Lebethron

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Lebethron was a hardwood tree that grew in Ithilien.

History[edit | edit source]

Lebethron was said to be fair, and beloved by the woodworkers of Gondor.[1] The staves given by Faramir to Frodo and Sam were made of lebethron,[1] as was the casket, described as made of "black lebethron", in which he brought the Crown of Gondor to the coronation of Elessar.[2]

Etymology[edit | edit source]

The name was first invented by Tolkien at the time of writing as melinon, then lebendron and finally lebethras. It was replaced by lebethron on the fair manuscript copy.[3]

According to a later source, lebethron was a Númenórean Sindarin word. The first element, lebeth, was related to Quenya lepsë[4] ("finger"[5]). The second element was said to be derived from oron ("tree"), though a later addition also ties it to the root RUN ("rub, grind, smooth, polish"). In this light, the tree was named lebethorn, and the wood of the tree lebethron, and the two words merged into one over time. The Quenya cognate was lepetta.[4]

References