Nenya, also named the White Ring, the Ring of Adamant, and the Ring of Water, is one of the Rings of Power, specifically, one of the Three Rings of the Elves of Middle-earth.
Description
Nenya is described as being made of mithril and set with a "white stone"[1] of adamant.[2]
The ring is wielded by Galadriel of Lórien, and not normally visible; while Frodo Baggins can see it by virtue of being a Ring-bearer, Sam Gamgee tells Galadriel he only "saw a star through your fingers".[3][note 1]
History
The Ring of Adamant as seen in the 2001 film adaptation of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Nenya was made by Celebrimbor and the Gwaith-i-Mírdain of Eregion in the Second Age, along with the other two Elven Rings, Narya and Vilya. Their existence was hidden from Sauron, so they were untouched by his evil.[2]
Nenya's power was preservation, protection, and concealment from evil. Galadriel used these powers to create and sustain Lothlórien. After the destruction of the One Ring and the defeat of Sauron, its power faded along with the other Rings of Power. Galadriel bore Nenya on a ship from the Grey Havens into the West, accompanied by the other two Elven Rings and their bearers. With the ring gone, the magic and beauty of Lórien also faded and it was gradually depopulated, until by the time Arwen came there to die in Fourth Age 121 it was deserted and in ruin.[4]
Etymology
The name Nenya is derived from the Quenya nén ("water").[5][6][7]
Translations around the World
| Foreign Language | Translated name |
|---|---|
| Belarusian | Ненья |
| Russian | Нэнья |
| Yiddish | עריאַדאָר ? |
References
- ↑ The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, Book Six, Chapter IX: "The Grey Havens"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Silmarillion, Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age
- ↑ The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, Book Two, Chapter VII: "The Mirror of Galadriel"
- ↑ The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A: Annals of the Kings and Rulers, I: The Númenórean Kings, (v): "The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen"
- ↑ The Silmarillion, Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin names
- ↑ The History of Middle-earth, Vol. 5: The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Three: "The Etymologies"
- ↑ Parma Eldalamberon, Words, Phrases and Passages in Various Tongues in The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
Notes
- ↑ This appears in many editions as "finger", which sounds more magical, since it suggests that her finger has somehow become transparent, but The Treason of Isengard, ch. 13, note 34, mentions it as an error.)
