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Doors of Durin

2016-12-13T04:25:44Z

Thnidu: add correct translation to description of the doors

[[Image:Ted Nasmith - Password Into Moria.jpg|thumb|[[Ted Nasmith]] - ''Password Into Moria'']]{{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''', the '''West-door of Moria''', or '''Elven Door''', 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 [[Moria|Khazad-dûm]].

==History==
The main entrance to [[Moria|Khazad-dûm]] was the [[Great Gates]] in [[Dimrill Dale]], east of the [[Misty Mountains]]. During the [[Second Age]], it was decided to open a way to the west side of the Silvertine, which would facilitate contact and cooperation with the [[Elves|Elven]] realm of [[Hollin]].<ref name="Dark">{{FR|II4}}</ref>

The '''Elven Door''' was constructed in cooperation between Dwarves and Elves, sometime between {{SA|750}} and {{SA|1500|n}}.<ref name="SA">{{App|SA}}</ref> It was the two greatest craftsmen of the Second Age, the [[Noldor|Elf]] and Lord of Eregion, [[Celebrimbor]], and the [[Dwarves|dwarf]] [[Narvi]] who built the Doors.<ref name="Dark"/>
These were the days before the [[Dark Years]] of [[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 after [[Sack of Eregion|Hollin fell]] to Sauron's forces.<ref name="SA"/>

When Khazad-dûm was abandoned in {{TA|1981}}<ref name="TA">{{App|TA}}</ref> the way of opening the Doors was forgotten.

At some point between {{TA|2845|n}} and {{TA|2950|n}} the Wizard [[Gandalf]] entered the city looking for King [[Thráin|Thráin II]] who had disappeared on journey to Erebor. After his search the Wizard exited through the Doors; however this experience did not help him know how to open the doors from the outside.<ref name="Dark"/>

In {{TA|2994|n}}, during the settling of [[Balin's Colony]], they were attacked by an onslaught of [[orcs]].<ref name="TA"/> [[Óin]] led a group to the west side of the city hoping to find escape through the Doors of Durin, but instead he found the water up to the doors where the [[Watcher in the Water]] killed him. The Dwarves were trapped, and wiped out.<ref>{{FR|II5}}</ref>

In [[August]] {{TA|3018|n}} [[Gollum]] took refuge in Moria; but when he had at last discovered the way to the Doors he could not get out.<ref name="Great">{{App|Great}}</ref>

On [[13 January]] {{TA|3019|n}} the [[Fellowship of the Ring]] entered Moria through the Doors,<ref name="Great"/> but initially Gandalf could not find out the password to open them. [[Meriadoc Brandybuck|Merry Brandybuck]] unknowingly gave Gandalf the answer by asking, "What does it mean by ''speak, friend, and enter''?" When Gandalf realized that the correct translation was "Say friend and enter" he sprang up, laughed, and said "''[[Mellon]]''", which means "friend" in [[Sindarin]], and the Doors opened. Shortly thereafter, the [[Watcher in the Water]] attacked the Fellowship and shut the Doors behind them.<ref name="Dark"/>

==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 Celebrimbor 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]] (probably [[Durin's Crown]]), two trees surmounted by crescent moons (probably symbolizing the [[Galathilion|Tree of the High Elves]]), and a single star (the emblem of the [[House of Fëanor]]). On the top left and right corners there were the [[tengwar]] ''[[Calma]]'' (C) and ''[[Óre]]'' (N) standing for Celebrimbor and Narvi; between their feet was an ''[[Ando]]'' (D) for Durin.

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>

As Gandalf first translated it to the other Walkers:
<blockquote>"The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter. I, Narvi, made them. Celebrimbor of Hollin drew these signs."</blockquote>

Actually, the inscription gave the password that would cause the Doors to swing open. Gandalf's translation is correct, but the proper translation of the second sentence, also correct, is "Say 'friend' and enter."<ref name="Dark"/>

From the inside the Doors could be opened by simply pushing against them, though it usually took the thrust of two to do so. When Moria was inhabited by the Dwarves they kept doorwards inside who would help open the Doors and see that only those with permission could pass.<ref>{{UT|Hunt}}, Note 12</ref>

==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.

==External links==

*"[http://lingwe.blogspot.se/2013/01/a-jewish-analogue-to-doors-of-durin.html A Jewish analogue to The Doors of Durin]" by [[Jason Fisher]]
*"[http://lingwe.blogspot.se/2013/04/another-analog-to-doors-of-durin.html Another analog to the Doors of Durin]" by [[Jason Fisher]]

{{references}}
[[Category:Doors and gates]]
[[Category:Moria]]

[[de:Türen von Durin]]
[[fi:Morian Länsiportti]]

