Enerdhil

From Tolkien Gateway
Enerdhil
Noldo
Biographical Information
PositionJewel-smith
LocationGondolin
AffiliationNoldor
Notable forMaking of the original Elessar
Physical Description
GenderMale

Enerdhil was a legendary Noldorin jewel-smith of Gondolin who was responsible for the making of the original Elessar.

History[edit | edit source]

After the death of Fëanor, Enerdhil was considered to be the greatest of the craftsman of the Noldor. Despite this, he took great pleasure in seeing the sunlight between the leaves of trees, as he loved "green things that grew". One day, a desire filled his heart and he sought to make a jewel as "green as leaves" to imprison the "clear light of the sun". After Enerdhil's completion of the jewel, many Elves, including the other Noldor, were astonished by it. For it was said that any who looked upon the stone would see marred and broken things as whole and healed again. The jewel came to be known as the Elessar and was soon gifted by Enerdhil to Idril Celebrindal, who wore it upon her breast and as such, it was saved from perishing during the Fall of Gondolin. Eventually, Idril passed it on to her son Eärendil, who bore it on his voyages across the Great Sea to Aman.[1]:249

According to a legend in which the Elessar was brought back by Olórin, Enerdhil's name was mentioned in passing by Galadriel, asking about the whereabouts of the Elessar and of Enerdhil "who made it". In response, Olórin claims he does not know of his fate, but reveals that he had brought the Elessar back.[1]:250

However, according to another legend, the original Elessar stayed beyond the sea and Celebrimbor, at Galadriel's behest, made a second less powerful version of the lost jewel during the Second Age.[1]:251

Etymology[edit | edit source]

David Salo suggests that the name is a loan from Quenya Anardil ("Sun-friend"). This Sindarin form of the name displays what he calls "hyper-Sindarization", with i-affection before the ending -ndil whereas it shouldn't occur in "proper" Sindarin.[2]

Other versions of the legendarium[edit | edit source]

The fact that there are two possible Elessars makes Enerdhil fit into the mythos, as the first one could have been made by him and the second by Celebrimbor, yet not even this has been resolved clearly.

See also[edit | edit source]

References