a separate member from these seven kindreds but composed of exiles from each: the Petty-dwarves, who were hunted like animals almost to the point of extinction by the Elves early in the First Age, and died out entirely before the First Age ended.
Skills
The dwarves were great smiths and forged many a famous weapon, like Narsil - the sword of Elendil, later the sword of Aragorn - was originally forged by Telchar in Nogrod. They made the first armor that is resistant to the breath of a dragon. Their metalsmiths and craftsmen rivaled even those of the High Elves. They mined ''mithril'', gold, and silver. They reforged the gates of Minas Tirith and repaired the walls of Helm's Deep after the War of the Ring. Little is known about their use of weapons beside axes but it is known that the dwarves of the Iron Hills used mattocks, swords, and shields in the Battle of the Five Armies.
The party with Thorin Oakenshield used bows and arrows, though shot them in the dark, and spent many arrows.
Location
The Dwarves lived and mined in several locations throughout Middle-earth at various times, including:
★ Moria or Khazad-dûm, along with other places in the Misty Mountains.
★ Erebor, the Lonely Mountain.
★ The Emyn Engrin or Iron Hills.
★ The Ered Luin or Blue Mountains, where the cities Nogrod and Belegost existed in the First Age.
★ The Ered Mithrin or Grey Mountains, although they were later driven out by Dragons.
★ Possibly the Orocarni or the Red Mountains of the East.
Decline
Male dwarves were overprotective of their women whom they sheltered from other races.
Few female dwarves were seen by other races, hence the myth of Men which lead to the belief that Dwarves grow out of stone (supported by the fact that both male and female Dwarves looked similar).
In addition, no more than one third of the dwarven population was female, and few men took wives because they were too busy in the mines. The female dwarves too are reluctant to marry males that they do not like. Often, if a dwarven female has her eye on a particular dwarven male, and if she cannot have him, she will accept no other.
As a result, they had a slow population growth rate and the attrition caused by the many wars they fought would take many years to recover from, if ever. They dwindled after the Fourth Age like the Elves, until Men were the only of the great races left to rule Middle-earth.
Language and writing systems
The Dwarven language was created by Aulë and was known as Khuzdul. It was a strange language to Elves and Men and few non-Dwarves learned it because the Dwarves guarded it jealously. However, one Dwarven phrase is well known: the ancient battle cry, going back to at least the First Age: "''Baruk Khazâd! Khazâd ai-mênu!''", which means "Axes of the Dwarves! The Dwarves are upon you!"
They used the Cirth, a writing system invented by the Elves.
Adaptations
In the New Line Cinema version of ''The Lord of the Rings'' trilogy, several square shields were seen in the ruins of Moria.
In the real-time strategy game , and its , dwarves were shown with throwing axes, war hammers, and circular and Roman-esque shields.
Trivia
★ In the earliest versions of Tolkien's Middle-earth mythology, the Dwarves were evil beings created by Melkor.
★ The enduring popularity of Tolkien's books, especially ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings,'' has led to the popular use of the term ''dwarves'' to describe this race in fantasy literature. Before Tolkien, the term ''dwarfs'' (with a different spelling) was used, as seen in ''Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs''. In fact, the latter spelling was so common that the original editor of ''The Lord of the Rings'' "corrected" Tolkien's ''dwarves'' to ''dwarfs'' (''The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien'', 138).[1] In this matter, one has to consider the fact that the etymological development of the term ''dwarf'' differs from the similar-sounding word ''scarf'' (plural ''scarves''). The emendation ''dwarrow'' is probably Tolkien's own construction. The English word is related to old Norse ''dvergr'', which, in the other case, would have had the form ''dvorgr''. But this word was never recorded, and the f/g-emendation (English/Norse) dates further back in language history.
★ Tolkien's Dwarves are loosely based upon those of Norse myths. Also, for ''The Hobbit'' almost all the names of the dwarves of Middle-earth are taken from the Icelandic saga of Völuspá.[2]
★ In the movie ''Lord of the Rings'', The Fathers of the Dwarves were portrayed as receiving the Seven Rings. However, the Rings of Power were forged in the Second Age, long after the Fathers must have died. However, these could just be the Seven Kings of the Seven Kindreds, descendants of the Seven Fathers but not the originals.
See also
★ List of Middle-earth Dwarves
★ Dwarf
★ Dwarf runes
★ War of the Dwarves and Orcs
★ Petty-dwarf
★ Aulë
References
1. According to Tolkien, the "real 'historical'" plural of ''dwarf'' is ''dwarrows'' or ''dwerrows''. He once referred to ''dwarves'' as "a piece of private bad grammar" (''Letters'', 17), but in Appendix F to ''The Lord of the Rings'' he explains that if we still spoke of ''dwarves'' regularly, English might have retained a special plural for the word ''dwarf'' as with ''man''. The form ''dwarrow'' only appears in the word ''Dwarrowdelf'', a name for Moria. Tolkien used ''Dwarves'', instead, which corresponds with ''Elf'' and ''Elves'', making its meaning more apparent. The use of a different term also serves to set Tolkien's Dwarves apart from the similarly-named creatures in mythology and fairy-tales.
2. "9. Then sought the gods their assembly-seats, / The holy ones, and council held, / To find who should raise the race of dwarfs / Out of Brimir's blood and the legs of Blain. / 10. There was Motsognir the mightiest made / Of all the dwarfs, and 'Durin' next; / Many a likeness of men they made, / The dwarfs in the earth, as Durin said. / Nyi and Nithi, Northri and Suthri, / Austri and Vestri, Althjof, 'Dvalin', / 'Nar' and 'Nain', Niping, 'Dain', / 'Bifur', 'Bofur', 'Bombur', 'Nori', / An and Onar, Ai, Mjothvitnir, / 12. Vigg and Gandalf, Vindalf, 'Thrain', / Thekk and 'Thorin', 'Thror', Vit and Lit, / Nyr and Nyrath, / Regin and Rathvith — now have I told the list aright. / 13. 'Fili', 'Kili', 'Fundin', Nali, / Heptifili, Hannar, Sviur, / 'Frar', Hornbori, Fræg and Loni, / Aurvang, Jari, Eikinskjaldi. / 14. The race of the dwarfs in Dvalin's throng / Down to Lofar the list must I tell; / The rocks they left, and through the wet lands / They sought a home in the fields of sand. / 15. There were Draupnir and Dolgthrasir, / Hor, Haugspori, Hlevang, 'Gloin', / 'Dori', 'Ori', Duf, Andvari, /Skirfir, Virfir, Skafith, Ai. / 16. Alf and Yngvi, Eikinskjaldi; / Fjalar and Frosti, Fith and Ginnar; / So for all time shall the tale be known, / The list of all the forbears of Lofar. (Sturluson, Snorri. "Catalogue of Dwarfs", ''Völuspá'', ''Prose Edda''. ISBN 0-460-87616-3).
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