Doors of Durin

2011-12-23T04:04:37Z

90.190.70.239: /* Appearance */ There's no point between "teithant" and "i".

[[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 {{SA|1500|n}}.<ref name="SA">{{App|SA}}</ref> 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.<ref name="Dark">{{FR|II4}}</ref>

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 during the [[War of the Elves and Sauron]] (in {{SA|1697}}) the Doors were sealed shut.<ref name="SA"/> When Khazad-dûm was abandoned in {{TA|1981}}<ref>{{App|TA}}</ref> 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 fashioned as flush doors, 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 inlaid by Celebrmbor with ''[[ithildin]]'', which could 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 [[Wikipedia:Archivolt|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]] unknowingly gave Gandalf the answer by asking, "What does it mean by ''speak, friend, and enter''?" When Gandalf realized that "''[[Mellon]]''", which means "friend" in [[Sindarin]], would open the door he sprang up, laughed, and spoke the word. Shortly thereafter, the [[Watcher in the Water]] attacked the [[Fellowship of the Ring|Fellowship]] and shut the Doors behind them.<ref name="Dark"/>

==An Inconsistency==
The name ''[[Moria]]'' means "Black Chasm" and was a derogatory description of the place which the Dwarves did not like, and was given ''after'' [[Durin's Bane]] took over the city in the [[Third Age]]. It is therefore a mystery why that name appears on an inscription made in the Second Age, and made in consent with the Dwarves.
{{references}}
[[Category:Doors and Gates]]
[[Category:Moria]]

[[de:Türen von Durin]]

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Doors of Durin