Dwarves (Middle-earth)

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"Khazad" redirects here. See KHAZAD for the block cipher named after Khazad-dûm.

The Dwarves of J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth are beings of short stature who all possess beards (even the women), and are often friendly with Hobbits although long suspicious of Elves. They are typically blacksmiths and stoneworkers by profession, unrivaled in some of their arts even by the Elves. For Dwarves in other legends and fantasy works see: Dwarf.

The enduring popularity of Tolkien's books, especially The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, has led to the popular use of the term dwarves to describe this race in fantasy literature. Before Tolkien, the term dwarfs (with a different spelling) was used, as seen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. In fact, the latter spelling was so common that the original editor of The Lord of the Rings "corrected" Tolkien's dwarves to dwarfs (The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien, 138).

According to Tolkien, the "real 'historical'" plural of dwarf is dwarrows or dwerrows. He once referred to dwarves as "a piece of private bad grammar" (Letters, 17), but in Appendix F to The Lord of the Rings he explains that if we still spoke of dwarves regularly, English might have retained a special plural for the word dwarf as with man. The form dwarrow only appears in the word Dwarrowdelf, a name for Moria. Tolkien used Dwarves, instead, which corresponds with Elf and Elves, making its meaning more apparent. The use of a different term also serves to set Tolkien's Dwarves apart from the similarly-named creatures in mythology and fairy-tales.

Unlike Elves and Men, the Dwarves are not counted among the Children of Ilúvatar. They were created by Aulë the Smith. They were kept asleep until the creation of the Elves. Aulë created the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves, from whom all other Dwarves are descended. Aulë's work was doomed, though, because he did not have the power to grant independent life to his creations, that is, free will - that power belonged to Ilúvatar alone. Aulë later repented and confessed to Ilúvatar. When the Dwarves were completed, though, the voice of Ilúvatar spoke to Aulë and agreed to grant them true life, and include them in His plan for Arda. Ilúvatar granted the Dwarves life, and therefore they are known as the Adopted Children of Ilúvatar.

They mined and worked precious metals throughout the mountains of Middle-earth. In many ways, they were in between the Elves and Men. They were not immortal, but lived to two hundred and fifty years or more. They were generally less corruptible than Men, but committed their share of rash and greedy acts. (Among these are the slaying of Elu Thingol and the dispute over the Nauglamir.)

The Dwarven language was created by Aulë, and was known as Khuzdul. It was a strange language to Elves and Men, and few non-Dwarves learned it, also because they kept it secret. However, one Dwarven phrase is well known: the ancient battle cry, going back to at least the First Age: "Baruk Khazâd! Khazâd ai-mênu!", which means "Axes of the Dwarves! The Dwarves are upon you!"

Most Dwarves mentioned in Tolkien's works are of Durin's folk, the clan founded by Durin I of Khazad-dûm, called the Longbeards. (A notable exception are the inhabitants of the dwarf-cities of Nogrod and Belegost in the Blue Mountains, spoken of in The Silmarillion). The seven different groups of Dwarf-folk originated in the locations where the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves first awoke before the First Age. There were three pairs of Dwarf Fathers that awoke together, and their Folk would build their halls near each other, though Durin himself had awoken alone. (In his letters, Tolkien adds that all the Dwarf Fathers except for Durin also had wives who awoke with them). Therefore the halls of the Longbeards at Khazad-dum were not located near the halls of another Dwarf-kingdom. The seven clans of the Dwarves were:

Longbeards. Durin's Folk, originally from Gundabad, but then colonized Khazad-dum.
Firebeards. Originally from Nogrod. Paired with the;
Broadbeams. Originally from Belegost.
Ironfists. Originated somewhere far in the East. Located paired with the;
Stiffbeards.
Blacklocks. Originated somewhere far in the East. Located paired with the;
Stonefoots.

There was also an eighth group of Dwarves that was not a separate member from these seven kindreds, but composed of exiles from each: the Petty-dwarves, who were hunted like animals to the point of extinction by the Elves in the First Age.

Thorin Oakenshield brings twelve Dwarves to Bag End to recruit Bilbo for their treasure hunt in The Hobbit.

Gimli joins the Fellowship of the Ring and befriends Legolas in The Lord of the Rings.

Names

The Dwarves called themselves the Khazad, the name Aule gave them; this translates as the Hadhodrim in Sindarin, and the Casari in Quenya. Casari was the common word for Dwarves among the Noldor, but the Sindar usually called them the Naugrim or Nogothrim, the Stunted People.

Almost all the names of the dwarves of Middle-earth are taken from the Icelandic saga of Völuspá.

In the earliest versions of Tolkien's Middle-earth mythology (see: The History of Middle-earth) the dwarves were evil beings created by Melkor.

Female Dwarves are rare in Middle-earth, and seldom are seen outside. When they are seen, they are often mistaken for male dwarves, because they too have beards.

Named Dwarves

Spoiler warning: Plot or ending details follow.

Azaghâl was king of the Broadbeam Dwarves of Belegost during the First Age. He was slain by the dragon Glaurung after wounding him in the battle of Nirnaeth Arnoediad. The Helm of Hador was originally made for him by Telchar.

Balin

Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur were companions to Bilbo Baggins and Thorin Oakenshield on the quest of Erebor. They arrived at Bag End together.

Borin is a Dwarf of Durin's Line, the second son of King Náin II. He was the ancestor of both Balin and Gimli Elf-friend of the Company of the Ring.

