Oliphaunts

2013-01-21T15:02:13Z

81.154.93.21: /* History */

{{sources}}
[[Image:Alan Lee - An Oliphaunt.jpg|thumb|250px|An Oliphaunt by [[Alan Lee]].]]

'''Oliphaunts''' were large animals similar to [[elephants]]. In the tongue of the [[Haradrim]], they were known as ''mûmakil'' (singular ''[[mûmak]]''); this was later used by the [[Men]] of [[Gondor]]. In [[Sindarin]], the beast was known as the '''Annabon''', or "long-snout".

==History==
Oliphaunts lived during the [[Third Age]] in the southern land of [[Harad]], and were notably used in the [[Siege of Gondor]] and the subsequent [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields]] on [[15 March]], {{TA|3019}}. They were big enough to carry structures similar to towers on their backs.

Mûmakil came from somewhere in jungles of [[Far Harad]], off any known maps of middle earth. Massive, often ferocious beasts, the Haradrim somehow tamed them to use as beasts of war; and the result was possibly the most brutally effective beast of war the Middle Earth ever saw.

The Haradrim strapped a massive, carriage-like tiered tower the the backs of these beasts, and from here expert Haradrim archers and spearmen hurled these projectiles down upon their enemies. The mumak itself, enraged and goaded by its cruel Haradrim masters, would charge through the enemy, trampling archer, swordsman and horse beneath its massive feet and sweeping aside men in its way with scything strokes of its great tusks.

Killing a ''mûmak'' was almost impossible - its rough, leathery hide made arrows realtively harmless, and any archers standing to take a shot would be an easy target for the archers on top of the Haradrim. Horses had a natural fear of the mûmakil so even the most skilled horsemen could not get close enough to strike at its great, trunk-like legs. The only known way to kill an Oliphaunt was to shoot it in the eye, which typically meant standing in front of it as it charged the archer, and thus a very difficult task to perform.

==Etymology==
Oliphant/olifant/olifaunt had been archaic words for elephant and the ivory. The most famous use of the oliphant (as in horn) is in ''[[wikipedia:The Song of Ronald|The Song of Roland]]'' "The oliphant is set to Roland's Lips"; Roland fails to call for help at the Battle of Roncevaux in 778 until it is too late for him and his comrades.

Oliphant in English is derived from Old French ''olifant'' and [[Old English]] ''olfend'' from Old High German ''olbenta'' 'camel'.<ref>{{HM|N}}, p. 761</ref>

The word "oliphaunt" was only used by [[Hobbits]] and the archaism refers to that the legend of the beast reached the Shire long ago.

[[Gandalf]] mentions [[elephants]] once in ''[[The Hobbit]]'' so perhaps "oliphaunt" is a [[Hobbitish]] corruption of this original word. But whether these two creatures are the same, can not be said with certainty.

==Portrayals in adaptations==
'''1968: [[The Hobbit (1968 radio series)|''The Hobbit'' (1968 radio series)]]:'''
:Gandalf's line "Great elephants!" was replaced by "Great oliphaunts"; this was one of several uses of material from ''The Lord of the Rings''.

'''2002: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers]]'':'''
:Two oliphaunts appear in the ambush in [[Ithilien]]. They are CGI created, and they are much, much bigger than today's elephants; furthermore, they have 2 sets of big tusks and one set of tiny tusks.

'''2003: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]]'':'''
:Oliphaunts are used in the scenes from the [[Battle of the Pelennor Fields|Battle of Pelennor Fields]], mounted with towers and decorated with deadly spikes on their multiple tusks. The [[Rohirrim]] charge headlong into battle, and even pass under them. Several oliphaunts were killed.

:[[Weta Workshop|Weta]] made a large slain prop ''mûmak'' at almost the last minute, much to Weta staff's consternation, on request by the director [[Peter Jackson]]. It appears in the scene where [[Peregrin Took]] enters the field and locates the dazed and disoriented [[Meriadoc Brandybuck]] after his experience with [[Éowyn]] in successfully slaying the [[Witch-king]] of [[Angmar]]. The prop became a favourite picnic destination for crew members.
{{references}}
[[de:Mûmakil]]
[[fr:encyclo:biologie:faune:mumakil]]
[[fi:Mûmakil]]

[[Category:Animals]]

Tolkien Gateway - User contributions [en]

Oliphaunts