Doors of Durin

2011-10-08T01:16:24Z

71.193.35.134:

{{sources}}
[[Image:Ted Nasmith - Password Into Moria.jpg|thumb|''Password Into Moria'' by [[Ted Nasmith]].]]{{qtlisten|Annon edhellen, edro hi ammen.|Gate of the Elves, open now for me|[[Gandalf]]|Gandalf - Annon edhellen, edro hi ammen.ogg}}

The '''Doors of Durin''', also known as the '''West-gate''' or '''West-door of Moria''', were built into the [[Walls of Moria]] in the dark cliffs of the [[Celebdil|Silvertine]], and formed the western entrance to the great [[Dwarves|Dwarven]] city of [[Khazad-dûm]].

==Construction==
The Doors were constructed in cooperation with the artificers of the [[Elves|Elven]] Kingdom of [[Hollin]], sometime between {{SA|750}} and [[Second Age 1500|1500]]. The two greatest craftsmen of the Second Age, the [[Noldor|Elf]]-lord [[Celebrimbor]] and the [[Dwarves|dwarf]] [[Narvi]], built the Doors in order to aid the two people meet and cooperate, since Hollin was on the west side of the Silvetine.

These were the days before [[Sauron]]'s dominion in [[Middle-earth]], and the friendship between Elven and Dwarven kingdoms was a rare and special event. During this peaceful time the Doors stood open, allowing unfettered trade, but with the beginning of the [[War of the Elves and Sauron]] the Doors were sealed shut. When Khazad-dûm was abandoned in {{TA|1980}} the way of opening the Doors was forgotten.

==Appearance==

[[Image:J.R.R._Tolkien_-_Doors_of_Durin.jpg|left|thumb|150px|''The Doors of Durin'' by [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] (as printed in ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', Book II, Ch. 4 - [[A Journey in the Dark]]).]]They were made like a flush door, the jambs invisible to the eye, and matched so perfectly with the mountain rock that when closed the Doors could not be seen. The slabs were made by Narvi out of a grey material stronger than stone, and inlayed by Celebrmbor with ''[[ithildin]]'', which can only be seen in starlight and moonlight. When visible, the fine silver-like inlay showed a hammer and anvil (the emblems of [[Durin]]), a crown and seven stars, two trees surmounted by crescent moons, and a single star (the emblem of the [[House of Feanor]]). The inscription on the archivolt read:

<blockquote>''"Ennyn Durin Aran Moria. Pedo Mellon a Minno. Im Narvi hain echant. Celebrimbor o Eregion teithant. I thiw hin."''</blockquote>

<blockquote>"The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter. I, Narvi, made them. Celebrimbor of Hollin drew these signs."</blockquote>

The inscription was a riddle. The answer was a password that would cause the Doors to swing open. [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry Brandybuck]] eventually solves the riddle with the word "''[[Mellon]]''", which means "friend" in [[Sindarin]]. Shortly thereafter, the [[Watcher in the Water]] attacked the [[Fellowship of the Ring|Fellowship]] and shut the Doors behind them.

==Inconsistencies==
The name ''[[Moria]]'' means "Black Chasm" and was a derogatory description of the place which the Dwarves did not like much; it was given after the [[Durin's Bane]] took over the city. It is therefore a mystery why that name appears on an inscription made in the Second Age, and made in consent with the Dwarves.

[[Category:Doors and Gates]]
[[Category:Moria]]

[[de:Türen von Durin]]

Doors of Durin

2011-10-08T01:12:38Z

71.193.35.134:

{{sources}}
[[Image:Ted Nasmith - Password Into Moria.jpg|thumb|''Password Into Moria'' by [[Ted Nasmith]].]]{{qtlisten|Annon edhellen, edro hi ammen.|Gate of the Elves, open now for me|[[Gandalf]]|Gandalf - Annon edhellen, edro hi ammen.ogg}}

The '''Doors of Durin''', also known as the '''West-gate''' or '''West-door of Moria''', were built into the [[Walls of Moria]] in the dark cliffs of the [[Celebdil|Silvertine]], and formed the western entrance to the great [[Dwarves|Dwarven]] city of [[Khazad-dûm]].

==Construction==
The Doors were constructed in cooperation with the artificers of the [[Elves|Elven]] Kingdom of [[Hollin]], sometime between {{SA|750}} and [[Second Age 1500|1500]]. The two greatest craftsmen of the Second Age, the [[Noldor|Elf]]-lord [[Celebrimbor]] and the [[Dwarves|dwarf]] [[Narvi]], built the Doors in order to aid the two people meet and cooperate, since Hollin was on the west side of the Silvetine.

These were the days before [[Sauron]]'s dominion in [[Middle-earth]], and the friendship between Elven and Dwarven kingdoms was a rare and special event. During this peaceful time the Doors stood open, allowing unfettered trade, but with the beginning of the [[War of the Elves and Sauron]] the Doors were sealed shut. When Khazad-dûm was abandoned in {{TA|1980}} the way of opening the Doors was forgotten. Some time after Moria was forgotten the gate stream called the {{Sirannon}} was blocked by a tentacled creature called the {{Watcher in the Water}}. In the year of {{T.A.2989}} {{Balin}} led an expedition to reclaim Moria.They succeded at first but in {{T.A. 2994}} Balin was killed by orcs and the colony was soon attacked and {{Oin}} led a group of dwarves to the doors of Durin were the dwarves found the Sirannon had been flooded and Oin was killed by the Watcher in the Water. The rest of the colony was slain soon. In August of {{T.A. 3018}} {{Gollum}} entered Moria from the eastern side of the city and soon made his way to the Doors of Durin he was too weak to push them outwards. He was near the doors when the {{Fellowship of the Ring}} entered the city the next year.

==Appearance==

[[Image:J.R.R._Tolkien_-_Doors_of_Durin.jpg|left|thumb|150px|''The Doors of Durin'' by [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] (as printed in ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', Book II, Ch. 4 - [[A Journey in the Dark]]).]]They were made like a flush door, the jambs invisible to the eye, and matched so perfectly with the mountain rock that when closed the Doors could not be seen. The slabs were made by Narvi out of a grey material stronger than stone, and inlayed by Celebrmbor with ''[[ithildin]]'', which can only be seen in starlight and moonlight. When visible, the fine silver-like inlay showed a hammer and anvil (the emblems of [[Durin]]), a crown and seven stars, two trees surmounted by crescent moons, and a single star (the emblem of the [[House of Feanor]]). The inscription on the archivolt read:

<blockquote>''"Ennyn Durin Aran Moria. Pedo Mellon a Minno. Im Narvi hain echant. Celebrimbor o Eregion teithant. I thiw hin."''</blockquote>

<blockquote>"The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter. I, Narvi, made them. Celebrimbor of Hollin drew these signs."</blockquote>

The inscription was a riddle. The answer was a password that would cause the Doors to swing open. [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry Brandybuck]] eventually solves the riddle with the word "''[[Mellon]]''", which means "friend" in [[Sindarin]]. Shortly thereafter, the [[Watcher in the Water]] attacked the [[Fellowship of the Ring|Fellowship]] and shut the Doors behind them.

==Inconsistencies==
The name ''[[Moria]]'' means "Black Chasm" and was a derogatory description of the place which the Dwarves did not like much; it was given after the [[Durin's Bane]] took over the city. It is therefore a mystery why that name appears on an inscription made in the Second Age, and made in consent with the Dwarves.

[[Category:Doors and Gates]]
[[Category:Moria]]

[[de:Türen von Durin]]

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Doors of Durin

Doors of Durin