Dáin I | Dáin II Ironfoot

Dís was a female Dwarf, daughter of Thráin II and sister of Thorin Oakenshield. She was the mother of Fili and Kili, and the only dwarf-woman ever named by Tolkien.

Dori, Nori, and Ori are three dwarf brothers who befriend Bilbo in The Hobbit and travel with him in search of Smaug's treasure caverns.
It fell to Dori to carry Bilbo in the tunnels of the Misty Mountains during the escape from the goblins, but Dori dropped Bilbo and the other dwarves blamed him for "losing their burglar." Later, during the escape from the Wargs, Bilbo grabbed Dori's legs as they scrambled up into the trees.

Durin(s)

Dwalin was one of the Dwarves who traveled with Bilbo and Gandalf. Tolkien borrowed the name from Dvalin, a Dwarf from Norse mythology. Son of Fundin and younger brother of Balin, Dwalin is one of the least mentioned Dwarves in The Hobbit. He was the first Dwarf to arrive at Bag End. He wore a dark green hood and a golden belt and had a blue beard. Like his brother he plays the viol. Dwalin lent a hood and cloak to Bilbo when they set out on their journey.
Dwalin supposedly died in IV 91 at the age of 340, very old even for a Dwarf.

Flói, Frár, Óin, Ori, Lóni, and Náli - dwarves who entered Moria with Balin

Frerin was the second son of Thráin II and the younger brother of Thorin Oakenshield. Little is known of him except for that he perished at a young age when he joined in the Battle of Azanulbizar in the climatic battle of the War of the Dwarves and Orcs, beneath the East Gate of Khazad-dûm.

Frór was a dwarf of the line of Durin, who was killed with his father Dáin I by a cold-drake in the Grey Mountains. The kingship of Durin's folk clan then passed on to his brother Thrór, who founded the kingdom of Erebor. However the greater part of Durin's folk followed Frór and Thrór's younger brother Grór to the Iron Hills.

Fundin was the son of Farin, the brother of Gróin, and the father of Balin and Dwalin, two of Thorin Oakenshield's companions on the Quest of Erebor. Fundin was killed beneath the East Gate of Khazad-dum in the climatic Battle of Azanulbizar during the War of the Dwarves and Orcs. After the battle, all of the fallen Dwarves, Fundin included, were stripped of their armour and weaponry by their kinsmen, and were burnt upon pyres of wood.

Gamil Zirak was a Dwarvish smith, who was the master of Telchar of Nogrod. Gamil was a great craftsmen, whose work was found in the treasuries of Elu Thingol.

Gimli

Glóin (2 different dwarves) | Gróin (father of the later Glóin)
Grór was the younger son of King Dáin I, and younger brother of Frór and Thrór. When Thrór left the Iron Hills to reclaim the Kingdom of Erebor, Grór remained behind, ruling over the majority of Durin's folk even if his brother was King. The murder of Thror resulted in the climatic Battle of Azanulbizar in the year 2799. It is very likely that Gror had learned of the death of his brother, although his age may have been a factor that kept him from participating in the war, as his death was in 2805, five years later.

Mîm, Khîm, and Ibûn

Náin I was the son of Durin VI, and succeeded his father as King of Khazad-dûm. When his father was slain by the Balrog, Náin I attempted to destroy it, but was himself killed the following year. The remainder of Durin's Folk fled Khazad-dûm, and renamed it Moria. He was succeeded on the throne by Thráin I.

Náin II was a King of Durin's Folk, son of Óin. Under Náin II, the Dwarves lived peacefully in the Ered Mithrin, until they were attacked by dragons. He was succeeded by his son, Dáin I. He had a younger son Borin, from whom several of Thorin Oakenshield's companions were descended.

Náin son of Grór was killed at the Battle of Nanduhirion, and the rule of the Dwarves of the Iron Hills passed to his grandson, Dáin II Ironfoot.
Nár was the companion of Thrór during his ill-fated attempt to reclaim Moria.
Narvi' (originally Ngarvi, Ñarvi) made the Doors of Durin, on which Celebrimbor wrote the inscription.
Óin (2 different dwarves)

Ori

Telchar was a Dwarf of Nogrod in the Blue Mountains. He was one of the greatest smiths of Middle-earth. Among his works were Angrist, Narsil, and the Dragon-Helm of Dor-lómin.
Thorin I was the son of Thráin I, and succeeded his father as King of Erebor and King of Durin's folk. He left Erebor with the greater part of his folk, moving to the Ered Mithrin. He was succeeded as King by Glóin.

Thorin II Oakenshield
Thorin III

Thráin I, sometimes Thrain the Old, was the son of Náin I, and succeeded his father as King of Khazad-dûm. When his father was slain by the Balrog as his grandfather Dúrin VI had been killed before, Thráin I fled Khazad-dûm together with the remainder of Durin's folk, migrating to Erebor, which he founded in 1999 T.A.. He was succeeded as King by Thorin I.

Thráin II

Thrór (2542 TA-2790 TA) was a King of Durin's folk, the son of Dáin I and the father of Thráin II, and brother to Frór and Grór. In 2790 he journeyed with Nár to Moria, upon entering it, he was killed by Azog the Goblin, which started the War of the Dwarves and Orcs.
Thrór was the first King who lived in exile: after a cold-drake had killed Dáin I and Frór, only a part of Durin's folk joined him in the mines of Erebor, the greater part moving to the Iron Hills under Grór (see also Encyclopedia of Arda: Thrór).