Creation/Description:
The
first Dwarves were created by the Vala Aulë “in the darkness of Middle-earth”1
after the destruction of the Two Lamps, when Valinor had been founded
upon the westernmost continent of Arda, Aman, but before the Awakening
of the Elves. Aulë was impatient to see Arda populated with beings
that he could teach, and so attempted to create his own. As he finished,
Eru confronted him, reminding him that “thou hast as a gift from me
thy own being only, and no more.”2 The Dwarves were doomed
to only have life when Aulë gave thought to them. Realizing his error,
Aulë offered his creations up to Eru, and was about to destroy them
when Eru had compassion upon Aulë and granted them being of their own.
However, Eru changed nothing else about the Dwarves, and would not suffer
them to walk abroad in Arda before his own Firstborn had awakened. Therefore,
Aulë placed the Seven Fathers in locations distant from each other and
left them to slumber.
Dwarves, as created by Aulë,
were made strong and unyielding, stone-hard and stubborn. They are “fast
in friendship and in enmity”3 (meaning they are loyal to
friends and do not easily forget when they’ve been wronged), secretive
and quick to resentment. They have lives far longer than those of Men
(but they are not immortal as are Elves) and suffer physical conditions
such as toil, hunger, and injury (apparently including dragon fire such
as in Nirnaeth Arnoediad) more hardily than the other speaking peoples
of Arda. Dwarves are described as being “a warlike race of old,”4
fighting fiercely against any foe, including other Dwarves. They always
require payment for services whether the work was done with delight
or toil.
Based
on comments in the Prologue to Fellowship of the Ring stating
that Hobbits are not much shorter than Dwarves (and that Hobbits average
between two and four feet), Dwarves are probably between four and four
and a half feet tall on average.
Death and Fate:
Of
Dwarvish death, the Elves believe they “return to the earth and stone
from which they’re made.”5 The Dwarves themselves say
Mahal (Aulë) gathers them to halls set aside for them in Mandos. The
Dwarves also believe the Seven Fathers return to live again in their
own kin. They believe this has happened six times already in the case
of Durin the Deathless, the eldest of the Seven Fathers and ancestor
of the kings of the Longbeards (who dwelt in Khazad-dûm and their later
kingdoms in exile such as Erebor and the Iron Hills).
Of their fate after the Last Battle, the Dwarves believe that Eru will
hallow them and give them a place among the Children in the End. They
will then aid Aulë in remaking Arda.
Noegyth Nibin (The Petty
Dwarves):
The
first Dwarves to enter Beleriand were the Noegyth Nibin. The only ones
known by name are Mîm and his sons Khîm and Ibun, who were the last
of this group of Dwarves living by the time Túrin Turambar met them.
In origin they were Dwarves who were banished “in ancient days”
from great Dwarf-cities in the east (possibly including Khazad-dûm,
though no actual city is named). They’d found their way into Beleriand
long before Morgoth’s return to Middle-earth. However, they had become
“diminished in stature and in smith-craft, walking with bowed shoulders
and furtive steps.”6 The caves of Nargothrond (which “Of
the Ruin of Doriath” tells us was called Nulukkizdîn by them) were
discovered first by the Petty-Dwarves, and they’d begun its delving.
Amon Rûdh, where Mîm made his home, was also once a city of the Petty-Dwarves.
By Mîm’s time, the Petty-Dwarves were “remembered only in Ancient
tales of Doriath and Nargothrond.”7
They
are described as loving none but themselves, and thinking little more
of the Elves than they do of Orcs. This is somewhat justified, as before
the Dwarves of Nogrod and Belegost made their way into Beleriand, the
Sindar didn’t know what they were and hunted them. They accused the
Noldor of stealing their lands and homes.
Dwarf Mansions
There
are three Dwarf mansions mentioned. These are, in Sindarin, Belegost
(meaning Mickleburg), Nogrod (meaning Hollowbold), and Hadhodrond, which
was later named Moria.
Belegost,
called Gabilgathol in Dwarvish, was located in the Ered Luin north of
Mount Dolmed.
Nogrod,
called Tumunzahar in Dwarvish, was located in the Ered Luin south of
Mount Dolmed.
Hadhodrond,
called Khazad-dûm in Dwarvish, is located in the Misty Mountains on
the eastern border of Eriador, and became known as Moria (meaning the
Black Pit) after the release of the Balrog.
