The Silmarils

[Laurelyn]

At any point in the Silmarillion did it actually describe what the Silmarils looked like? If so, then I missed it; what do they look like? Otherwise, what have you guys envisioned them as?

[Nibs]

Doesn't elaborate on their appearance... I always thought of them as about grapefruit-size, one side having a more pointed end and luminous. Rather cloudy on the inside, but otherwise translucent.

I also considered one to be silver-ish after Telperion and one yellow/gold-ish after the other. The other one, kind of a mixture or red-ish just to balance.

Of course, that's just me. What does everyone else think they look like? I can't remember any detailed description, either.

[Sister Golden Hair]

From the Silmarillion
Chapter 7
Of The Silmarils And The Unrest Of The Noldor

As three great jewels they were in form. But not until the End, when Feanor shall return who perished ere the Sun was made, and sits now in the Halls of Awaiting and comes no more among his kin; not until the Sun passes and the Moon falls, shall it be known of what substance they were made. Like the crystal of diamonds it appeared, and yet was more strong than adamant, so that no violence could mar it or break it within the Kingdom of Arda. Yet that crystal was to the Silmarils but as is the body to the Children of Iluvatar: the house of its inner fire, that is within it and yet in all parts of it, and is its life. And the inner part of the Silmarils Feanor made of the blended light of the Two Trees of Valinor, which live in them yet, though the Trees have long withered and shine no more. Therefor even in the darkness of the deepest treasury the Silmarils of their own radiance shone like the stars of Varda; and yet, as were the indeed living things, they rejoiced in light and received it and gave it back in hues more marvellous than before.

I don't see them as being the size of grapefruits though. I would say maybe the size of a gulf ball. This is the best description of them that I could find.

[Earniel]

I always imagined them like smooth and handsized. A little like the form of a round drop of water on a flat surface. Made in transparant glass or crystal. And a bright light within them, white mostly but with a bit of rainbow on the edges.

[eowyn144]

thats a beautiful description Earniel. truly beautiful.

[Ringil]

The Silmarils couldn't have been very large to have been worn on the forehead.

"... for though at great feasts Feanor would wear them, blazing on his brow..."

And concerning the voyage of Earendil: "He stood now most often at the prow of Vingilot, and the Silmaril was bound upon his brow".

[Ñólendil]

The Silmarils couldn't have been very large to have been worn on the forehead.

Good point. Although it should be remembered that the average height of an Elf back then (according to Unfinished Tales) was seven feet tall. So if Fëanáro was of average height (and I would expect him to be taller), he was 7'0. That doesn't make his head gigantic obviously, but we're talking about a very tall man.

Morgoth also wore the Silmarilli in his crown. Tolkien says in the Road Goes Ever On that the Valar when they assumed humane forms were "majestic but not gigantic". Still, Morgoth was very large. I suppose that doesn't mean much, but it is something to think about.

[Findegil]

Think also of Beren. He shut a Silmaril in his Hand. Beren was also large siced and broad but I don't think he could cover much mor than say a tennis-ball.

Regards
Findegil

[Earniel]

Originally posted by eowyn144
thats a beautiful description Earniel. truly beautiful.

*blushes* Thanks!!

[Arathorn]

Any chance that they can change in size like the One Ring to match the purposes of the bearer?

[Ñólendil]

"Beren was also large siced and broad but I don't think he could cover much mor than say a tennis-ball. "

I think it is in an essay called Of Dwarves and Men that Tolkien said Beren was shorter than the norm, because of his Haladinian heritage.

[Nibs]

Okay, okay... maybe a grapefruit is too large... let's say a normal orange. I reckon that's about the right size (Why do I keep using fruit to describe my idea of their size? Your guess is as good as mine).

I think a golf ball is a bit too small, at least in my mind. Of course, it's all a matter of opinion...

[Bacchus]

Originally posted by Ñólendil
"Beren was also large siced and broad but I don't think he could cover much mor than say a tennis-ball. "

I think it is in an essay called Of Dwarves and Men that Tolkien said Beren was shorter than the norm, because of his Haladinian heritage.

I'm probably going to regret challenging you Nolendil, but this sounds suspiciously like the description of Hurin (who also had Haladrim blood) to me. Any chance of a garble?

[Findegil]

Well, Ñólendil, the place was very good, but what was said we both remembered in an strange way (The History of Middle-Earth, volume 12: The Peoples of Middle-Earth; chapter X: Of Dwarves and Men; sub-chapter II: The Atani and their Languages and footnote 46):

There were fair-haired men and women among the Folk of Bëor, but most of them had brown hair (going with brown eyes), and many were less fair in skin, some indeed being swarthy. Men as tall as the Folk of Hador were rare among them, and most were broader and more heavy in build. (Footnote 46)

Footnote 46 reads:

Beren the Renowned had hair of golden brown and grey eyes; he was taller then most of his kin, but he was broad-shouldered and very strong in his limbs.

I agree that, Beren could with what is said here be shorter than many but I wouldn't think so and at least he had big sized hands.

Regrads
Findegil

[Ñólendil]

Baccus, I was not thinking of Hurin, and I don't think my garble is influenced by him, but you're right, it is garbled.

I must have read the note incorrectly. For "taller" my mind remembers "shorter" for some reason. I thought the quote said he was shorter because of his Haladinian heritage, but he was actually taller because of his Hadorian blood. Thanks for correcting me Findegil.

I thought "shorter" would make sense because Tolkien himself was not a tall man (I believe he was 5'8). Tolkien was blonde as a child and eventually got dark hair. But I wonder if he had grey eyes, like Beren?

[Earniel]

Originally posted by Ñólendil
But I wonder if he had grey eyes, like Beren?

I seem to remember that on his grave stone the name 'Beren' was ingraved, same as the name 'Luthien' is engraved on the gravestone of his wife. The story of Luthien and Beren was actually their story.

[Ñólendil]

That's why I was surprized to learn Beren was so tall. Tolkien was 5'8.

[Earniel]

Wishful thinking perhaps....

[Findegil]

It might be to near a resembling you are asking for. Tolkien also never held a Silmaril in his hand, and his wife was not able to bring her hair to grow much faster by a spell. They only found together after a some fight against authority. But it was his warden that denied the union and not her parents.
So their Story was alike and not alike in a way.

Regards
Findegil

[Ñólendil]

and his wife was not able to bring her hair to grow much faster by a spell.

But his wife was very pretty, and she had black hair and very fair skin, and could sing and dance.