Hubbry Logo
Two Trees of ValinorTwo Trees of ValinorMain
Open search
Two Trees of Valinor
Community hub
Two Trees of Valinor
logo
7 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Two Trees of Valinor
Two Trees of Valinor
Two Trees of Valinor
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, the Two Trees of Valinor are Telperion and Laurelin, the Silver Tree and the Gold Tree, which bring light to Valinor, a paradisiacal realm where the Valar and Maiar, angel-like divine beings, and many of the Elves live. The Two Trees are of enormous size, and exude dew that is a pure and magical light in liquid form. The Elvish craftsman Fëanor makes the unrivalled jewels, the Silmarils, with their light. The Two Trees are destroyed by the evil beings Ungoliant and Melkor, but their last flower and fruit are made into the Moon and the Sun. Melkor, now known as Morgoth, steals the Silmarils, provoking the disastrous War of the Jewels. Descendants of Telperion survive, growing in Númenor and, after its destruction, in Gondor; in both cases the trees are symbolic of those kingdoms. For many years while Gondor has no King, the White Tree of Gondor stands dead in the citadel of Minas Tirith. When Aragorn restores the line of Kings to Gondor, he finds a sapling descended from Telperion and plants it in his citadel.

Commentators have seen mythic and Christian symbolism in the Two Trees; they have been called the most important symbols in the entire legendarium. Their origins have been traced to the medieval Trees of the Sun and the Moon. Parallels have also been identified with Celtic mythology, where several pairs of trees appear. The White Tree of Gondor, too, has been traced to the medieval Dry Tree, a symbol of resurrection. Verlyn Flieger has described the progressive splintering of the light of the Two Trees through Middle-earth's troubled history, noting that light represents the Christian Logos. Tom Shippey links the sundering of the Elves into different groups to the Two Trees and to the Prose Edda which speaks of light and dark Elves; Tolkien treats the difference between these as whether they have made the journey to Valinor and seen the light of the Two Trees.

Narrative

[edit]

Prelude

[edit]

The first sources of light for all of Tolkien's imaginary world, Arda, are two enormous Lamps on the central continent, Middle-earth: Illuin, the silver one to the north, and Ormal, the golden one to the south. They are created by the Valar, powerful spirit beings, but are thrown down and destroyed by the Dark Lord Melkor.[T 1]

Creation

[edit]

The Valar retreat to Valinor to make their home on the western continent, and there one of them, Yavanna the Vala of living things, sings into existence the Two Trees to provide a new pair of light-sources. Of the two, Telperion is male and silver, while the other, Laurelin, is female and golden. The Trees stand on the hill Ezellohar, outside Valimar, the city of the Valar. They grow in the presence of all the Valar, watered by the tears of the Vala of pity and mourning, Nienna.[T 1] Telperion's leaves are dark green above and silver below.[T 1] His flowers are white like cherry blossom,[T 2] and his silvery dew is collected as a source of water and of light. Varda used the dew to form stars in the sky, in preparation for the arrival of the Elves. Laurelin has leaves of a young green, like newly opened beech leaves trimmed with gold, and her dew is collected by the Vala of light Varda.[T 1]

Each Tree, in turn, gives off light for seven hours (waxing to full brightness and then slowly waning again), with the ends of their cycles overlapping, so that at one hour each of "dawn" and "dusk" soft gold and silver light are given off together. Each "day" of first silver then gold light lasts twelve hours.[T 1]

  • Arda in the Years of the Trees
    Arda in the Years of the Trees
  • Tolkien stated that the light from the Two Trees of Valinor alternately waxed and waned, overlapping by an hour.[T 1]
    Tolkien stated that the light from the Two Trees of Valinor alternately waxed and waned, overlapping by an hour.[T 1]

Destruction

[edit]

Countless "days" pass, until Melkor reappears. He enlists the help of the giant spider Ungoliant to destroy the Two Trees. Concealed in a cloud of darkness, Melkor strikes each Tree and the insatiable Ungoliant devours whatever life and light remains in it.[T 3]

Aftermath

[edit]

Yavanna and Nienna attempt a healing, but they succeed only in reviving Telperion's last flower (to become the Moon) and Laurelin's last fruit (to become the Sun). These are turned into flying ships crossing the sky, and each is steered by spirits of the same 'genders' as the Trees themselves: male Tilion and female Arien. This is why, in The Lord of the Rings, the Sun is called "she" and the Moon "he".[T 4] The true light of the Trees now resides only in the three Silmarils, jewels crafted by the Elf Fëanor with the light of the Two Trees before their destruction.[T 5]

Coat of arms of Gondor bearing the white tree, Nimloth the fair

Because the Elves that first come to Valinor especially love Telperion, Yavanna takes a cutting from the tree and makes a second tree like it to stand in their city of Tirion. This tree, named Galathilion, is identical to Telperion except that it does not emit light. It has many seedlings, one of which is named Celeborn, and grows on the isle of Tol Eressëa.[T 6] In the Second Age, a seedling of Celeborn is brought as a gift to the Men who live on the island of Númenor. It is Nimloth, the White Tree of Númenor. When the dark lord Sauron takes control of the island, he makes king Ar-Pharazôn cut it down.[T 7] The hero Isildur saves a single fruit of Nimloth, and plants seedlings in Middle-earth. During the rule of the Stewards of Gondor, the White Tree of Gondor, a descendant of Nimloth, stands dead in the citadel of Minas Tirith. On Aragorn's return as King at the end of the Third Age, he finds a seedling in the snow on the mountain behind the city, and brings it back to the citadel, where it flourishes.[T 8]