Dwarf Women and Marriage
Dwarf-women are less than one-third of the entire Dwarvish population. “They
are in voice and appearance, and in garb if they must go on a journey,
so like to the dwarf-men that the eyes and ears of other peoples cannot
tell them apart..”8 This implies that Dwarves (or at least
dwarf-women) do not dress the same way at home as they do abroad. Thus,
it would probably be easier to distinguish between the sexes in Dwarf
kingdoms. Dwarf-women, however, do not go abroad except at great
need.
The
Dwarf population increases slowly, and can be threatened when they have
no secure dwellings. This is partly because the number of dwarf-men
who marry is actually less than one-third. Some dwarf-men are more interested
in their crafts than in marrying, and likewise some dwarf-women have
no interest in marriage. Of the dwarf-women who are interested in marriage,
some want a dwarf-man they cannot have, and so will have no other. When
married, Dwarves – both men and women- take only one spouse in their
life, and are jealous, as in all matters of their rights.
Dealings with Elves
As
already mentioned, the first dealings between Dwarves and Elves came
in the form of the Sindar hunting and killing the Noegyth Nibin. It
was during the second age of Melkor’s captivity that the Dwarves came
over the Blue Mountains. Both the Sindar and the Dwarves benefited from
the trade and, together with the Sindar, the Dwarves of Belegost delved
and created Menegroth for Thingol. The Dwarves preferred to learn Sindarin
than teach Khuzdul to the Elves, and from the Sindar learned Cirthas
Daeron. Through the Dwarves, Cirth was taken east to peoples beyond
the Blue Mountains.
They
were more willing to give friendship to the Noldor due to their mutual
reverence for Aulë. Their first dealings with the Noldor were with
Caranthir, whose realm was furthest east of the Noldor. The Dwarves
had ceased traffic into Beleriand after Morgoth’s return, and so it
was when Caranthir’s people traveled into the Ered Luin that they
first met. Both the Dwarves and Caranthir profited from their alliance,
but there was no love between them due to the haughtiness and scorn
directed by Caranthir’s people toward the Dwarves. The Dwarves of
the Ered Luin also assisted in the building of Nargothrond (the delving
of which had been begun long ago by the Petty-Dwarves).
During
the Second Age, the greatest friendship between Dwarves and Elves was
that between the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm and the Gwaith-i-Mirdain led
by Celebrimbor, grandson of Fëanor. The Dwarves say that of the seven
rings given to the Dwarves, the Ring given to Durin III was the first
to be forged, and was given to him by the Elvensmiths, not by Sauron.
Dealings with Sauron and
his Minions
After
giving the rings to the Dwarf-kings, Sauron found they were hard to
tame, and that the rings only inflamed their greed of gold, such that
without it all else seemed worthless. Some Dwarves fought for him in
the War of the Last Alliance at the end of the second age of the Sun,
albeit few fought upon either side. The Dwarves of Khazad-dûm (Durin’s
folk) fought against him.
The greatest mustering of
Dwarvish forces was likely during the War of the Dwarves and Orcs
(2793-2799 of the Third Age), sparked when Thror, descendant of Durin,
the eldest of the Seven Fathers, was hewn down by Azog, who had taken
up lordship of Moria after it was abandoned by Durin’s Folk upon the
awakening of the Balrog and its slaying Kings Durin VI and his son Nain
I. It took three years to muster their full might, and when completed
they cleared every orc stronghold they could find from Gundabad to the
Gladden. The fight was hard and cruel on both sides, and culminated at
the Battle of Azanulbizar, where the Dwarves won the day but lost half
their army in the process. Of those who died there, it is proudly said
“he was a burned Dwarf,” which is contrary to Dwarves’ preferred method
of dealing with their dead. There were too many in this case to build
stone tombs for, as they do not lay their dead in earth, so they chose
to burn the bodies and carry home the weapons and armor rather than
leave them for scavengers.
Information beyond the Silmarillion and Lord of the Rings
Due to the (sometimes drastic)
changes that can occur from book to book in the History of Middle-Earth series,
this section will be grouped by book, and only include information either
changed or previously unmentioned from earlier volumes. As a result, not all
volumes will have information included, as not all have information pertinent
to a general article.
Book of Lost Tales
1
Notes for
Gilfannon’s Tale mentions Dwarves were always considered evil and
were associated with a servant of Melko(r) named Fankil(earlier Fukil/Fangli),
who is in an early version called a “child of Melko.” It also gives the name
“Nauglath” as an early name for the Dwarves.
The Names List in the appendix gives for Nauglath:
naug and naugli “dwarf”, naugla “of
the dwarves” nauglafel “dwarf-natured, i.e. mean, avaricious.” The qenya
(Quenya) equivalent of naug = nauko
Book of Lost Tales
2
The
Tale of Tinuviel Gives the Nauglath/Dwarves a special name:
Indravangs/Indrafangs, translating to “Longbeards.”
