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{{Location infobox
[[Image:Tim Kirk - The Cracks of Doom.jpg|thumb|''The Cracks of Doom'' by [[Tim Kirk]].]]
|name=Cracks of Doom
The '''Cracks of Doom''', also known as '''''Sammath Naur''''', was the forge and workshop of [[Sauron]] tunneled deep into [[Mount Doom]] and open to its central fire. It was in these fiery chambers that [[Sauron]] forged [[the One Ring]], and it was here that [[Frodo Baggins]] cast the Ring to be destroyed.
|image=[[File:Tim Kirk - The Cracks of Doom.jpg|250px]]
|caption=''The Cracks of Doom'' by [[Tim Kirk]]
|othernames=Crack of Doom
|location=[[Mount Doom]]
|created=
|events=[[The One Ring#Origin and creation|Creation of the One Ring]], [[The One Ring#Frodo's quest and destruction|Destruction of the One Ring]]
|gallery=the Cracks of Doom
}}
{{Quote|There is only one way: to find the Cracks of Doom in the depths of [[Orodruin]], the Fire-mountain, and cast the [[The One Ring|Ring]] in there, if you really wish to destroy it, to put it beyond the grasp of [[Sauron|the Enemy]] forever.|[[Gandalf]] in ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', "[[The Shadow of the Past]]"}}
The '''Cracks of Doom''' or '''Crack of Doom''' were a great fissure, a deep chasm filled with fire,<ref name=Doom>{{RK|Doom}}, pp. 945-7</ref> in which [[the One Ring]] was forged by [[Sauron]] and was destroyed when [[Gollum]] fell with the One Ring into it.


==Etymology==
==Geography==
''Sammath Naur'' is a [[Sindarin]] name. The latter word (''[[naur]]'') means "fire".<ref>{{PE|17}}, p. 38</ref>
The Cracks of Doom were located in the '''''Sammath Naur''''', the Chambers of Fire, a long cave with a high roof high up on the cone of [[Mount Doom]]<ref name=Doom/> on the plain of [[Gorgoroth]] in the land of [[Mordor]]<ref>{{RK|Map}}</ref>.
 
From a dark door in the eastern side of Mount Doom, the door of the ''Sammath Naur'', a long cave led inside until the great fissure of the Cracks of Doom cut across the floor and walls of the cave a short way from the door.<ref name=Doom/> A [[Sauron's Road|road]] led from the west gate of [[Barad-dûr]], the Dark Tower of Sauron to the door of the ''Sammath Naur''.<ref>{{RK|Doom}}, p. 942</ref>
 
==History==
Sauron forged the One Ring in the Cracks of Doom in c. {{SA|1600|}},<ref>{{App|SA}}, entry for the year ''c. '' 1600, p. 1083</ref> and put so much of his own force into the Ring that the only way it could be destroyed would be to throw it back into the Cracks of Doom.<ref>{{FR|Shadow}}, p. 61</ref> Such an opportunity came in {{SA|3441}}<ref>{{App|SA}}, entry for the year 3441, p. 1084</ref> after the [[Battle of Dagorlad]] but [[Isildur]] kept the Ring for himself, against the council of [[Elrond]] and [[Cirdan]].<ref>{{FR|Council}}, p. 243</ref>
 
It was decided in the [[Council of Elrond]] that the One Ring must be brought to the Cracks of Doom to be destroyed.<ref>{{FR|Council}}, p. 267-71</ref> [[Frodo Baggins]] and [[Samwise Gamgee]] reached the Cracks of Doom on [[25 May]], {{TA|3019}}.<ref>{{App|Great}}, entry for the year 3019, March 25, p. 1095</ref> It was there that Frodo decided to keep the Ring and put it on his finger and where Gollum bit off the finger with the Ring and fell with it into the fiery chasm destroying the Ring.<ref>{{RK|Doom}}, pp. 945-7</ref>
 
==Other names ==
*''Sammath Naur'' is a [[Sindarin]] name that translates to "Chambers of Fire". ''Sammath'' is the [[Sindarin#Class Plural|collective plural]] of the word ''sam'' believed to mean "room, chamber"<ref>[http://www.jrrvf.com/hisweloke/sindar/online/sindar/dict-sd-en.html Hisweloke Sindarin dictionary]</ref>, cf. [[Quenya]] ''sambë''. Note that in the earlier ''[[Etymologies]]'' the [[Noldorin]] reflex of ''sambë'' was given as ''tham''.<ref>{{LR|Etymologies}}, entry STAB</ref> The latter word (''[[naur]]'') means "fire".<ref>{{PE|17}}, entry S '''naur''', p. 38 and entry S ''Sammath Naur'', p. 101</ref>


==Inspiration==
==Inspiration==
The name ''Cracks of Doom'' is a wordplay on "cracke of Doome" (''Macbeth''; IV i 117)  meaning the "sudden sound (crack) of the trump that announces the Last Day".<ref name="Nomen">{{HM|N}}, pp. 767-8</ref> Here, [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]] uses "crack" to mean "fissure".
The name ''Cracks of Doom'' also sometimes just ''Crack of Doom'' is a wordplay on "cracke of Doome" (''Macbeth''; IV i 117)  meaning the crack/peal of thunder or the sudden sound of the last trumpet that announces the Last Day. Here, [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]] uses "crack" to mean "fissure".<ref name="Nomen">{{HM|N}}, entry '''Crack of Doom''', pp. 767-8</ref>
==See also==
 
