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[[Image:Mathom lore.jpg|thumb|''Mathom Lore'' by Robin Wood]]
[[File:Robin Wood - Mathom lore.jpg|thumb|''Mathom Lore'' by Robin Wood]]
'''Mathoms''' was an old word of the [[Hobbitish|hobbit-dialect]], not recorded as being in use outside the [[Shire]]. It was used to refer to "trinkets" or any item that had no particular immediate use.  
'''Mathoms''' was an old word of the [[Hobbitish|hobbit-dialect]], not recorded as being in use outside [[the Shire]]. It was used to refer to "trinkets" or any item that had no particular immediate use.  


Mathoms were many of the presents that passed from hand to hand by the [[Shire-hobbits]] - an important part of their culture - and whose owners did not wish to throw them away.
Mathoms were many of the presents that passed from hand to hand by the [[Shire-hobbits]] - an important part of their culture - and whose owners did not wish to throw them away. Hobbit houses tended to be crowded with mathoms.


Eventually they were stored in the [[Mathom-house]] in [[Michel Delving]].
Many mathoms were weapons, useless as there hasn't been any conflict since the [[Battle of Greenfields]] ({{SR|1147}}); weapons were seen mostly as trophies, ornamenting walls or hearths, or stored in the [[Mathom-house]], a "museum" in [[Michel Delving]].<ref>{{FR|Hobbits}}</ref>
==Etymology==
==Etymology==
''Mathom'' is a word invented by Tolkien, constructed from an obsolete [[Old English]] word ''māþum/máðm'' "treasure".<ref>[[J.R.R. Tolkien]] and [[Christopher Tolkien]] (ed.), "[[Guide to the Names in The Lord of the Rings]]" in [[Jared Lobdell]] (ed.), ''[[A Tolkien Compass]]''</ref>
''Mathom'' is a word invented by [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]], constructed from an obsolete [[Old English]] word ''máðm'' "treasure, precious thing".<ref>{{HM|N}}, p. 782</ref>


It is used as a rendering of the original [[Hobbitish]] word ''kast''.<ref name="AppF">{{App|F2}}</ref>
It is used as a rendering of the original [[Hobbitish]] word ''[[kast]]''.<ref name="AppF">{{App|F2}}</ref>
{{references}}
{{references}}
[[Category:Objects]]
[[Category:Objects]]

Revision as of 10:42, 5 October 2020

Mathom Lore by Robin Wood

Mathoms was an old word of the hobbit-dialect, not recorded as being in use outside the Shire. It was used to refer to "trinkets" or any item that had no particular immediate use.

Mathoms were many of the presents that passed from hand to hand by the Shire-hobbits - an important part of their culture - and whose owners did not wish to throw them away. Hobbit houses tended to be crowded with mathoms.

Many mathoms were weapons, useless as there hasn't been any conflict since the Battle of Greenfields (S.R. 1147); weapons were seen mostly as trophies, ornamenting walls or hearths, or stored in the Mathom-house, a "museum" in Michel Delving.[1]

Etymology

Mathom is a word invented by Tolkien, constructed from an obsolete Old English word máðm "treasure, precious thing".[2]

It is used as a rendering of the original Hobbitish word kast.[3]

References