Mithril

“The Dwarves tell no tale, but even as Mithril was the foundation of their wealth, so also it was their destruction: they delved too greedily and too deep, and disturbed that from which they fled, Durin’s Bane. Of what they brought to light, the Orcs have gathered nearly all, and given it in tribute to Sauron, who covets it.”

– Gandalf the Grey, The Fellowship of the Ring, “A Journey in the Dark”

Mithril is a uniquely valuable metal, also known as true-silver or Moria-silver, and is exceptionally light and mightier than the hardest steel. It was the Dwarves who discovered and mined it in Khazad-dûm.

Description

The Elves called it Mithril, but the Dwarves kept their name for it a closely guarded secret. The metal was very malleable and easy to work with, and when polished, shined like silver that never tarnishes. While the Company was resting for the night in the great hall of Khazad-dûm, Sam was curious and asked Gandalf why the Dwarves would ever want to come back to Moria. The old wizard gave a detailed description of Mithril. “Mithril! All folk desired it. It could be beaten like copper and polished like glass, and the Dwarves could make of it a metal, light, and yet harder than tempered steel. Its beauty was like that of standard silver, but the beauty of Mithril did not tarnish or grow dim.” As for its value, Gandalf said, “Its worth was ten times that of gold, and now it is beyond price; for little is left above ground.”

History

In Middle-Earth, the only known source of Mithril was in the dwarf mines inside Khazad-dûm. Mithril artifacts have been mentioned in ancient lore to have also existed in Númenor and Aman. Khazad-dûm was one of the wonders of the known world and is said to be the grandest mansions constructed for Durin the Deathless and his kinfolk. It was a vast network of tunnels carved out of living rock deep beneath the Misty Mountains that ran through the east and west of its middle ranges. The city reached the height of its fame under King Durin VI, and its prosperity came from the mining of Mithril. However, it also fueled the greed of the Dwarves, who delved deeper and deeper into the rock for more mithril veins. Eventually, they dug too deep and awoke a slumbering horror called the Balrog – a spirit of shadow and fire – from the depths. The Balrog proved to be too powerful for the Dwarves to destroy or control, and it killed many of them.

Among the casualties was Durin VI himself, and ever since, they speak of that Balrog as Durin’s Bane. His son Náin I succeeded him, and they held back the creature for as long as a year until he too was slain. Náin I became the last King of Khazad-dûm, and his son Thrain I led what remained of Durin’s folk while they fled to the north. Thus, all mining of Mithril in Middle-Earth ceased, and it became an even more rare and priceless commodity. After they abandoned Khazad-dûm, all manner of foul creatures began to dwell inside it. Many Orcs began plundering it for Mithril at Sauron’s bidding. It has become an evil place that the Elves began to call Moria or the “Black Pit.”Gandalf was able to defeat and destroy the Balrog of Moria after he broke the Bridge of Khazad-dûm, and they fell into the unfathomable chasm beneath it.

Real-world Counterparts to Mithril

In the real world, many liken Mithril to platinum or iridium, but both are too mighty to be similar to it. Titanium may be a more likely candidate because this metal has some of Mithril’s qualities, such as its small weight, its resistance to corrosion, its bright silver color, and it is a robust metal. Other metals that are like Mithril are magnesium or aluminum, which weigh even less than titanium but not as shiny, silver, or sturdy. Napoleon II [1] from France was believed to have bought dinnerware wholly made of aluminum because it was more valuable than gold or silver at that time. There is a certainty that Tolkien knew of these metals, being a brilliant man, but it is unclear if he used these metals as a basis for his conception of Mithril.

Objects of Mithril

Bilbo’s Mithril Vest

Of all the Mithril artifacts known, none figured more prominently than the mithril vest given by Thorin II Oakenshield to Bilbo Baggins. Thorin said it was the “first payment” of Bilbo’s reward for his services as the burglar of a company of dwarves. When Frodo reached Rivendell bearing the One Ring, he reunited with Bilbo, who gave him the mithril mail vest and the ancient elven knife Sting. That mithril vest saved Frodo’s life when the Company made an unfortunate detour into the Mines of Moria [2]. An enormous Orc chieftain charged straight at him with a spear. The force of the blow hurled him to a wall and pinned him there. They all thought he would die, but the Mithril stopped the spear from penetrating and managed only to leave him bruised.

It also proved invaluable in Frodo and Sam’s escape from Cirith Ungol when it became a cause for contention amongst the Orcs operating the guard tower. Most of the Orcs were killed or fled in the ensuing fight allowing Sam to rescue Frodo and continue into the land of Mordor. However, the mithril vest went into the hands of Sauron’s forces. Gandalf later recovered it during his parley with the Mouth of Sauron outside of the Black Gate of Mordor before the final battle began. Sauron’s ambassador showed the items belonging to Frodo and Sam, and among these was the mithril vest.

