Gold refers to both a valuable mineral in Middle-earth and golden colour or golden light.
History
Gold was present in the deeps of Arda since its creation and Aulë, the great smith was the first to make use of it. Afterwards, it was to be used by all speaking peoples of earth particularly the Dwarves who mastered it and by the Noldor.
One of the Seven Gates of Gondolin was the Gate of Gold.
Although valuable, the metal was not nearly as valuable as mithril. Gimli stated that when the Dwarves mined mithril in Moria it was worth ten times the value of gold and that after the coming of Durin's Bane mithril was beyond price).[1] The Teleri also prized silver (which they called telpe) above gold.[2]
The One Ring was made of gold,[3] as was Vilya, the Elven Ring of Elrond.[4] The treasure of Smaug also contained gold, wrought and unwrought.[5]
Sometimes, gold was a prerequisite for such 'magic' and other evils as Sauron practised with it and upon it. It was said that the power of Morgoth was disseminated throughout this element in the matter of Arda; however, his sway over it was not absolute, since Morgoth did not create gold in the first place.[6]
Other names
Other versions of the legendarium
In The Book of Lost Tales a portion of gold was used in the creation of Tilkal, to construct Angainor.[7]
In Gnomish, the word for "gold" is glôr (glôriol means "golden, like gold", and glôrin means "golden, of gold"). The poetic word for "gold" is Culu.[8]
Portrayal in adaptations
1994: Middle-earth Role Playing—Treasures of Middle-earth
- Gold is given the Sindarin name Mal in the book, and it was said to be valued by the Dwarves above all other metals, save mithril. Elves, who appreciated its beauty more than its value, used it in alloys, something Dwarves would be able to do if they were willing. It can be mixed with platinum to become white-gold.[9]
2007: The Lord of the Rings Online:
- Gold ore can be mined by expert prospectors in the Lone-lands, North Downs, Evendim, Bree-land, and the Yondershire.[10]
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "A Journey in the Dark"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn", "Appendix E: The Names of Celeborn and Galadriel"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "The Shadow of the Past"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "The Grey Havens"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, "Inside Information"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Morgoth's Ring, "Part Five. Myths Transformed", "[Text] VII", p. 400
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, "IV. The Chaining of Melko", p. 100
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "I-Lam na-Ngoldathon: The Grammar and Lexicon of the Gnomish Tongue", in Parma Eldalamberon XI (edited by Christopher Gilson, Arden R. Smith, and Patrick H. Wynne), pp. 27, 40
- ↑ Wolfgang Baur (1994), Treasures of Middle-earth (2nd edition) (#2010), p. 188
- ↑ "Gold Deposit". The Lord of the Rings Online Wiki. Retrieved 22 August 2025