Tolkien never mentioned any tree made in the likeness of Laurelin, writing that "of Laurelin the Golden no likeness is left in Middle-Earth".[T 9] In the First Age, however, the Elvish King Turgon of the city of Gondolin creates a non-living image of Laurelin, named Glingal, 'Hanging Flame', which stands in his court.[T 10]

Origins

[edit]

Medieval Trees of the Sun and the Moon

[edit]
Further information: Tolkien and the medieval and Tolkien and the Celtic

The Tolkien scholar John Garth traces the mythology and symbolism of the Two Trees to the medieval Trees of the Sun and the Moon. Tolkien stated in an interview[a] that the Two Trees derived from them, "in the great Alexander stories"[1] rather than from the World Tree Yggdrasil of Norse myth. Garth notes that the Wonders of the East, an Old English manuscript in the same Codex as Beowulf, tells that Alexander the Great travelled beyond India to Paradise, where he saw the two magical trees. They drip down a wonderful balsam, and have the power of speech. They tell Alexander that he will die in Babylon. Garth writes that Tolkien's trees emit light, not balsam; and instead of prophesying death, their own deaths bring Arda's era of immortality to an end.[1]

Trees in Celtic mythology

[edit]

Marie Barnfield, writing in Mallorn, states that the male/female pair of trees has numerous parallels in Celtic mythology, including the pine trees of Deirdre and Naoise, and the paired rose bush of Esyllt and vine of Trystan. Further, the hill of Ezellohar in front of Valimar's western gate matches the "sacred centre of Ireland", the Hill of Uisneach "to the west of Tara". The Two Trees of Valinor, in this context, align with the "feminine" Ash tree of Uisnech, and the "masculine" Lia Fáil, the standing stone on the hill of Tara. Lastly, the dews of Telperion and the rains from Laurelin that served "as wells of water and of light" match up, according to Barnfield, with Connla's Well and the Well of Segais.[2]

The Sampo in the Kalevala

[edit]

Tolkien read the Finnish Kalevala closely. Its central symbol is the magical Sampo, a device that brought wealth and good fortune to its owner, but whose mechanism is described only vaguely. Jonathan Himes, writing in Mythlore, has suggested that Tolkien found the Sampo complex, and chose to split the Sampo's parts into desirable objects. Its pillar became the Two Trees of Valinor with their Tree of life aspect, illuminating the world. Its decorated lid became the brilliant Silmarils, which embodied all that was left of the light of the Two Trees, thus tying the symbols together.[3][4]

The Dry Tree

[edit]
See also: Dry Tree

Cynthia Cohen writes in Tolkien Studies that the White Tree of Gondor in The Lord of the Rings stands for "the deeper history of Men in Tolkien's Secondary World, reaching back to [its ancestors,] the Two Trees of Valinor".[5] During most of the action of the novel, the tree is dead, and has been for over a century, but all the same it serves as a symbol of Gondor's strength and national identity, and of hope for the Kingdom's renewal. She suggests that the White Tree parallels the Dry Tree mentioned in the 14th century text Mandeville's Travels. The Dry Tree had been alive in the time of Christ, and was prophesied to come to life again when a "great lord from the western part of the world" returned to the Holy Land, just as Aragorn brings the line of Kings back to Gondor. Cohen comments that the dead White Tree's replacement by a living sapling "upholds the metaphor of resurrection and enables Tolkien to draw an implicit connection between Aragorn and Christ".[5] Finally, she remarks on the verse that Aragorn recites when he sees the White Mountains of Gondor: "West Wind blew there; the light upon the Silver Tree / Fell like bright rain in gardens in the Kings of old," which she states links Telperion, the Silver Tree of Valinor, to the White Tree. Since Tolkien has left it ambiguous whether the Silver Tree of the verse, the place where the West Wind blew, or where the "bright rain" fell, are in long-ago Valinor or present-time Gondor, the ancestry of the tree and the lineage of the Kings merge into a continuum.[5]

Patrick Curry, in the J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia, writes that the importance that Tolkien gives to the Two Trees shows "the iconic status of trees in both his work and his life."[6] Richard Goetsch adds that the Two Trees are "central to many of the crucial plot developments of the entire saga, from the beginning of the First Age to the end of the Third Age", and further that they "function as the ultimate expression of the natural world in Tolkien's mythos."[7]

Analysis

[edit]

The Elder Days

[edit]

Matthew Dickerson writes in the J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia that the Two Trees are "the most important mythic symbols in all of the legendarium".[8] He quotes Tolkien's words in The Silmarillion that "about their fate all the tales of the Elder days are woven".[8] The Two Trees have a central place because they are the source of the light for the world of Arda while they live, and they are the ancestors of the various trees that symbolise the Kingdoms of Númenor and later of Gondor. Further, they contain the "thought of things that grow in the earth", placed in them by the Vala Yavanna when she sang them into being.[8] Angelica Varandas likewise comments that the Two Trees are "the most significant symbols of peace, prosperity and order" in the legendarium, and calls them axis mundi trees, like those in the Garden of Eden or the Norse world-tree, Yggdrasil.[9]