The
Nauglafring suggests the Indrafangs and the Nauglath were two different
types of Dwarves, with the Indrafangs being the Dwarves of Belegost. It gives
the name of Naugladur to the king of Nogrod, and Bodruith to the king of
Belegost. This chapter also says Dwarves couldn’t stand sunlight.
Of the Indrafangs and Nauglath it
says, “they serve not Melko nor Manwë and reck not for Elf or Man, and some say
that they have not heard of Iluvatar, or hearing disbelieve. Howbeit in crafts
and sciences and in the knowledge of the virtues of all things that are in the
earth or under water none excel…Old are they, and never comes a child among
them, nor do they laugh. They are squat in stature, and yet are strong, and
their beards reach even to their toes, but the beards of the Indrafangs are
longest of all, and are forked, and they bind them about their middles when
they walk abroad…their crafts and cunning surpass that of the Gnomes in
marvelous contrivance, but of a truth there is little beauty in their works of
themselves...”
9 It also says these Dwarves sold arms and armor to
both the Elves and to Morgoth.
The
History of Eriol or AElfwine mentions the Dwarves hired orcs for the sack
of Artanor/Doriath, and gives the new name of Nautar for Nauglath.
Lays of Beleriand
The
Lay of the Children of Hurin blames Dwarves for the evil nature of one of
Turin’s outlaw companions.
This Blodrin was said to have been kidnapped as a child and raised by Dwarves.
It is also mentioned in this
chapter that Dorwinion wine passes into Beleriand through the Dwarves of
Nogrod.
Shaping of
Middle-Earth
Quenta
9 says the Fëanorians made war with Nogrod and Belegost, but did not
discover the Dwarves’ origins. It does say that mail and weapons were their
chief craft, and “Trade and barter was their delight and the winning of wealth
of which they made little use.”
10 It also gives a new form of
Nauglir, and changes the identity of the Indrafangs to the Dwarves of Nogrod.
Quenta
11 says Nogrod and Belegost made weapons and armor for the Union of Maidros
(Maedhros), but didn’t march with him.
Quenta
14 indicates Dwarves first came into Beleriand after the Battle of
Unnumbered Tears, and being a pragmatic race, chose to stay out of the war with
Morgoth.
The
Earliest Annals of Beleriand says Elves first learned of Dwarves from the
Swarthy Men who came into Beleriand, as these men preferred the Dwarves. The
Elves didn’t know the Dwarves’ origins, only they were “not of Elf, nor of
mortal (Man), or of Morgoth.”
11
The Lost Road and
Other Writings
The
Later Annals of Beleriand gives the first mention of Aulë creating the
Dwarves, but it says of them “they have no spirit indwelling, and they have
skill but not art.”
12
The
Lhammas 9 discusses briefly Dwarven speech, that it was “Aulian” in origin.
Aulë created a fresh language for them, and the language of Men was in part
derived from Dwarvish.
The
Quenta Silmarillion Chapter 10: “Of Men and Dwarfs” paragraph 122 says “Naug-rim”
was a name for Dwarves given by the Dark Elves, and compares Dwarves to Orcs,
“in that they come of the willfulness of one of the Valar, but were not made
out of malice of mockery, and were not begotten of evil purpose.”
13
However, they derive their thought and being after their measure from only one
of the Powers, “whereas Elves and Men, to whomsoever among the Valar they
chiefly turn, have kinship with all in some degree.”
14
It also says Dwarves have “great
skill, but small beauty, save where they imitate the arts of the Eldar.”
15
A description for them is also
given: short and squat of stature, strong arms, sturdy legs, and long
beards.
Khuzud is the name Dwarves give
themselves at this time. The Gnomes (Noldor) call the Dwarves “Neweg” meaning
“the stunted”, and specifically of Nogrod “Enfeng,” meaning “Longbeards.”
At this time, Nogrod is the
identity of Khazaddum (one word), meaning Dwarfmine, and Belegost is
Gabilgathol, meaning “Great Fortress.”
Return of the
Shadow
“At Rivendell”, which is an early
draft of the Rivendell chapter of LotR, commentary by Tolkien suggests he was
considering that a Ring was necessary to found a Dwarf colony’s wealth.
Note 39 in “The Mines of Moria”
gives Nargun as the Dwarf name of Mordor.
<>
Morgoth’s Ring
Section 4, Year 1250, paragraph 84
on the
Annals of Aman suggests
Nornwaith as a name for Dwarves.