These were used as a ruse to make them think the two hobbits have been captured. After the victory in the War of the Ring, Gandalf returned these items to them, including Frodo’s mithril vest, when they were in the Field of Cormallen. The mithril vest saved Frodo once again, this time from Saruman when they returned to Bag End after the War. They’ve just liberated the Shire from some ruffians who took over and ruined it. There they realized that it was Saruman who was behind all the trouble. The crowd of hobbits outside wanted to kill him, but Frodo spared his life and banished him instead. As Saruman passed by him to leave, the fallen wizard tried to stab him. His knife broke when it hit the mithril vest Frodo was wearing.

Nenya

At one time, Gandalf threw the Ring into the fire to show Frodo its hidden inscription. There were only two lines inscribed on it taken from a known poem found in Elven lore. The full verse read:​

These were all rings of power given to the leaders of various races. The One Ring was the master ring crafted by Sauron, and all the other rings were bound to it. It would’ve given him dominion over Middle-Earth. It was Celebrimor who crafted the three Elven Rings of Power during the Second Age. The rings were named Narya, Vilya, and Nenya. When he got wind of Sauron’s One Ring, he went to Galadriel to seek her wisdom. Rather than destroy the rings, she advised him to keep them hidden and spread them far from Eregion. He gave Narya to Cirdan, who later gave it to Gandalf to aid him in his work. Vilya wound up with Elrond later on. Celebrimor gave Galadriel Nenya in gratitude for her valuable counsel. Nenya, also known as the Ring of Adamant, was invisible to others, except for the ring bearer. It is said to be crafted from Mithril and had a single white stone that shined like a star. With it, she was able to preserve and protect Lothlórien from evil, as well as keep it hidden from prying eyes.

Durin’s Door

During the Second Age, Celebrimor was the Lord of Eregion, the nearby Elven kingdom west of Khazad-dûm. Their friendship with the neighboring Dwarves was at its peak, and trade between the two kingdoms flowed freely. Celebrimor’s Dwarf friend Narvi constructed the mighty stone doors to protect the west entrance of the Dwarven city. Celebrimor was also a renowned Elven smith, and he enchanted the doors and inlaid the magical symbols and Elven inscriptions on it. They named it the Doors of Durin. When the Company of the Ring reached the west entrance of Moria, they couldn’t find any doors. Gimli said that Dwarven doors were unnoticeable while closed. It has remained closed ever since the fall of the entire realm of Eregion (“Hollin” to Men), during Sauron’s War with the Elves. However, when the moon appeared, the Elven markings suddenly lit up and revealed to them the password. Gandalf explained that they were of ithildin, which is an alloy Celebrimor derived from Mithril.

Eärendil’s Ship

While Frodo was at Rivendell, he awoke from a nap to hear Bilbo singing a song in front of some Elves about Lord Elrond’s father Eärendil the Mariner. At some point, he sang about a ship built for Eärendil made of Mithril and Elven glass.

Minas Tirith Guard Helmets

When Gandalf rode Shadowfax into Minas Tirith bearing Pippin with him, they reached the seventh and topmost wall of the city that surrounded the central citadel. At the gates, they noticed the guards clad in black robes and wearing helms made of Mithril, which were heirlooms handed down from ages past. They say that those were the original livery worn by the heirs of Elendil. None remained in Gondor except those worn by the citadel guards outside the Court of the Fountain where the White Tree stood.

Aragorn’s Banner

During the Battle of Pelennor, Éomer and the forces defending Minas Tirith noticed the Corsairs of Umbar sailing on the Anduin towards the city. They feared the worst, thinking that Lebennin and Belfalas had already fallen. However, Éomer noticed the banner raised on the lead ship was that of Gondor, and they rejoiced. It had the white tree with a crown and seven stars above it, which was a symbol of Elendil. It was Arwen who made it for Aragorn. The stars were of gems, and the crown was of gold and Mithril.

The Star of Elendil

Also known as Elendilmir, it was the symbol of Elendil and the royalty of Arnor. Elendil used to wear the Elendilmir on his brow instead of a crown, and it had two star-shaped gems set upon mithril fillets. When Orcs killed his heir Isildur, it was lost in the great river Anduin. Saruman’s trackers found it, and it has been in his possession in Orthanc ever since. After the War of the Ring, they later found it when King Elessar had Isengard restored. He wore it when he regained his kingship of Arnor.

Gates of Minas Tirith

It was under the reign of King Elessar after the War of the Ring that Minas Tirith reached the height of its glory. Its seven gates were replaced with Mithril and steel while the streets were paved with white marble and filled with fountains and trees.​