Light

[edit]
Further information: Christianity in Middle-earth § Light

Tolkien, as a Roman Catholic, knew the significance of light in Christian symbolism; he equated it with the Christian Logos, the Divine Word.[10] The scholar Lisa Coutras states that transcendental light is an essential element of his subcreated world. In it, the Two Trees embody the light of creation, which in turn reflects God's light.[11]

Verlyn Flieger describes the progressive splintering of the first created light, down through successive catastrophes. After the destruction of the twin lamps of Arda, Yavanna recreates what she can of the light in the Two Trees; Varda catches some of the light, and Fëanor creates the Silmarils, filled with the light. They are the unrivalled jewels that give The Silmarillion its name, and serve as the centrepiece of its narrative.[12][6] The whole of the history of Tolkien's First Age is strongly affected by the desire of many characters, including the dark lord Morgoth (as Melkor is now known) to possess the Silmarils that contain the only remaining unsullied light of the Trees. Morgoth desires them for himself, and manages to steal them, provoking the world-changing War of the Jewels.[6][13] One of the Silmarils survives, and Varda puts it in the sky to symbolise hope: it is Venus, the Morning and Evening Star.[6]

Tom Shippey, like Tolkien a philologist, analyses Tolkien's treatment of the light and dark elves mentioned in the 13th century Prose Edda: in Old Norse, Ljósálfar and Dökkálfar. Tolkien makes the distinguishing feature between these two groups whether the Elves had seen the light of the Two Trees of Valinor, or not. To make this work, Tolkien creates a story in which the Elves awaken in Middle-earth, and are called to undertake the long journey to Valinor. The Elves of the Light, Tolkien's Calaquendi, are those who successfully complete the journey, while the Elves of the Darkness, the Moriquendi, are those Elves who, for whatever reason, do not arrive in Valinor.[14][T 11][15]

Diagram of the Sundering of the Elves, showing Tolkien's overlapping classifications. The main division is into Calaquendi and Moriquendi, Light-Elves and Dark-Elves, meaning those who had or had not seen the light of the Two Trees. These names correspond to those in Old Norse, Ljósálfar and Dökkálfar.[14]

Elves and Men

[edit]

Matthew Dickerson writes that in the Second and Third Ages, the White Trees of Númenor and of Gondor, whose likeness descends from that of Telperion, have a mostly symbolic significance, standing both for the kingdoms in question, and also as reminders of the ancestral alliance between the Men who had lived on Númenor and the Elves. The destruction of one of these trees precedes trouble for each kingdom in question.[8]

Martin Simonson describes the destruction of the Two Trees as setting a "mythical precedent" for the transfer of the stewardship of Arda (Earth) from the Valar to Elves and Men. In his view, this stewardship is central to the moral battle, as the Two Trees, like Men and Elves, are composed of both matter and spirit.[16] Dickerson and Jonathan Evans note that Tolkien calls the Elves "stewards and guardians of [Middle-earth's] beauty"; they are constantly preoccupied with maintaining the beauty of nature, something they inherited from Yavanna's making of the Two Trees.[17]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]

Sources

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Two Trees of Valinor

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
The Two Trees of Valinor, known as Telperion and Laurelin, were the primary sources of light in the Blessed Realm of within J.R.R. Tolkien's legendarium, created by the Vala Yavanna as luminous trees to illuminate Aman after the destruction of the earlier Two Lamps by the rebellious Vala Melkor. Telperion, the silver tree, and Laurelin, the golden tree, stood side by side on the green mound of Ezellohar outside the city of Valmar, their alternating radiance establishing a cycle of twelve hours of light and twelve hours of mingled twilight that defined the passage of days in Valinor prior to the creation of the Sun and Moon. Yavanna, the Vala associated with the growth of all things that have roots in the earth, brought the Trees into being through song, drawing from the imperishable essence of creation; from two slender shoots on Ezellohar, they grew to full stature in seven hours and blossomed after seven more, with Telperion's cool silver light resembling amid dark green leaves, and Laurelin's warm golden glow amid leaves streaked with gold. These Trees were not mere flora but living embodiments of divine subcreation, their inner light sustaining the beauty and sanctity of and serving as a profound symbol of harmony between the natural world and the divine will in Tolkien's mythology. The light emanating from Telperion and Laurelin held immense significance, captured eternally by the Elf Fëanor in the three Silmarils—jewels that sparked the central conflicts of the First Age—while also inspiring reverence among the Elves, who replicated lesser, non-luminous versions like Galathilion in their own realms. Ultimately, the Trees' fate was tragic: poisoned and devoured by the great spider Ungoliant at the instigation of Melkor (later named Morgoth), their last fruit and flower were used by the Valar to fashion the Sun and Moon, thus extending a diluted form of their light across Middle-earth, though Valinor was plunged into a period of darkness known as the Darkening before receiving the lesser light of the Sun and Moon. This event not only marked a pivotal turning point in the cosmology of Arda but also underscored themes of loss, corruption, and the impermanence of even the most sacred creations in Tolkien's narrative.