<>
War of the Jewels
The
Grey Annals Year
1250, paragraph 19
gives us Norn-folk for Dwarves. Year 1300, paragraph 22 says the Enfeng were
Longbeards of Belegost. Year 1300-50, paragraph 25 indicates the Naugrim feared
and hated the sea.
The
Later Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter 13, “Concerning the Dwarves,“ in the section
entitled “Of the Naugrim and the Edain” tells that only the Seven Fathers
“return to live again in their own kin and bear once more their ancient names.”
16
Paragraph 5 gives a slightly fuller description of Dwarves: “short and squat in
stature, deep-breasted, strong in the arm, and stout in the leg, and their
beards were long.” These beards were attributed from birth to both men and
women among the Dwarves. Other races can’t discern female dwarves “be it in
feature or in gait or in voice.”
17 Dwarf women do not go to war, and
seldom left their halls save in direst need. Furthermore, few but the
Dwarf-king and chieftains wed.
Several inserted passages pose different
creation stories for the “Mothers” of the Dwarf race. The first suggests Eru
created them, but made them to resemble the men (save being female of course)
since Aulë had only made the male form at that point. Another suggests that
Aulë first made Durin, then the other six, then gave the six mates and began to
instruct the Fathers (leaving Durin without a mate). The others are along
similar veins. In the end, it seemed Tolkien abandoned the origin of female
Dwarves, not being satisfied with the solutions.
Chapter III of Part 3, titled
“Maeglin” gives the form “Anfangrim” from “Enfeng” in paragraph 9.
“Qendi and Eldar,” Appendix B says
(relating to their discovery by the Sindar in Beleriand) the Petty-Dwarves
attacked the Eldar first, by stealth or night, and seldom the Elves got a good
look at them. Thus, the Eldar, having no clear visuals to base their assessment
on, thought the Petty-Dwarves were a kind of cunning, two-legged animal. The
name Dornhoth “the Thrawn Folk” is also given for Dwarves, because of their
stubborn mood and bodily toughness. The following paragraph mentions the Noldor
learned of the Dwarves from the Sindar, and later developed independent
relations with them. The Dwarvish name “Khazad” was adapted to “Kasar,” plural
“Kasari”, partitive plural “Kasalli”, race name “Kasallie.” The Sindarin
adapted to Qenya was “Nauko” or “Norno”, the whole people being “Naukalie” or
“Nornalie”, with “Norno” being the more friendly term.
Appendix D of the same chapter
tells us Dwarves had “greatly elaborate and organized gesture systems which
varied greatly from community to community.” They called their gesture-language
Iglishmek. While Elven gesture systems were used to communicate at a distance
(Elves have excellent sight), Dwarves (who were described as short-sighted)
used theirs for secrecy and the exclusion of others. As with their language,
they were not eager to teach this to outsiders. However, they understood and
respected a disinterested desire for knowledge, and eventually Noldorin loremasters
were allowed learn enough of both the language and the gestures to understand
the systems.
Peoples of
Middle-earth
In
The Making of Appendix A, there is a sentence indicating how the
Dwarvish race ends: “And the line of Dain prospered, and the wealth and renown
of the kingship was renewed, until there arose again for the last time an heir
of that House that bore the name of Durin, and he returned to Moria; and there
was light again in deep places, and the ringing of hammers and the harping of
harps, until the world grew old and the Dwarves failed and the days of Durin’s
race were ended.” (pg 278)
“The Making of Appendix A” Part IV:
Durin’s Folk suggests different Dwarf
“breeds” vary in longevity, giving an average life expectancy of 250 years in
the Third Age, though some made it to 300. Dwarves are said to “harden” and
gain the appearance of age (by human standards) quickly. Between the ages of 40
and 240 was their prime, and they looked much alike in age. During this time
their capacity for toil and fighting was equally great amongst most
Dwarves.
After 240 they began to age,
wrinkle, and go white quickly (though they don’t go bald). While immune to the
diseases that affected Men and Halflings, they could suffer from corpulence (a
danger when they had stable lodgings), and if they grew very fat at 200 or
before, they couldn’t do much except eat afterwards.
Dwarf women were never forced to
marry against their will (which, as it says, “would of course be impossible”),
and seldom married before the age of 90. They were seldom named in genealogies,
as they joined their husband’s families (an exception to this is Dis, because
of the gallant death of Fili and Kili. The sentiment of affection for one’s
sisters’ children was strong among all peoples of the Third Age, but less so
among Dwarves). If a son is 110 or more years younger than the father, it
usually indicated an elder daughter.