==Portrayal in adaptations==
'''2001-3: ''[[The Lord of the Rings (film series)]]'''''
:Elrond is seen leading Isildur to the Cracks of Doom and urging him to throw it into the fire. In the films it appears as a doorway with a long bridge that ends with a narrow cliff, with lava below. Gollum and Frodo fight at the Cracks of Doom before both falling (Frodo was rescued by Sam) while in the book Gollum falls by himself.


*[[:Category:Images of the Cracks of Doom|Images of the Cracks of Doom]]
{{references}}
{{references}}
[[Category:Buildings]]
[[Category:Buildings]]
[[Category:Mordor]]
[[Category:Mordor]]
[[de:Schicksalsberg]]
[[de:Sammath Naur]]
[[fr:encyclo/geographie/divers/sammath_naur]]
[[fr:encyclo/geographie/divers/sammath_naur]]
[[fi:Sammath Naur]]

Latest revision as of 17:04, 5 January 2024

Cracks of Doom
Tim Kirk - The Cracks of Doom.jpg
The Cracks of Doom by Tim Kirk
General Information
Other namesCrack of Doom
LocationMount Doom
History
EventsCreation of the One Ring, Destruction of the One Ring
GalleryImages of the Cracks of Doom
"There is only one way: to find the Cracks of Doom in the depths of Orodruin, the Fire-mountain, and cast the Ring in there, if you really wish to destroy it, to put it beyond the grasp of the Enemy forever."
― Gandalf in The Fellowship of the Ring, "The Shadow of the Past"

The Cracks of Doom or Crack of Doom were a great fissure, a deep chasm filled with fire,[1] in which the One Ring was forged by Sauron and was destroyed when Gollum fell with the One Ring into it.

Geography[edit | edit source]

The Cracks of Doom were located in the Sammath Naur, the Chambers of Fire, a long cave with a high roof high up on the cone of Mount Doom[1] on the plain of Gorgoroth in the land of Mordor[2].

From a dark door in the eastern side of Mount Doom, the door of the Sammath Naur, a long cave led inside until the great fissure of the Cracks of Doom cut across the floor and walls of the cave a short way from the door.[1] A road led from the west gate of Barad-dûr, the Dark Tower of Sauron to the door of the Sammath Naur.[3]

History[edit | edit source]

Sauron forged the One Ring in the Cracks of Doom in c. S.A. 1600,[4] and put so much of his own force into the Ring that the only way it could be destroyed would be to throw it back into the Cracks of Doom.[5] Such an opportunity came in S.A. 3441[6] after the Battle of Dagorlad but Isildur kept the Ring for himself, against the council of Elrond and Cirdan.[7]

It was decided in the Council of Elrond that the One Ring must be brought to the Cracks of Doom to be destroyed.[8] Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee reached the Cracks of Doom on 25 May, T.A. 3019.[9] It was there that Frodo decided to keep the Ring and put it on his finger and where Gollum bit off the finger with the Ring and fell with it into the fiery chasm destroying the Ring.[10]

Other names[edit | edit source]

Inspiration[edit | edit source]

The name Cracks of Doom also sometimes just Crack of Doom is a wordplay on "cracke of Doome" (Macbeth; IV i 117) meaning the crack/peal of thunder or the sudden sound of the last trumpet that announces the Last Day. Here, Tolkien uses "crack" to mean "fissure".[14]

Portrayal in adaptations[edit | edit source]

2001-3: The Lord of the Rings (film series)

Elrond is seen leading Isildur to the Cracks of Doom and urging him to throw it into the fire. In the films it appears as a doorway with a long bridge that ends with a narrow cliff, with lava below. Gollum and Frodo fight at the Cracks of Doom before both falling (Frodo was rescued by Sam) while in the book Gollum falls by himself.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "Mount Doom", pp. 945-7
  2. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "Map of Rohan, Gondor, and Mordor"
  3. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "Mount Doom", p. 942
  4. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Second Age", entry for the year c. 1600, p. 1083
  5. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "The Shadow of the Past", p. 61
  6. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Second Age", entry for the year 3441, p. 1084
  7. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "The Council of Elrond", p. 243
  8. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "The Council of Elrond", p. 267-71
  9. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Great Years", entry for the year 3019, March 25, p. 1095
  10. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "Mount Doom", pp. 945-7
  11. ↑ Hisweloke Sindarin dictionary
  12. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Three: "The Etymologies", entry STAB
  13. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "Words, Phrases and Passages in Various Tongues in The Lord of the Rings", in Parma Eldalamberon XVII (edited by Christopher Gilson), entry S naur, p. 38 and entry S Sammath Naur, p. 101
  14. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "Nomenclature of The Lord of the Rings" in Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull (eds), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, entry Crack of Doom, pp. 767-8
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