Balin's Tomb: Difference between revisions

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==History and Geography==
==History and Geography==
Balin was killed at the hands of Moria [[orcs]] in {{TA|2994}}. He was promptly buried in a tomb in the center of the [[Chamber of Mazarbul]]. The [[Fellowship of the Ring]], journeying through Moria in {{TA|3019|n}}, found his tomb. The tomb was the site of a [[Battle of the Chamber of Mazarbul|battle]] between the Fellowship and a group of attacking orcs. The tomb was located inside the Mazarbul chamber, Balin's former seat, which itself was located off the north end of the [[Twenty-first Hall]]. A shaft of light from outside of the mountain fell directly onto Balin’s Tomb, though it is not known what the shaft originally lit, if it was even in existence prior to Balin's fall.
Balin's tomb is located off "a wide corridor ... a doorway on their [the Fellowship's] right", in [[Moria]]. In the year 2994 Third age, [[Balin]] was slain in [[Dimrill Dale]] by goblins. The tomb was then erected by some of his dwarves who were yet alive.
 


==Appearance==
==Appearance==
[[File:J.R.R. Tolkien - Balin's Tomb.jpg|200px|thumb|Balin's Tomb, by [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]]]
[[File:J.R.R. Tolkien - Balin's Tomb.jpg|200px|thumb|Balin's Tomb, by [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]]]
The tomb was made of a single oblong block, about two feet high, underneath a large slab of white stone. Runes were cut deeply into the slab. Included in [[The Fellowship of the  Ring]] are these runes, which read:
<ref>The Fellowship of the ring:  A journey in the dark page 311</ref>
 
An oblong block, around two feet high, upon which was laid a slab of white stone. A shaft of light fell directly onto the block.
<center>BALIN<br>FUNDINUL<br>[[Uzbad Khazaddûmu|UZBADKHAZADDUMU]]<br>BALINSONOVFUNDINLORDOVMORIA</center>
 
Paraphrased, it says "Balin Fundinul Uzbad Khazaddumu - Balin Son of Fundin Lord of Moria”


===Rune inscription===
===Rune inscription===


The runes carved into Balin’s Tomb were [[Angerthas Daeron]]. These runic values were [[Angerthas Moria]], used before the flight of the Dwarves, appearing on such inscriptions. Balin’s Dwarves would have followed this example in such a circumstance. The top, larger runes (the first three lines) are written in [[Khuzdul]], while the smaller ones below (the final line) were in the [[Westron|Common Speech]], written with [[Angerthas Erebor]].
The runes carved into Balin’s Tomb were [[Angerthas Daeron]]. These runic values were [[Angerthas Moria]], used before the flight of the Dwarves, appearing on such inscriptions. Balin's folk would have followed this example. The top, larger runes (the first three lines) are written in [[Khuzdul]], while the smaller ones below (the final line) were in the [[Westron|Common Speech]], written with [[Angerthas Erebor]].


The Dwarves never used their "true" Khuzdul names, not even in inscriptions, but rather their names in a [[Mannish]] dialect of the [[Northmen]]. [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]], having translated all uses of Mannish into modern English and Norse, rendered these names as "Balin" and "Fundin", as he did the other words in the last line of the inscription (see note on English below). The name "Moria" was used, for by the time of the inscription, it had become the accepted name for Khazad-dûm in the Common Speech.
The Dwarves never used their "true" Khuzdul names, not even in inscriptions, but rather their names in a [[Mannish]] dialect of the [[Northmen]]. [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]], having translated all uses of Mannish into modern English and Norse, rendered these names as "Balin" and "Fundin", as he did the other words in the last line of the inscription (see note on English below). The name "Moria" was used, for by the time of the inscription, it had become the accepted name for Khazad-dûm in the Common Speech.
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[[Image:fotr1080.jpg|250px|thumb|Balin's Tomb in [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]].]]
[[Image:fotr1080.jpg|250px|thumb|Balin's Tomb in [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]].]]
'''2001: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'':'''
'''2001: ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]]'':'''
:Balin's Tomb is portrayed on film exactly as described in the book. The runes on the tomb are copied verbatim. [[Grant Major]] specifically tried to retain the evocative image of the shaft of light landing directly on Balin's Tomb in the film sequence. In the film, Balin's Tomb is destroyed by the [[Cave-trolls|Cave-troll]] during the [[Battle of the Chamber of Mazarbul]].
:Balin's Tomb is portrayed on film exactly as described in the book. The runes on the tomb are copied verbatim. In the film, Balin's Tomb is destroyed by the [[Cave-trolls|Cave-troll]] during the [[Battle of the Chamber of Mazarbul]].


'''2002: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' (video game)]]:'''
'''2002: [[The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game)|''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'' (video game)]]:'''

Revision as of 03:02, 18 October 2014

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File:Balinstomb.jpg
Balin's Tomb in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

Balin's Tomb was the tomb of Balin, Lord of Moria, after his death in T.A. 2994.

History and Geography

Balin's tomb is located off "a wide corridor ... a doorway on their [the Fellowship's] right", in Moria. In the year 2994 Third age, Balin was slain in Dimrill Dale by goblins. The tomb was then erected by some of his dwarves who were yet alive.


Appearance

Balin's Tomb, by J.R.R. Tolkien

[1] An oblong block, around two feet high, upon which was laid a slab of white stone. A shaft of light fell directly onto the block.

Rune inscription

The runes carved into Balin’s Tomb were Angerthas Daeron. These runic values were Angerthas Moria, used before the flight of the Dwarves, appearing on such inscriptions. Balin's folk would have followed this example. The top, larger runes (the first three lines) are written in Khuzdul, while the smaller ones below (the final line) were in the Common Speech, written with Angerthas Erebor.

The Dwarves never used their "true" Khuzdul names, not even in inscriptions, but rather their names in a Mannish dialect of the Northmen. Tolkien, having translated all uses of Mannish into modern English and Norse, rendered these names as "Balin" and "Fundin", as he did the other words in the last line of the inscription (see note on English below). The name "Moria" was used, for by the time of the inscription, it had become the accepted name for Khazad-dûm in the Common Speech.

The use of English to represent the Common Speech in primary sources such as the inscription on Balin's Tomb was a result of Tolkien's vision of completely translating all Westron into modern English, even in authentic documentation, although upon reflection Tolkien said that this translation was "an erroneous extension of the general linguistic treatment" (The Peoples of Middle-earth, pp. 298-9: "Of Dwarves and Men").

Portrayal in Adaptations

File:Fotr1080.jpg
Balin's Tomb in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

2001: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring:

Balin's Tomb is portrayed on film exactly as described in the book. The runes on the tomb are copied verbatim. In the film, Balin's Tomb is destroyed by the Cave-troll during the Battle of the Chamber of Mazarbul.

2002: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (video game):

The Tomb of Balin is not a straight box, but rather an elevated tomb, held up by four small Dwarf-like statues in the corners.

References

  1. ↑ The Fellowship of the ring: A journey in the dark page 311

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