Narrative Account

Prelude to Creation

In the beginning, Eru Ilúvatar, the One, created the Ainur, angelic spirits who existed before the world, and revealed to them the foundations of the through thought and . These Ainur, in turn, wove the , or Music of the Ainur, a grand symphony that embodied Ilúvatar's themes of harmony, growth, and fate, with each Ainur contributing their own melody to the vision of creation. Though discord arose from Melkor, the mightiest among them, who sought to impose his will contrary to Ilúvatar's design, the Music ultimately prevailed, resolving into a profound chord that Ilúvatar affirmed as the blueprint for existence. Ilúvatar then granted being to this vision, proclaiming "Eä! Let these things Be!" and thereby birthing Eä, the World That Is, with Arda as its central realm—a destined for the habitation of Ilúvatar's Children, the Elves and Men. A select group of Ainur, known as the , entered into Eä to shape and govern Arda according to , descending into its formless voids to mold lands, seas, and skies through their powers. They established their first dwelling on the Isle of Almaren in the Great Lake at Arda's center, a paradise where they rested and celebrated, with Tulkas wedding Vána's sister amid feasts of joy. To illuminate their labors, Aulë and Varda crafted the Two Lamps, Illuin in the north and Ormal in the south, raised on mighty pillars to cast balanced light across the world, fostering the Spring of Arda in which Yavanna Kementári brought forth the first greens and creatures. Yet Melkor, envious and rebellious, assaulted the Lamps in V.Y. 3450, toppling their pillars and spilling their flames, which rent the lands, upheaved seas, and plunged Arda into darkness and chaos. The , weary from the strife, withdrew eastward across the Helcaraxë to the continent of Aman, forsaking to Melkor's dominion and raising the Pelóri mountains as a barrier. There, in the land of between the mountains and the Encircling Sea, they built the city of Valmar, a gleaming metropolis of marble halls, golden gates, and resounding bells, centered on the green mound of Ezellohar. South of Valmar's western gates, they fashioned the Máhanaxar, or Ring of Doom, a sacred circle of thrones where the Valar convened in council beneath the stars, attended by their herald Eönwë. Amid this shadowed exile, Yavanna mourned the slumber of her creations in , where the Sleep of Yavanna held and in stasis without , and she implored Manwë upon Taniquetil for renewal, declaring that darkness must not thwart the awakening of Ilúvatar's Children. Her plea, echoed by the Valar's desire to safeguard Aman from Melkor's further incursions, set the stage for new sources of to grace .

Formation and Blossoming

In the land of Aman, upon the green mound of Ezellohar before the western gates of Valmar, the Vala Yavanna created the Two Trees of Valinor through a song of power. Having hallowed the mound, she sat there and sang, causing two slender shoots to spring forth from the earth; these grew into mighty trees under her invocation, with Telperion the silver tree embodying masculine qualities and Laurelin the golden tree feminine ones. Nienna, the Vala of sorrow, aided the germination by watering the mould with her tears, fostering the saplings' growth until they flowered and awoke as the radiant Telperion and Laurelin. Ilúvatar, the One, blessed Yavanna's creation, endowing the Trees with the capacity to produce and sustain light as a symbol of his affection for the Children of his thought—the Elves and Men—ensuring their radiance would persist as long as Arda endured. Telperion bore leaves of dark green shining silver beneath, from which dew of silver light continually fell, while Laurelin's leaves were of young green like new-woven , its clusters of yellow flame-flowers spilling golden rain upon the ground. These essences of silver and defined the Trees' luminous nature from their inception. Varda, Queen of the Stars, gathered the silver dews of Telperion into great vats resembling shining lakes, while Aulë collected the golden dews of Laurelin for the enrichment of . The Trees' light operated in a harmonious cycle: each waxed to full glory over seven hours and waned over the next seven, yet each awoke to life one hour before the other fully ceased, producing twice-daily minglings of silver and gold light. Telperion, the elder, first reached full bloom in what the called the Opening Hour, marking the start of their litanies; thus, each day in Aman spanned twelve hours, concluding at the second mingling when Laurelin waned and Telperion rose. Before the Trees' blended radiance could extend to Middle-earth, the Elves awoke by the waters of Cuiviénen under starlight alone, their first sight of the world unmarred by the full light of Valinor.

Period of the Trees

The Period of the Trees represented a golden age for Valinor, where Telperion and Laurelin provided alternating illumination that structured the passage of time for the Valar. Telperion would first attain full bloom, emanating silver light for seven hours before beginning to wane, at which point Laurelin awakened with her golden radiance, overlapping in a brief hour of mingled silver and gold light. Laurelin then shone alone for seven hours until she too waned, yielding to another hour of blended light as Telperion waxed once more, completing a twelve-hour day in Aman. These mingling hours at dawn and dusk produced a harmonious fusion of hues, symbolizing the seamless interplay between the two Trees. Beneath this cyclical light, teemed with vibrant life, with the Two Trees serving as its vital core and source of unblemished radiance. Grasses flourished silver under Telperion's cool glow and turned golden in Laurelin's warm embrace, while fields of corn ripened to shimmering gold, and flowers bloomed in silver-white profusion. This environment, nurtured directly by the Trees' dew and dew-like fruits, fostered an ecosystem of unparalleled beauty and abundance, free from the shadows that plagued . In this serene epoch, the extended an invitation to the Elves, Ilúvatar's , to join them in after Oromë discovered them awakening by the waters of Cuiviénen. Led by Ingwë, Finwë, and Elwë, the Elves—divided into the Vanyar, , and Teleri—embarked on the arduous Great Journey across , enduring hardships and separations along the way. Upon arrival, they were granted passage through the Pelóri mountains into the Calacirya, settling in the fertile lands of Eldamar adjacent to the Trees, where they built their cities and thrived in the light. Time during this era was reckoned in Valian Years, each encompassing a full sequence of the Trees' waxing and waning, marking approximately 1,000 solar years in the reckoning of later ages. Under the Trees' light, the Valar and Eldar experienced no aging, sickness, or decay, embodying an timeless peace that enveloped all within Valinor's borders. Yet, even as this bliss endured, Melkor's resentment toward the harmony of Valinor intensified following his release from captivity, prompting him to engage in subtle corruptions beyond its confines, such as twisting creatures and instilling malice in the natural world of .

