Hadhafang

Hadhafang as designed by The Noble Collection

Hadhafang is a sword used by Elrond and Arwen used in Peter Jackson's The Fellowship of the Ring. The sword and its history are not part of the original story, but were invented for the movies. In the books, Arwen is never seen in combat.

Like all of the props used in the Lord of the Rings movies, Hadhafang was manufactured by Weta Workshop.

History

According to the movie's official publicity material, Hadhafang once belonged to the Elven lady Idril, who wed a Tuor, a Man, and bore Eärendil, the father of Elrond. Before Arwen's birth, Elrond wielded Hadhafang at the end of the Second Age, during the War of the Last Alliance.

Later, his daughter Arwen used Hadhafang when she aided Frodo in his escape from the Ringwraiths. Inscribed on the blade are tengwar in Sindarin that say:

Aen estar Hadhafang i chathol hen, thand arod dan i thang an i arwen
("This blade is called Hadhafang, a noble defense against the enemy throng for a noble maiden")

Alternative history

According to a Decipher Card, Arwen's sword is called Gwemegil, and was forged in Rivendell[1]. Whether this is another sword, or Decipher had no knowledge of Hadhafang, is unknown.

Etymology

Hadhafang (or Haðafang) is mentioned as a "sword-name" in the Etymologies, mentioned in the entries STAG and SYAD. It is said to be a Sindarin cognate of Quenya Sangahyando, "throng-cleaver". The latter is not the name of a sword, but of a corsair of Umbar.