- "And one there was great as a dove's egg, and its sheen was as the starlight upon the foam of the sea; Nimphelos it was named, and the chieftain of the Dwarves of Belegost prized it above a mountain of wealth."
- —The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Ch. X: "Of the Sindar"
Nimphelos was a great pearl that King Thingol of Doriath gave to the Lord of Belegost.[1]
History[]
Sometime during the Years of the Trees after the establishment of the Falas, Círdan the Shipwright, and possibly his people, collected a great amount of fair pearls from the shallow waters around the Isle of Balar. One of these fair pearls was named Nimphelos, which was said to have been the size of a dove's egg. Along with the rest of the pearls, Nimphelos was given to Thingol of Doriath by Círdan.[2]
In the year 1300, after the construction of Menegroth at the bidding of Thingol, the Dwarves of Belegost demanded to be given a payment for their service in the work. As a result, "Melian taught them much wisdom" that they eagerly sought while Thingol gave Nimphelos to them alongside many other fair pearls. Because the Dwarves had never seen similar pearls before, "they held them dear" and the Lord of Belegost considered Nimphelos to be his most valuable treasure.[2]
While the fate of Nimphelos is ultimately untold, it may have been lost during the War of Wrath at the end of the First Age. However, given it's immense value to the Dwarves, it is possible that the Dwarves took it with them when they abandoned Belegost, bringing it to Khazad-dûm during the Second Age.[3]
Etymology[]
Nimphelos is a Sindarin name possibly meaning "pale snow"[4] or "pale as snow",[3] consisting of the words nimp ("pale, pallid, white"),[5] pel ("go round, encircle")[6] or os ("round, about"),[7] and loss ("snow").[8]
Nimphelos was also a plant-name, alongside Niphredil.[9]
In other versions[]
In the first version of The Grey Annals, the Dwarves of Belegost were rewarded by Melian by being given a white gem by Melian that was named the great jewel, since it "gathered the starlight and sent it forth in blue fires" causing the Dwarves to prize it above all their wealth. The great jewel was made by Fëanor and given by him "to the folk of Lórien" along with many similar gems. It was "brought out of Valinor" by Melian just before the Awakening of the Elves.[10]
Following this account, Christopher Tolkien noted that this version had chronological issues since the birth of Fëanor occurred "more than a hundred Valian years" after Melian had left Valinor in the year 1050. As a result of this issue, the version was rejected and the great jewel was substituted with Nimphelos.[10]
References[]
- ↑ The History of Middle-earth, Vol. XI: The War of the Jewels, Index
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The History of Middle-earth, Vol. XI: The War of the Jewels, Part One: "The Grey Annals", Of the building of Menegroth, pgs. 10-1 (§22)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Nimphelos on The Encyclopedia of Arda
- ↑ "Nimphelos" on eldamo.org
- ↑ Parma Eldalamberon XVII, "Words, Phrases and Passages in Various Tongues in The Lord of the Rings", pgs. 19, 55, 168
- ↑ The Silmarillion, "Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names", entry PEL
- ↑ The History of Middle-earth, Vol. V: The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Three: "The Etymologies", entry OS
- ↑ The Road Goes Ever On: A Song Cycle, "Notes and Translations", pgs. 61-2, 70, 161
- ↑ Parma Eldalamberon XVII, "Words, Phrases and Passages in Various Tongues in The Lord of the Rings", pg. 168
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 The History of Middle-earth, Vol. XI: The War of the Jewels, Part One: "The Grey Annals", Commentary, pg. 108 (note to §22)