Destruction and Revival

In the chapter "Of the Darkening of Valinor" in The Silmarillion, Melkor, having evaded the vigilance of the , formed an alliance with , a fearsome spirit in the form of a gigantic who hungered for and possessed the power to weave veils of unlight. Together, they approached the mound of Ezellohar under cover of darkness during the festival of the , where drained the life and from Telperion and Laurelin by sucking up their sap, which flowed like blood, thereby poisoning their roots and causing the Trees to wither and die. The three Silmarils, jewels crafted earlier by the Noldorin craftsman Fëanor to hold the blended radiance of the Trees at their peak, already preserved that light. As the Trees faded, Telperion shed its final silver dew and Laurelin its last golden gleam. Melkor then slew Finwë, High King of the Noldor, and seized the Silmarils from Fëanor's treasury in Formenos. The Valar then entreated Fëanor to yield the Silmarils, proposing that their light could revive the Trees, but he refused, declaring that he would not surrender them even for that purpose. This refusal dashed hopes of restoration, as the jewels' radiance could not be used. The theft ignited Fëanor's oath of vengeance against Melkor, sparking the rebellion of the Noldor, the Kinslaying at Alqualondë, and their exile to Middle-earth. With the Trees irreparably destroyed, the Valar mourned the loss of Valinor's eternal light, but in their final throes, Laurelin produced one last golden fruit and Telperion a single silver flower, nurtured by the devoted care of Yavanna. These were fashioned into vessels for the new lights of the world: the fruit became the Sun, a great vessel of fire steered across the skies by Arien, a who had tended Laurelin, while the flower formed the , borne in a ship guided by Tilion, another who had drawn silver dew from Telperion. Though the Sun and restored light to Arda, their illumination was dimmer and more erratic than that of the Trees, marking the transition to the First Age and the awakening of Men. Tilion's unrequited pursuit of Arien across the heavens caused the 's path to veer crookedly, sometimes overlapping the Sun's course and resulting in eclipses, a flaw born of the imperfect revival amid the world's encroaching darkness.

Description and Characteristics

Telperion

Telperion, the elder of the Two Trees of Valinor, was a majestic silver tree that embodied radiant luminosity in the realm of the . Its stem rose like a towering silver pillar, supporting a canopy of leaves that were dark green on the upper side and shimmering silver-white beneath, while its innumerable blossoms released a perpetual of silver that bathed the surrounding lands in a gentle, ethereal glow. The tree's light followed a distinct cycle, waxing gradually over seven hours to reach full silver radiance before waning over another seven hours, providing a period of serene illumination distinct from the golden cycle of its counterpart. In , the language of the Vanyar and , Telperion derives from telpë meaning "silver" (adopted from Telerin) and -rion, a denoting or , thus signifying "the great silver one" or "silver crowned." Its equivalent, Celeborn, translates directly as "," reflecting the linguistic adaptations among the Grey Elves. Telperion was associated with masculine qualities among the and Eldar, standing in contrast to the feminine Laurelin and symbolizing steadfast in the cosmology of Arda. It grew on the mound Ezellohar. Varda, Queen of the Stars, collected the silver dews shed from Telperion's blossoms into vast vats known as the Wells of Varda, using them to forge brilliant constellations, including Telumehtar (also Telimectar), the "Swordsman of Heaven," a stellar formation representing a heavenly warrior.

Laurelin

Laurelin, the golden tree of , was envisioned by Yavanna and brought to life through the combined efforts of the , serving as the feminine counterpart to the silver Telperion. Its form featured a slender trunk supporting branches laden with leaves of young green resembling those of a newly unfurled , edged in glittering gold. Clusters of flowers resembling yellow flames adorned the boughs, each shaped like a glowing horn that released a golden dew upon the earth, while a warm golden vapor emanated from the branch tips, filling the air with radiant light and fragrance. The light of Laurelin followed a cyclical , rising gradually over seven hours to reach its full golden splendor before fading over another seven hours. This cycle overlapped with Telperion's for one hour at the beginning and end, creating periods of mingled silver and gold illumination that defined the twelve-hour days of during the Years of the Trees. The tree's warm, golden radiance contrasted with Telperion's cool silver glow, providing a balanced source of light to the realm. In the Elvish tongue of , Laurelin derives from laurë meaning "gold" and lindë meaning "song" or "singing," translating to "song of gold" or "singing gold," evoking its luminous and melodic essence. Among the Sindar, it bore names such as Galadlóriel, Glingal, Lasgalen, and Melthinorn, reflecting variations in Grey-elven nomenclature for the golden tree. Positioned on the mound Ezellohar adjacent to Valimar, Laurelin embodied feminine attributes in the Valaquenta, its dews collected by Varda and stored in sacred wells, though Aulë later crafted golden vessels to house its final fruit, which became the vessel of the Sun after the tree's destruction.

