View source for Dragon-helm of Dor-lómin

{{short description|Heirloom of the House of Hador}}
{{object infobox
| name=Dragon-helm of Dor-lómin
| image = Elena Kukanova - The Dragon-helm of Dor-lómin.jpg
| caption="The Dragon-helm of Dor-lómin" by [[Elena Kukanova]]
| pronun=
| othernames=Helm of Hador<br/>Dragonhead of the North<br/>Dragon of Dor-lómin<br/>Dragon of the North<ref name=Lay>{{LB|1f}}</ref><br/>Helm of Húrin<ref name=Lay/>
| location=[[Nogrod]], [[Dor-lómin]], [[Dimbar]], [[Doriath]], [[Amon Rûdh]], [[Dor-Cúarthol]], [[Nargothrond]], [[Tumhalad]], [[Brethil]]
| owner=[[Azaghâl]], [[Maedhros]], [[Fingon]], [[Hador]], [[Galdor (Lord of Dor-lómin)|Galdor]], [[Húrin]], [[Túrin]]
| type=Armour
| appearance=Visored grey steel helm, adorned with gold and graven runes of victory, that bore defiantly upon its crest a gilded image of [[Glaurung]]
| creator=[[Telchar]]
| created=c. {{FA|260}}
| createdlocation=[[Nogrod]]
| destroyer=
| destroyed=
| destroyedlocation=
| notablefor=Bearing a gilded image of [[Glaurung]] upon its crest
| gallery=the Dragon-helm of Dor-lómin
}}
{{Quote|Grey-gleaming steel,&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;with gold adorned<br/>
wrights had wrought it,&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;with runes graven<br/>
of might and victory,&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;that a magic sat there<br/>
and its wearer warded&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;from wound or death,<br/>
whoso bore to battle&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;brightly shining<br/>
dire dragon-headed&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;its dreadful crest.|''[[The Lay of the Children of Húrin]]'', ''Túrin's Fostering''}}

The '''Dragon-helm of Dor-lómin''', also known as the '''Helm of Hador''', was the heirloom of the [[House of Hador]] that was worn by [[Túrin]].<ref>{{S|Index}}, entry "Dragon-helm of Dor-lómin"</ref>

The Dragon-helm was crafted for a Dwarf, by a Dwarf, and was too large and heavy for an [[Elves|Elf]]. Even [[Men]] found the Helm was too massive, and only Hador and some of his descendants had the strength to wear it. The Helm of Hador was a grey steel helm with a visor that was made in the fashion of Dwarves so as to shield the eyes of the wearer. The helm was embossed and embellished with gold and graven runes of victory, and bore defiantly upon its crest a gilded image of [[Glaurung]]. It was said that a power lay upon the runes that protected its wearer from wounds and struck fear into the hearts of enemies, turning back swords and darts.<ref name="Departure" />

==History==
The Dragon-helm was wrought by renowned [[Dwarf|Dwarven]] smith [[Telchar]] soon after {{FA|260}} when Glaurung first issued from the gates of [[Morgoth]]. It had been initially made for [[Azaghâl]], the Lord of [[Belegost]], but he gave it to [[Maedhros]] as a guerdon after Maedhros saved his life and treasure when he was waylaid by Orcs on the [[Dwarf-road]]. Maedhros subsequently gave it to [[Fingon]] in remembrance of his deed in driving the dragon back. As the helmet was designed for Dwarves, it was too heavy to wear at ease, save for the stout head and shoulders of [[Hador]] and his son [[Galdor]].<ref name="Departure">{{UT|Departure}}</ref> In {{FA|416}}, [[Fingolfin]] granted Hador [[Lord of Dor-lómin|lordship]] over [[Dor-lómin]],<ref>{{WJ|14}}, §31, p. 228</ref> and [[Fingon]] gifted him the helmet in commemoration.<ref name="Departure" />

Hador and his son [[Galdor (Lord of Dor-lómin)|Galdor]] wore it often in combat, and their troops gained morale when they saw the massive crest towering over the other helms in battle. Unfortunately, Galdor did not wear the Helm when a host of orcs assaulted [[Eithel Sirion]], and was slain by an arrow. His son [[Húrin]] kept the Helm but seldom wore it, being of shorter stature and greater pride. After his capture by Morgoth at the [[Nirnaeth Arnoediad]], his wife [[Morwen]] kept the Helm and sent it to [[Doriath]] for [[Thingol]]. The king handled it with solemnity, and presented it to [[Túrin]].<ref name="Departure" />

