Mithril

2008-06-30T21:39:56Z

64.126.137.3:

[[Image:John Howe - Mithril.jpg|thumb|''Mithril'' by [[John Howe]]]]
'''''Mithril''''' is a precious silvery metal, stronger than steel but much lighter in weight, which was mined by the [[Dwarves]] in the mines of [[Khazad-dûm]]. The name ''mithril'' comes from two words in [[Sindarin]] — ''[[mith]]'' meaning "grey", and ''[[ril]]'' meaning "glitter". ''Mithril'' was also called "true-silver" by [[Men]], while the [[Dwarves]] had their own, secret name for it.

The wizard [[Gandalf]] explained ''mithril'' to the Company, passing through Khazad-dûm, the Mines of Moria:
{{quote|The wealth of Moria was not in gold and jewels, the toys of the Dwarves; nor in iron, their servant... Its worth was ten times that of gold, and now it is beyond price; for little is left above ground, and even the [[Orcs]] dare not delve here for it.<p>''Mithril!'' All folk desired it. It could be beaten like copper, and polished like glass; and the Dwarves could make of it a metal, light and yet harder than tempered steel. Its beauty was like to that of common silver, but the beauty of ''mithril'' did not tarnish or grow dim.|''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', "[[A Journey in the Dark]]")}}

For the literal-minded reader, it is unclear whether or not ''mithril'' is a real metal; many have thought it to be platinum, however, platinum is far too heavy to qualify as a candidate. It is possible that this legendary material was modelled after titanium, as this metal, while actually quite abundant as ore, was very expensive to produce in its metallic form (especially by medieval technology), and has some of ''mithril's'' properties of strength, bright silvery color, corrosion resistance, and light weight. Other possibilities are aluminium or magnesium; these metals are even lighter than titanium, but not as strong or as silvery shiny. (Famously, Napoleon III of France once bought dinnerware made out of aluminium because it was more expensive than gold at the time.) Certainly Tolkien, being highly educated, would have had knowledge of these three metals and the difficulty in preparing them. However, probably because nobody is known to have asked Tolkien about "''mithril''", it will never be known with certainty whether ''mithril'' is based on any real metal.

''Mithril'' is extremely rare by the end of the [[Third Age]], as it was found only in [[Khazad-dûm]]. Once the [[Balrogs|Balrog]] destroyed the Dwarven Kingdom of Khazad-dum, Middle-earth's only source of new ''mithril'' ore was cut off. Before Moria was abandoned by the Dwarves ''mithril'' was worth ten times its own weight in gold. After the Dwarves abandoned Moria and production of new mithril ore stopped entirely, it became priceless. The only way to obtain a ''mithril''-object at the end of the Third Age was to either use heirloom ''mithril'' weapons and armour that were produced before the fall of Moria, or to melt down these existing weapons to forge new ones. The [[Noldor]] of [[Eregion]] made an alloy out of it called ''[[ithildin]]'' ("star moon"), which was used to decorate gateways and portals. It is visible only by starlight or moonlight. The [[Doors of Durin]] bore inlaid ''ithildin'' designs and runes.

While Moria is the only known source of ''mithril'', there are indications that it was also found in [[Númenor]] and in [[Aman]] in smaller quantities.

== The Mithril Coat ==
Of all items made of ''mithril'', the most famous is the "small shirt of mail" retrieved from the hoard of the dragon [[Smaug]], and given to [[Bilbo Baggins]] by [[Thorin Oakenshield]]. "It was close-woven of many rings, as supple almost as linen, cold as ice, and harder than steel..."
{{quote|'It's a pretty thing isn't it,' said Bilbo, moving it in the light.|''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', "[[The Ring goes South]]"}}

A kingly gift, the ''mithril''-coat was actually worth more than the entire worth of the Shire (Bilbo probably knew this, but he didn't care). Bilbo later gave the coat to his nephew [[Frodo Baggins|Frodo]], who wore it during the Quest to [[Mount Doom]]. It saved Frodo's life when he was nearly skewered by an [[Orc]] in the Mines of Moria. (In the film adaptation of ''[[Peter Jackson's The Fellowship of the Ring|The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', the attack was by a [[Cave-trolls|Cave-troll]].) It was later taken by the Orcs who captured him in the pass above [[Cirith Ungol]], and passed on to the Dark Lord's servants at [[Barad-dûr]]. When the coat was displayed before the hosts of [[Aragorn II|Aragorn]] at the Gates of Mordor, many despaired, thinking Frodo had been captured or killed, and the Ring taken. Gandalf reclaimed it from Sauron's lieutenant, and was later able to return it to Frodo after the battles were won.

== Other ''Mithril'' Objects in the Lord of the Rings Novels ==
* [[Galadriel]] possesses one of the three [[Three Rings|Elven Rings]], [[Nenya]]. It is wrought of ''mithril'' with a white stone.
* Poking through the closets of [[Orthanc]], King [[Elessar]] and his aides found the long lost ''[[Star of Elendil|Elendilmir]]'', a white star of Elvish crystal affixed to a fillet of ''mithril''. Once owned by [[Elendil]], the first King of [[Arnor]], it is an emblem of royalty in the North Kingdom.
* The Dwarves' beloved metal appears in [[Gondor]] too, the Kingdom of the South. The [[Guards of the Citadel]] of [[Minas Tirith]] wear helmets of ''mithril'', "heirlooms from the glory of old days."
* As Aragorn's ships sail up the [[Anduin]] to relieve the besieged Minas Tirith during the [[War of the Ring]], the standard flying on his ship shows a crown made of ''mithril'' and gold.
* After [[Gimli]] became lord of [[Aglarond]], he and his Dwarves forged great gates of ''mithril'' to replace the gates of Minas Tirith which were broken by the [[Witch-king of Angmar]].

== Other Contexts ==
''Mithril'', or similarly spelled names, has been used in other fictional contexts as a strong and semi-magical metal. Examples include:
* Objects in ''[[Bored of the Rings]]'' (a ''Lord of the Rings'' parody) are made of cheap "''mithral'' plate" rather than solid ''mithral''.
* In the role-playing game ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'', ''mithral'' is one of the special materials used to make high-quality or magical items.
* In the MMORPG ''EverQuest'', ''mithril'' is a metal that can make weapons, armor, and other equipment.
* In the MMORPG, "Runescape", as well as "Everquest", "mithril" is a bluish mid-level metal that is used to make armor and weapons. There is also a Mithril Dragon which is also blue.
* In the anime series ''Full Metal Panic!'', ''Mithril'' is a mercenary organization. In the Full Metal Panic!: The Second Raid, the origin of the name is explained as a reference to ''The Lord of the Rings''.
* The name of a Celtic/World music quartet.
* In the Civilization IV scenario "Fall from Heaven" Mithral is the most valuable Metal available.

== Tolkien's Inspiration ==
In [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hervarar_Saga Hervarar saga], which was a cycle dealing with the magic sword ''Tyrfing'' (and from which Tolkien borrowed, for instance, the names [[Dwalin]] and [[Durin]]), the hero Orvar-Odd wore a ''silken mailcoat'' which nothing could pierce (''Oddr svarar: "ek vil berjask við Angantýr, hann mun gefa stór högg með Tyrfingi, en ek trúi betr skyrtu minni, enn brynju þinni, til hlífðar"'').

==See also==
* [[:Category:Images of Mithril|Images of Mithril]]

[[Category:Materials]]

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