Shared Attributes

The Two Trees of Valinor, Telperion and Laurelin, both sprang from the verdant mound of Ezellohar, known in Elvish as Corollárë, situated in the heart of central near the western gates of Valmar. This sacred site, shaped by the Vala Yavanna, served as the cradle for the trees, which she brought forth through song and the remnants of the light from the earlier Two Lamps of the . The roots of the Trees delved deep into the earth, drawing nourishment from the inherent power of the that infused their being, sustaining their immense stature without the need for ordinary soil or water. Though exact measurements are not specified in the annals, their towering forms dominated the landscape of Aman, symbolizing the divine vitality bestowed upon them. For thousands of Valian Years—each equivalent to approximately 9.582 solar years in the reckoning of —the Trees flourished without blemish or decay, their eternal bloom marking the Ages of Bliss in until the cataclysmic poisoning by the spider-like entity , aided by the fallen Melkor. In the conceptual framework of the , Telperion and Laurelin embodied a dual nature akin to spouses, with Telperion as the masculine elder and Laurelin as the feminine counterpart; their synchronized cycles ensured a continuous twelve-hour period of illumination each Valian Day, culminating in a brief hour of blended silver and golden light that evoked the primordial radiance of creation. The quintessential light emanating from the Trees' blossoms and leaves was eternally preserved within the three Silmarils, peerless gems fashioned by the Noldo , who ingeniously captured radiant dews collected from Telperion's silver flowers and Laurelin's golden fruit in vessels of unbreakable crystal.

Cosmological Role

Source of Light in Valinor

The Two Trees of Valinor, Telperion and Laurelin, served as the primary sources of illumination for the realm, casting a blended silver and golden light that banished darkness and sustained an eternal springtime. Their radiant glow prevented the intrusion of seasons, ensuring that no leaf withered and no chill of night fell upon the land during the long Years of the Trees. The light cycle consisted of 12 hours, with each tree shining for 7 hours in turn, including periods of waxing, full light, and waning, interspersed with mingling of lights, providing a gentle rhythm to 's days. The Trees' light extended beyond the heart of , reaching the distant shores of Eldamar through the pass of Calacirya, where it illuminated the havens of the Teleri and the green hills of Túna. However, this radiance did not penetrate deeply into , leaving much of the world in twilight and shadow, illuminated only faintly by the distant stars. In itself, the light enhanced the realm's inherent beauty, causing flowers to unfold their petals exclusively under its influence and filling the air with motes of shimmering dew that danced like living sparks. These dews, collected from Telperion's silver flowers and Laurelin's golden horns, were both liquid sustenance and radiant particles, infusing the atmosphere with an ethereal glow that nurtured all life. For the Eldar who dwelt in , the blended light of the Trees proved far more nurturing and transformative than the starlight under which their kind had first awakened in . While Varda's stars offered guidance and faint comfort to the wandering Elves, the Trees' illumination imparted a profound vitality, embedding its essence in the eyes and faces of those who beheld it directly, marking the Calaquendi as bearers of an inner light. This superior radiance not only sustained physical growth but also elevated the spiritual and creative capacities of the Elves, distinguishing them from their kin who knew only starlit shadows. Following the Trees' destruction by Melkor and , Yavanna lamented that with a Silmaril's light she could have healed the Trees, but since refused, she and Nienna sang and wept, producing only the last silver flower from Telperion and golden fruit from Laurelin, from which the and Sun were later fashioned. The Trees' original, unmarred radiance was thus irrecoverably lost, confined eternally within the jewels.

Relation to Celestial Bodies

In the cosmology of J.R.R. Tolkien's legendarium, the Two Trees of Valinor, Telperion and Laurelin, occupy a pivotal position following the destruction of the great Lamps of Illuin and Ormal by Melkor, serving as the next major sources of light in Arda before the creation of the Sun and . After the retreated to the continent of Aman and established , Yavanna brought forth the Trees upon the mound of Ezellohar, their alternating cycles of silver and golden radiance illuminating the Blessed Realm and marking a transition from the broad but unstable lamp-light to a more refined, organic illumination that influenced the wider world. This era bridged the primordial symmetry of the Lamps to the stellar guidance that prepared Arda for the awakening of the Elves, with the Trees' light extending beyond Valinor through subsequent celestial developments. Varda, Queen of the Stars and spouse of Manwë, utilized the dews gathered from Telperion's silver flowers to kindle and enhance the stars, rendering them brighter and more enduring as beacons to guide the Eldar in the darkness of . These "new stars and brighter" were fashioned specifically in anticipation of the Elves' awakening at Cuiviénen, ensuring that the gentle, hallowing light of the Trees infused the heavens and provided a path for the to . Thus, the Trees not only sustained but also elevated the pre-existing firmament, establishing a cosmic interplay where their essence permeated the night sky. The Sun and , formed from the final fruit of Laurelin and flower of Telperion after the Trees' destruction by and Melkor, represent a diminished successor to the Trees' perfection, their fiercer heat accelerating growth in while introducing decay and mortality absent under the milder Tree-light. This imperfection stems from the Trees' , tainting the vessels of Anar and Ithil with a harsher quality that hastened the waning of ancient vitality in the outer lands, unlike the sustaining, unblemished radiance of Telperion and Laurelin. The Maiar Tilion, who loved Telperion's silver glow, and Arien, a spirit who tended Vána's golden flowers and withstood Laurelin's heat unscathed, were selected to helm these celestial bodies due to their affinity for the silver and golden lights, respectively. Tilion, a huntsman of Oromë, was tasked with steering the in its island-vessel, while Arien guided the Sun. Their origins under the Trees underscore the continuity of service in the cosmic order, with the vessels' paths evoking the alternating cycles of the elder lights. Within this hierarchy, the Two Trees stand as central creations of the , their pure light preserved solely in Fëanor's , which capture the mingled radiance at the Trees' height and function as hallowed cosmic jewels linking the primordial era to enduring stellar phenomena, such as Eärendil's voyage bearing one aloft as a wandering . These gems embody the Trees' legacy, radiating an uncorrupted essence that outshines even the enhanced Sun and influences the fate of Elves and Men across the ages.