When Túrin grew up, he requested the Helm among other arms to fight Morgoth's armies in [[Dimbar]] and the north-marches of Doriath. Thus in [[Beleriand]] it was known that the Dragon-helm was seen again, and many thought that Húrin had came back from [[Thangorodrim]].<ref>{{CH|5}}</ref>
[[File:Joona Kujanen - The Dragon-helm of Dor-lómin.jpg|200px|left|thumb|''The Dragon-helm of Dor-lómin'' by Joona Kujanen]]
The Helm was left in Doriath when Túrin fled it, but [[Beleg]] took it with him on his quest to find his friend. He delivered it when they met on [[Amon Rûdh]].<ref>{{CH|7}}</ref> Túrin was monstrous in war and took one of his many titles from it: [[Gorthol]], the "Dread Helm". The two captains were known as "the Bow and the Helm" after their gear, which also give name to [[Dor-Cúarthol]], the land they protected.<ref>{{CH|8}}</ref>

It is said that after the [[Sack of Bar-en-Danwedh]], Túrin  brought the Helm with him to [[Nargothrond]], although he did not wear it, and later to [[Brethil]].<ref name="ut" /><ref name="grey" /> After his death, the [[Men of Brethil]] somehow recovered it and the new [[Lord of Brethil]] handed it to Húrin.<ref>{{WJ|I}}, p. 255</ref>

==Other versions of the legendarium==
[[File:Alan Lee - The Dragon Helm of Dor-lomin.jpg|200px|thumb|''The Dragon Helm of Dor-lómin'' by [[Alan Lee]]]]
===The Lay of the Children of Húrin===
The Dragon-helm makes its initial appearance in the ''[[The Lay of the Children of Húrin]]'' as a helm of Húrin. In the first version of the poem, the protection actually offered by the helm is ambiguous: while it is noted that it "’twas o’erwritten with runes by wrights of old", it is only in the words spoken by Thingol to the young Túrin that it is stated as having a magical ability to protect its wearer. A few years later Túrin would wear the helmet when he ventured out with the Elves to fight the Orcs and evil things that roamed on Doriath's borders; notably he was not untouchable as during this time he received hurts from "the wounds of shaft and warfain sword".<ref>{{LB|1b}}</ref>

In the second version of the poem, the helmet is described in the narrative as now having "runes graven of might and victory, that a magic sat there and its wearer warded from wound or death". It's history is elaborated on as being made by [[Telchar]], and that "it was worn aforetime by the father of the fathers of the folk of Húrin", and given to Húrin by his own father [[Gumlin]]. Like the prior version, he wore the helmet to battle on the marches, and continued to receive wounds:<ref name="Lay">{{LB|1f}}</ref>
<poem>
There hard his life, and hurts he lacked not,
the wounds of shaft   and the wavering sheen
of the sickle scimitars,   the swords of Hell,
the bloodfain blades   on black anvils
in Angband smithied,   yet ever he smote
unfey, fearless,   and his fate kept him.
</poem>

===Later versions===
The destiny of the Dragon-helm after the [[Sack of Bar-en-Danwedh]] is not addressed in the ''[[Narn i Hîn Húrin]]'' (and consequently neither is in ''[[The Children of Húrin]]'') or the published ''[[Silmarillion]]'', but in some revisions of the text, [[Tolkien]] intended to extend the history of the Helm into the period of Túrin in Nargothrond and beyond. An isolated scrap of writings says that somehow Túrin had brought the Helm to Nargothrond, but he refused to wear it until the [[Battle of Tumhalad]]. There the Helm protected Túrin from [[Glaurung]]'s enchantment, but Glaurung wanted to remove Túrin's protection. He tried to falsely claim that Túrin was his vassal since he bore the dragon's likeness on his helm. It was only when Glaurung's deception failed that he moved to taunt Túrin, which made made him thrust up the visor to look at the dragon directly in his eyes. There is also another note explaining that Morwen knew that the [[Mormegil]] was her son after hearing that the Dragon-helm had been present in the battle. There is also a suggestion of Túrin wearing the Helm when he slew Glaurung.<ref name="ut">{{UT|2o}}, pp. 154-5</ref>

In the ''[[Grey Annals]]'' there are many later additions weaving the Dragon-helm into the story similarly as described above.<ref name="grey">{{WJ|P1}}, §§258, 265, 275, 280, 284, 304</ref> [[Christopher Tolkien]] did not include this fragmentary development in his edition of ''The Silmarillion'', as his father never gave details on how the Helm was taken from a place to another or how the [[Haladin]] recovered it. Instead, Christopher used one of the many versions, in which Túrin wears a [[Dwarf-masks|dwarf-mask]] found within the armories of [[Nargothrond]].<ref>{{GA|280|note}}, pp. 143-4</ref>

{{References}}

[[Category:Armor]]
[[Category:Heirlooms]]
[[de:Hadors Helm]]
[[fr:encyclo/artefacts/heaume du dragon]]
[[fi:Dor-lóminin lohikäärmekypäri]]