Talk:Barrow-downs

2008-10-27T09:56:06Z

118.208.126.168: New page: From Book I of Lord of the Rings, Fog on the Barrow Downs pp. 185: "He turned, and there in the cold glow he saw lying beside him Sam, Pippin and Merry. They were on their backs, and thei...

From Book I of Lord of the Rings, Fog on the Barrow Downs pp. 185:

"He turned, and there in the cold glow he saw lying beside him Sam, Pippin and Merry. They were on their backs, and their faces looked deathly pale; and they were clad in white. About them lay many treasures, of gold maybe, though in that light they looked cold and unlovely. On their heads were circlets, gold chains were about their wasist, and on their finders were many rings. Swords lay by their sides, and shield were at their feet. but across their three necks lay one long naked sword."

From Book VII of Lord of the Rings, Appendix A pp. 16-17:

"it is said that the mounds of Tyrn Gorthad, as the Barrow-downs were called of old, are very ancient, and that many were built in the days on the old world of the First Age by the forefathers of the Edain, before they crossed the Blue Mountains into Beleriand, of which Lindon is all that now remains. Those hills were therefore revered by the Dunedain after their return; and there many of their lords and kings were buried. [Some say that the mound in which the Ring-bearer was imprisoned had been the grave of the last prince of Cardolan, who fell in the war or 1409.]"

It could be, that Barrow-wights are protectors of the fallen, much like traps in pyramids are to prevent thievery in the treasure-laden chambers of the pharaohs. The manner in which the Hobbits were explained somehow resembled the manner of the funeral of Boromir into Rauros. Either that is a implicit connection between the fallen in Tyrn Gorthad and mens of Gondor (which turned out to be related, since both races are kinsmen to the Dunedain one way or another) or it is just a custom of the races of Men to honour their dead.

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Talk:Barrow-downs