Literary Origins

Medieval and Biblical Parallels

The Biblical Tree of Life, described in Genesis 2:9 as growing in the alongside the Tree of Knowledge and reappearing in Revelation 22:2 as a source of healing and eternal fruit in the , symbolizes and divine sustenance in a paradisiacal state. Scholars observe that Tolkien's Two Trees of Valinor, Telperion and Laurelin, parallel this motif through their undying nature and role in sustaining the Elves with light and dew, evoking an immortal paradise before the world's decline. The Trees' perpetual cycles of blooming and rest, providing unblemished silver and golden light, underscore themes of regeneration and abundance akin to the Tree of Life's promise of everlasting vitality. Tolkien drew direct inspiration for the Two Trees from medieval legends in the Alexander romances, such as the 12th-century Roman d'Alexandre and related texts, where encounters the Trees of the Sun and Moon in the , guarding a hidden . These trees, one speaking truth and the other lies, drip healing balsam and mark the boundary between the mortal world and divine realms, mirroring how Telperion and Laurelin illuminate as a sacred, enclosed land of the . In a 1964 BBC interview, Tolkien explicitly stated that his conception derived from these "great stories," emphasizing their role in medieval cosmology over Norse influences like . In contrast to the lush, light-bearing Two Trees, the medieval Dry Tree legend from European folklore, documented in works like John Mandeville's 14th-century Travels, depicts a barren, leafless sentinel in the Holy Land or distant wastelands, symbolizing desolation yet potential resurrection through its rumored revival. This stark imagery highlights the vitality of Valinor's Trees, which embody fruitfulness and divine order, while the Dry Tree evokes the post-destruction world's decay. The creation of the Two Trees by the Vala Yavanna through song parallels Christian motifs of divine light in Genesis 1:3, where God commands "Let there be light" to initiate cosmic order from void. This act infuses Valinor with holy illumination, reflecting biblical tropes of light as a primary emanation of the Creator's will. Tolkien's devout Catholic background further shaped the narrative of the Trees' destruction by Morgoth and Ungoliant, evoking a fall from grace reminiscent of humanity's expulsion from Eden after original sin, with the ensuing dimming of light signifying lost innocence and the onset of mortality for Elves and Men.

Celtic and Norse Influences

In , the trees served as sacred world trees or axes mundi, connecting the earthly realm to divine or otherworldly domains and symbolizing life, wisdom, and illumination. These ancient trees, such as the Eo Mugna or the Bile Tortan , were central to territories and rituals, often depicted as towering pillars that sheltered communities and provided spiritual nourishment, much like the cosmic role of in broader Indo-European traditions. Scholars note that these trees embodied an axis of light and vitality, with their nuts or branches yielding inspiration and , paralleling the life-giving radiance of Valinor's . Celtic motifs further echo the dual nature of Telperion and Laurelin through depictions of golden and silver trees in otherworldly realms. In Irish tales like , a "silver white-blossomed branch from the apple tree" of Emain Ablach appears alongside golden apples, evoking the silver dew of Telperion and the golden fruit of Laurelin as sources of otherworldly beauty and sustenance. These elements, drawn from Celtic heritage, represent thresholds to immortal lands, where trees bear luminous treasures that sustain heroes in their quests, mirroring the Trees' role in illuminating and blessing . Norse mythology contributed through its sacred groves and trees, such as the revered evergreen at , which formed part of a complex tied to and sacrificial ceremonies. This tree, described in historical accounts as a cosmic pillar within a grove near a sacred well, symbolized the world's interconnected realms and hosted rites invoking godly presence, akin to Yggdrasil's overarching light and life-sustaining branches. Archaeological evidence from sites like Bjärsgård reinforces these trees' role in communal enlightenment and fate-weaving s, providing a pagan for sacred arboreal centers. Tolkien's scholarly engagement with medieval Welsh poetry exposed him to silver-branch imagery, such as the "silver white-blossomed branch" motifs, which likely shaped Telperion's silvery foliage and dew. Unlike the fate-bound pagan trees of Celtic and Norse lore—often subject to cosmic cycles and human rituals—the Two Trees reflect the Valar's ordered creation, emphasizing divine harmony over inexorable destiny. This contrast underscores Tolkien's adaptation of pre-Christian into a structured mythology of light and providence.