User talk:Mith/2014

2014-01-04T10:34:05Z

Thnidu: /* Thanks for the welcome */ new section

{{talkarchive|2006|2007|2008|2009|2010|2011|2012|2013}}
<table style="border: 1px solid #c0c090; background-color: #f8eaba; width:80%; margin-left: auto; margin-right:auto;"><tr><td rowspan="2">[[Image:Nuvola apps edu languages.png|none|50px|link=]]</td><td><div id="talk" style="text-align: center; padding: 5px; clear: both;><big>'''''Welcome to [[User:Mith|Mith]]'s talk page.'''''</big></div></td></tr><tr><td><ul><li>Please [{{SERVER}}{{localurl:{{NAMESPACE}}:{{PAGENAME}}|action=edit&section=new}} post your new topic at the ''bottom''] of this page, including a '''<nowiki>==Descriptive heading==</nowiki>'''.</li><li>You should sign and date your posts by inserting "'''<span style="letter-spacing:.2em;"><nowiki>~~</nowiki>~~</span>'''" at the end of them.</li><li>Please indent your posts with "''':'''" if replying to an existing topic (or "'''::'''" if replying to a reply, etc.).</li><li>I will generally respond ''here'' to comments that are posted here, rather than replying via your talk page (or the article talk page, if you are writing to me about an article), so you may want to [{{SERVER}}{{localurl:{{NAMESPACE}}:{{PAGENAME}}|action=watch}} watch this page].</li><li>If I have left a message on ''your'' talk page, please continue the discussion there; '''DO NOT''' reply here. This is ensure that discussions do not become fragmented over several talk pages.</li></ul>[{{SERVER}}{{localurl:{{NAMESPACE}}:{{PAGENAME}}|action=edit&section=new}} '''⇒ Start a new talk topic.''']</td></tr></table>


== Thanks for the welcome ==

Hi, Mith. I just threw in a lot of stuff (mostly in the refs) about "Bullroarer" in [[Bandobras Took#Etymology]], with sources going about 3 levels deep. Dammit, this site is feeding my addictions! --[[User:Thnidu|Thnidu]] 10:34, 4 January 2014 (UTC)

User:Thnidu

2014-01-04T10:27:08Z

Thnidu: Created page with "I'm Mark Mandel, a linguist recently retired from the University of Pennsylvania, and an avid Tolkienian since the mid-sixties."

I'm Mark Mandel, a linguist recently retired from the University of Pennsylvania, and an avid Tolkienian since the mid-sixties.

Bandobras Took

2014-01-04T10:24:17Z

Thnidu: Use of "bullroarer" and how Tolkien might have learned it, with (too many) references.

{{hobbit infobox
| image=[[File:The Hobbit - An Unexpected Journey - Bandobras Took.jpg|250px]]
| name=Bandobras Took
| pronun=
| othernames=Bullroarer
| titles=
| position=
| location=[[The Shire]]
| affiliation=
| language=
| birth={{TA|2704}}
| birthlocation=
| rule=
| death={{TA|2806}}
| deathlocation=
| age=102
| notablefor=
| family=[[Took Family|Took]]
| parentage=[[Isumbras Took III|Isumbras III]]
| siblings=[[Ferumbras Took II|Ferumbras II]]
| spouse=
| children=
| gender=Male
| height=4'5<nowiki>''</nowiki> (135cm)<ref name="Hobbits"/>
| hair=
| eyes=
| clothing=
| weapons=
| steed=
}}
'''Bandobras "the Bullroarer" Took''' was the son of [[Thain]] [[Isengrim Took III|Isumbras III]] of the [[Took Family|Took]] line.<ref name="Took">{{App|Took}}</ref> He was distinguished by his great height (for a [[Hobbits|Hobbit]]), being four foot five and thus able to ride a horse.<ref name="Hobbits">{{FR|Hobbits}}</ref>

==History==
Bandobras was famous for averting a [[Orcs|goblin]] invasion of [[the Shire]] at the [[Battle of Greenfields]] of {{TA|2747}},<ref>{{App|TA}}</ref> and personally slaying the goblins' leader, [[Golfimbul]]. He took the Golfimbul's head off with a club. The goblin's head flew through the air for 100 yards and went down a rabbit hole; it is said that this is how the game of golf was invented.<ref name="Party">{{H|Party}}</ref>

Nothing is known about Bandobras' family, other than he had "many descendants", some of whom were the [[North-took Family|North Tooks]] of [[Long Cleeve]].<ref name="Took"/>

==Genealogy==
{{familytree/start}}
{{familytree | | | ISG | | |ISG=[[Isengrim Took II|Isengrim II]]}}
{{familytree | | | |!| | | |}}
{{familytree | | | ISB | | |ISB=[[Isumbras Took III|Isumbras III]]}}
{{familytree | |,|-|^|-|.| |}}
{{familytree | FRB | | BDB |FRB=[[Ferumbras Took II|Ferumbras II]]|BDB='''BANDOBRAS'''}}
{{familytree | |!| | | |!| |}}
{{familytree | FTB | | MDS |FTB=[[Fortinbras Took I|Fortinbras I]]|MDS=Many descendants,<br/>Including the<br/>[[North-took Family|North-tooks]]<br/>of [[Long Cleeve]]}}
{{familytree/end}}

==Etymology==
Bandobras is a Germanic name meaning "arm-band".{{fact}}

[[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]] noted that the alliteration between Bandobras and Bullroarer was significant and that translators should attempt to keep it.

