Vilya

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Vilya
Ring
Noble Collection - Vilya.jpg
Vilya as conceived by The Noble Collection
PronunciationQ, [ˈviʎa]
Other namesThe Blue Ring, Ring of Air, Ring of Sapphire
LocationEregion, Lindon, Rivendell
OwnerCelebrimbor, Gil-galad, Elrond
AppearanceRing of gold with a great blue stone[1]; set with a sapphire[2]
CreatorCelebrimbor
Eregion, c. S.A. 1590,[3]
GalleryImages of Vilya

Vilya was one of the Rings of Power made by the Elves of Eregion. Along with Nenya and Narya, was one of the Three Rings of the Elves, more powerful than the rings given to Dwarves or Men. Like the other Elven Rings, Vilya was jeweled: it contained a great blue stone set in a gold band, which contributed to its titles as the Ring of Sapphire and the Blue Ring. A lesser-used title of Vilya was the Ring of Air, signifying its pre-eminence even over the other Rings of the Elves; it was generally considered that Vilya was the mightiest of these three bands.[4]

History

By S.A. 1590,[3] Celebrimbor, the lord of Eregion, had forged all Three Rings independently of Annatar, a guise of the Dark Lord Sauron. As a result, none of the Three were stained by his evil. However, like all the Rings of the Elves, Vilya was still under Sauron's influence when he wielded The One Ring, which held dominion over all the others.

When Sauron made his Ring in S.A. 1600, Celebrimbor became aware of his designs and in 1603 gave the Three Rings to Elven guardians,[3] with Vilya sent to Gil-galad in Lindon. Sauron waged war against the Elves in Eriador but was eventually defeated. Afterwards, Gil-Galad gave Vilya to Elrond,[5] who bore it through the later years of the Second Age and all of the Third.

Upon Sauron's defeat and the destruction of the One Ring in T.A. 3019,[6] the power of Vilya faded and it went over the sea along with Elrond at the end of the Third Age.[4]

Etymology

vilya is a Quenya word for "air, sky".[7] However, as Paul Strack notices, given how the names of the other Elven rings are formed, it could be the combination of root WIL + -ya (adjetival suffix).[8]

References


Rings of Power
The One Ring | Three Rings (Narya · Nenya · Vilya) | Seven Rings (Ring of Thrór) | Nine Rings