Grond, 'Hammer of the Underworld'?

[Rhiannon]

Great engines crawled across the field; and in the midst was a huge ram, great as a forest-tree a hundred feet in length, swinging on mighty chains. Long had it been forging in the dark smithies of Mordor, and its hideous head, founded of black steel, was shaped in the likeness of a ravening wolf; on it spells of ruin lay. Grond they named it, in memory of the Hammer of the Underworld of old. Great beasts drew it, orcs surrounded it, and behind walked mountain-trolls to wield it.

-The Return of the King, 'The Siege of Gondor'

What is this 'Hammer of the Underworld'? Is it mentioned anywhere else? I had never taken note of that reference until this evening when Papa was reading it aloud. It puts me in mind of Norse mythology, and Thor's hammer, but of course I don't remember him being associated with the underworld.

 

[FoolOfATook]

Then Morgoth hurled aloft Grond, the Hammer of the Underworld, and swung it down like a bolt of thunder.

-From The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, "Of The Ruin of Beleriand"

They named the battering ram Grond in honour of Morgoth's weapon.

 

[Niniel]

Yes, but what is the 'Underworld' that it's called after? I don't remember there being a hell in the ME 'religion', unless it's referring to Angband.

 

[Ithrynluin]

The Silmarillion: Of the Flight of the Noldor
Far beneath the ruined halls of Angband, in vaults to which the Valar in the haste of their assault had not [color=sky blue]descended[/color]

And thus the fear of Yavanna that the Silmarils would be swallowed up and fall into nothingness did not come to pass; but they remained in the power of Morgoth. And he being freed gathered again all his servants that he could find, and came to the ruins of Angband. There he delved anew [color=sky blue]his vast vaults and dungeons[/color], and above their gates he reared the threefold peaks of Thangorodrim, and a great reek of dark smoke was ever wreathed about them. There countless became the hosts of his beasts and his demons, and the race of the Orcs, bred long before, grew and multiplied [color=sky blue]in the bowels of the earth.[/color]

Most of Angband was underground, hence 'Underworld'.

 

[Lantarion]

Yes and wasn't Angband also called Udûn, which is basically the equivalent of 'Hell'? Or was Udûn a name for Melkor's first fortress?

 

[Beleg]

The entry for 'MBAD-' in the Eytmologies reads,

MBAD- duress, prison, doom, hell. *mbanda: N band, bann duress, prison; Angband Hell (Iron-prison) (Q Angamanda). Q Mando the Imprisoner or Binder, usually lengthened Mand-os (Mandosse = Dread Imprisoner, N Bannos [GOS]. Blended in Q with MAN–hence Kalamando Light Mando = Manwe, Morimando Dark Mando = Mandos. MBAD is in turn related to BAD, q.v.

Index of Names to The Silmarillion comes up with the following defination.

Angband 'Iron Prison, Hell of Iron', the great dungeon-fortress of Morgoth in the Northwest of Middle-earth.

The Appendix to Silmarillion has it,

Sindarin Udûn (Gandalf in Mordor named the Balrog 'Flame of Udûn'), a name afterwards used of the deep dale in Moria between the Morannon and the Isenmouths.

Perhaps you are confusing 'hell' with 'dell'?

Why is 'Grond' called the 'Hammer of the Underworld'.

The answer is pretty obvious.

In Middle-earth Morgoth dwelt in 'Angband' and 'Utumno'.

Silmarillion tells us about Utumno,

Now Melkor began the delving and building of a vast fortress, deep under Earth, beneath dark mountains where the beams of Illuin were cold and dim.

Therefore Morgoth would also be the King of the 'underworld', and his weapon deservedly called 'Weapon of the underworld'.

On an interesting note, we are told about Morgoth's 'King Chamber',
From The Silmarillion,

Then Beren and Lúthien went through the Gate, and down the labyrinthine stairs; and together wrought the greatest deed that has been dared by Elves or Men. For they came to the seat of Morgoth in his nethermost hall that was upheld by horror, lit by fire, and filled with weapons of death and torment.

Myths Transformed,

And in his hatred of the Sun he came to the North at night in winter. At first he would depart when the long day of summer came; but after a time, becoming bolder again, and desiring a dwelling place of his own, he began the delving underground of his great fortress in the far North, which was afterwards named Utumno (or Udûn).

 

[Lantarion]

Yeah, as I've understood it:
Utumno = Quenya
Udûn = Sindarin

But they both mean the same thing.