Tolkien was aware while writing ''[[The Hobbit]]'' that "[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullroarer bullroarer]" was the anthropological name for an instrument of primitive peoples that made a roaring sound, although he did not find it in any dictionaries.<ref name="Nomen">{{HM|N}}, p. 764</ref> It has been used by cultures all over the world, including in Britain and Ireland. The name itself is recorded to have come from its use in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barningham,_Suffolk Barningham, Suffolk] as a children's toy in the mid-nineteenth century;<ref>{{webcite|author=|articleurl=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullroarer|articlename=Bullroarer|dated=2013-11-13|website=Wikipedia|accessed=2014-01-14}}. The article quotes [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Cort_Haddon A.C. Haddon]'s ''The Study of Man'' (New York: Putnam, 1898), p. 219:
:"Prof. E. B. Tylor informs me that the name of 'bull-roarer' was first introduced into anthropological literature by the Rev. Lorimer Fison, who compares the Australian ''tundun'' to 'the wooden toy which I remember to have made as a boy, called a 'bull-roarer',' and this term has since been universally adopted as the technical name for the implement." [Fison and Howitt, ''Kamilaroi and Kurnai'', 1880. p. 267.] ''[Aboriginal Studies Press; Facsimile edition 1991. ISBN 978-0855752224]''
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorimer_Fison Fison] was born in 1832 in Barningham, [http://www.worldcities.us/Barningham/ 139 miles from Birmingham as the crow flies].</ref> Tolkien could well have known of it as a child in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birmingham,_UK Birmingham] in the 1890's.

==Other versions of the legendarium==
In editions prior to the [[The Lord of the Rings (50th Anniversary Edition)|50th Anniversary Edition]] of ''The Lord of the Rings'', the Prologue gave Bandobras' father as [[Isengrim Took II|Isengrim II]]. This was based on an earlier version of the Took family tree,<ref>{{RS|3XIXc}}</ref> but was never corrected.<ref>{{HM|RC}}, p. 6</ref>

==Inspirations==
It is possible [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] was inspired by one George von Hohenzollern, who, like the Bullroarer to Bilbo, held the image of the bold ancestor to Tolkien:
{{Blockquote|He [the Bullroarer] charged the ranks of the goblins of Mount Gram in the Battle of the Green Fields, and knocked their king Golfimbul's head clean off with a wooden club.|"[[An Unexpected Party]]"<ref name="Party"/>}}
{{Blockquote|She [Tolkien's aunt Grace] alleged that the family name ["Tolkien"] had originally been "von Hohenzollern", for they had emanated from the Hohenzollern district of the Holy Roman Empire. A certain George von Hohenzollern had, she said, fought on the side of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria at the Siege of Vienna in 1529. He had shown great daring in leading an unofficial raid against the Turks and capturing the Sultan’s standard. This (said Aunt Grace) was why he was given the nickname Tollkühn, "foolhardy"; and the name stuck.|[[Humphrey Carpenter]]<ref>{{HM|Bio}}</ref>}}

==Portrayals in adaptations==
{{Gallery
|title=Bandobras Took in adaptations
|width=240
|height=180
|lines=2
|File:The Lord of the Rings Online - Bullroarer's statue.jpg|Bullroarer's statue in ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]''
|File:The Hobbit - An Unexpected Journey - Bandobras Took.jpg|Bandobras Took in ''[[The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey]]''
}}
===Films===
'''2012: ''[[The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey]]'':'''
:In trying to convince [[Bilbo Baggins|Bilbo]] of his [[Tooks|Tookishness]], [[Gandalf]] talks about the story of Bandobras Took and his victory at the [[Battle of Greenfields]]. He also says that Bandobras invented the game of golf in his killing of [[Golfimbul]] but qualifies this by suggesting that it is an embellishment.

===Games===
'''2003: [[The Hobbit (2003 video game)|''The Hobbit'' (2003 video game)]]:'''
:The first Hobbit outside [[Bag End]] recounts the story of Bandobras, followed by the accusations that young hobbits do not know enough about their history.

'''2007: ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online]]'':'''
:The public test server is named Bullroarer after Bandobras Took.

:In [[Brockenborings]] there is a wooden statue depicting Bandobras just after he defeated Golfimbul. Every Spring [[the Shire]] celebrates Bullroarer Took Day when the Hobbits drink tankards of Bullroarer's Brew and also place tankards of the drink under his statue in his honor. Bullroarer's Brew was Bandobras' favorite drink and it was named after him. It is a beer brewed out of clovers.

:Besides inventing golf, Bandobras also invented fence walking. Every morning Bullroarer would drink his favorite beer and then walk across a fence. It is said that he did this to improve his balance. Hobbits would play fence walking as part of the Bullroarer Took Day celebration.

==See also==
*[[:Category:Images of Bandobras Took|Images of Bandobras Took]]

{{references}}
[[Category:Characters in The Hobbit]]
[[Category:Hobbits]]
[[Category:Took]]
[[de:Bandobras Tuk]]
[[fr:encyclo:personnages:hobbits:touque:bandobras_touque]]
[[fi:Bandobras Tuk]]