Dwarves had few children, with even
as many as four being rare. Parents were fiercely devoted, even if they seemed
harsh (to ensure the children grow up “tough, hardy, and unyielding”), and
would defend their children with all their power. Children were equally devoted
to their parents.
Chapter 10: “Of Dwarves and Men”
subchapter “Relations of Longbeard Dwarves and Men” gives the names (quite
likely descriptive) of the seven Houses of the Dwarves. Besides the Longbeards
(which were now the Dwarves of Khazad-Dum), the Fathers were set in pairs in
mountain ranges. The Firebeards and the Broadbeams are the Dwarves of Nogrod and
Belegost in the
Blue Mountains. Durin was the
father of the Longbeards of Moria in the
Misty
Mountains, though he awoke in
Mount Gundabad
(same mountain range, north of Moria. His awakening there is why it was revered
by the Dwarves). The other two pairs, the Ironfists and Stiffbeards, and the
Blacklocks and Stonefoots, were placed further eastward, at distances as great
or greater than that between the
Blue Mountains
and Gundabad. Despite the distance, the Dwarf houses hand communication, and in
early ages delegates met at
Mount
Gundabad. In the Third
Age,
Mount Gundabad was occupied by the orcs, and
this was the chief source of Dwarf hatred towards them. In time of need, even
the most distant Dwarf houses sent help (like in the War of the Dwarves and
Orcs). Dwarves didn’t like to migrate or make permanent dwellings or mansions
too far from their original homes, but did so when pressured by enemies (such
as Smaug’s attack on Erebor or the Balrog in Moria) or after a catastrophe
(such as the destruction of Beleriand at the end of the First Age or the world
being made round at the end of the Second). Despite this, they were also
skilled roadmakers.
The earliest dealings between Men
and the Longbeards were during the Second Age in the northern parts of Eriador
and Rhovanion. The union began in war with the orcs. The Longbeards (described
as the proudest but also the wisest and most farseeing) held the Iron Hills,
the Ered Mithrin, and the east dales of the Misty Mountains as their own land,
and had spread down the Vales of Anduin. They were glad to ally with the Men in
the area, who were mostly akin to the House of Hador. The Men became the
chief providers of food, herdsmen, shepherds, and land-tillers, and the Dwarves
were the builders, roadmakers, miners, crafters, armorers and weaponsmiths.
This arrangement became typical of dealings between Men and Dwarves, and left
the Dwarves free to refine their arts, especially in metallurgy. The Longbeards
at this time also adopted the speech of Men.
This
alliance of Dwarves and Men commanded great strength, swift attack, and
well-protected defense. There was great respect and esteem between the two
races, and sometimes even warm friendship. Men acted as scouts to watch for
attacks or roving bands, and Dwarves supplied the arms, since Men had tamed
horses, and as says, “No Dwarf would ever mount a horse willingly, nor did any
ever harbour animals, not even dogs.”
18
References/Citations
(Citations do not represent
the extent of knowledge gleaned, only that which was directly quoted)
The Silmarillion
1, 2, 3, 5 “Of Aulë and Yavanna”
4 “Of the Sindar”
“Of the
Return of the Noldor”
“Of the
Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad”
6, 7 “Of Túrin Turambar”
“Of the
Ruin of Doriath”
“Of the
Rings of Power and the Third Age”
The Fellowship of the Ring
Prologue
8 The Return
of the King Appendix A, Section III “Durin’s Folk”
The History of Middle-earth series:
HoME volume 1:
Book of Lost
Tales 1
HoME volume 2:
Book of Lost
Tales 2
9The Nauglafring
HoME volume 3:
Lays of Beleriand
HoME volume 4:
Shaping of Middle-earth
10The Quenta, Section 9.
11The Earliest Annals of Beleriand, Year
163
HoME volume 5:
The Lost Road and
Other Writings
12The Later Annals of Beleriand, Year 104
13,14,15The Quenta Silmarillion Chapter 10: “Of
Dwarves and Men”, paragraph 123
HoME volume 6:
Return of the
Shadow
HoME volume 10:
Morgoth’s Ring
HoME volume 11:
War of the
Jewels
16The Later Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter
13: “Concerning the Dwarves“,
“Of
the Naugrim and the Edain” paragraph 3
17The Later Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter
13: “Concerning the Dwarves“,
“Of
the Naugrim and the Edain” paragraph 5
HoME volume 12:
Peoples of Middle-earth
18Chapter
10: “Of Dwarves and Men”, Note 29
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