Finnish Kalevala Connections

J.R.R. Tolkien expressed profound admiration for the , the 19th-century Finnish epic compiled by from oral folklore, describing it as a source of "new excitement" that sparked his mythic imagination during his youth. This influence permeates elements of his legendarium, particularly in the creation and role of the Two Trees of Valinor, Telperion and Laurelin, which echo the epic's motifs of magical artifacts and cosmic light. The Kalevala's central artifact, the —a wondrous mill forged by the smith that produces boundless abundance, including grain, salt, and money—bears resemblance to the Two Trees as sources of life-giving light that sustain Valinor's prosperity and beauty. Like the Sampo, the Trees represent a paradisiacal boon, their silver and golden radiance illuminating the realm of the and fostering growth, though both become catalysts for conflict and theft due to their immense value. Parallels extend to the forging processes: in the Kalevala, Ilmarinen, aided by the sage , crafts the through enchanted smithing, much as , the master artisan of the , captures the mingled light of the Two Trees in the , three radiant jewels that preserve their essence after the Trees' demise. This act of creation underscores themes of ingenuity and , with both artifacts embodying irreplaceable power that drives epic quests and moral dilemmas. The destruction motifs further align the narratives: the Sampo shatters during a tumultuous sea battle, its fragments sinking into the ocean and triggering cosmic repercussions, akin to the poisoning of the Two Trees by Melkor and , which ushers in a darkened age and scatters their light via the . This event parallels the Kalevala's broader cycle of loss and renewal, where the broken Sampo's legacy endures in prosperity for some, mirroring how the Trees' light seeds the , sun, and in Tolkien's cosmology. Tolkien drew on Finnish folklore's silver-and-gold duality, evident in the Kalevala where Ilmarinen forges a cold bride from these metals, symbolizing unattainable perfection; this motif informs the Trees' complementary silver (Telperion) and golden (Laurelin) glow, representing harmony in creation that is ultimately disrupted. Ungoliant's role as a ravenous spider-devourer of light echoes the Kalevala's forces of chaos, particularly the witch Louhi's theft of the sun and moon, which plunges the world into darkness and invites destructive intervention, much as Ungoliant aids Melkor in consuming the Trees' vitality.

Symbolic Themes

Light and Creation

The Two Trees of Valinor, Telperion and Laurelin, embody Yavanna's dominion over growth and the natural world, serving as an act of sub-creation that mirrors Ilúvatar's primary creation of . As the Vala known as Kementári, the Queen of the , Yavanna invoked her authority in the gardens of , where she sang saplings into towering forms that flowered and radiated light, thus awakening the Trees as the pinnacle of vegetative life in Arda. This creative process reflects the hierarchical structure of Tolkien's cosmology, wherein the participate in Ilúvatar's design by shaping elements of the world, with Yavanna's echoing the harmonious themes of the while fostering growth untainted by exploitation. The light emanating from the Trees represents the essence of goodness within , where Telperion's silver radiance symbolizes purity and cool clarity, and Laurelin's golden glow evokes warmth and vitality, together embodying the harmonious order of the . This dual luminescence not only illuminated the realm but also infused it with a and , distinguishing the Trees as vessels of divine beauty that transcend mere functionality. In , such light signifies the uncorrupted potential of creation, where silver and gold hues align with the Valarin pursuit of balance between intellect and passion. In contrast to Melkor's discord during the Music of the Ainur, the Trees' flawless existence underscores the intended harmony of Ilúvatar's vision, standing as a realized ideal free from the destructive impulses that marred other aspects of Arda. Melkor's rebellious themes introduced strife and imbalance into the cosmic song, yet the Trees flourished in as a testament to the enduring power of the original, unblemished motifs, highlighting how Yavanna's nurturing countered the Vala's and isolation. This perfection serves as a foil, emphasizing the resilience of creative order against chaos. Thematically, the Trees play a central role in The Silmarillion by providing their light within , where the silver and golden dew collected from their boughs was hoarded by Varda as a source of water and light for the Blessed Realm, symbolizing the nurturing extension of divine creativity. This preservation, later captured in the and reflected in the stars, represents Ilúvatar's grace reaching the Children of Ilúvatar, fostering beauty and hope amid encroaching darkness. In Tolkien's correspondence, the Trees are portrayed as an idealized vision of nature, untouched by the industrial marring that he decried in the modern world, evoking a prelapsarian harmony where growth thrives in purity.

Decay and Conflict

The destruction of the Two Trees of Valinor by Melkor and symbolizes the incursion of and rebellion into the ordered creation of Arda. Melkor, driven by envy of the Trees' that diminished his own , allied with the primordial , whose insatiable hunger embodied chaotic destruction. Together, they poisoned the Trees by having drain their sap, representing a direct on Yavanna's generative work and introducing inevitable decay into Valinor's timeless bliss. This act marked the end of the Elder Days, as the loss of the Trees' undying light ended the Years of the Trees, leading to the creation of the Sun and Moon, the awakening of Men in their mortal state, and the establishment of seasons in Arda. Without their alternating radiance, Valinor plunged into darkness, and the world beyond experienced the first true night, underscoring the finitude of even divine sub-creation in Tolkien's mythology. The poisoning not only withered Telperion and Laurelin but also foreshadowed broader cosmic decline, echoing themes of a fallen world where perfection yields to time-bound entropy. The event catalyzed the central narrative of The Silmarillion, as Melkor's subsequent theft of the —jewels crafted by to preserve the Trees' light—ignited profound conflict among the . Enraged by the loss, swore a fateful to reclaim the gems, leading to the Kinslaying at Alqualondë and the exile of the to under a doom of strife and sorrow. This chain of events transformed the Trees' legacy from one of harmony to perpetual war, highlighting the irony of their preserved light fueling division rather than unity. In Tolkien's , the Trees' decay reflects the inherent limitations of sub-creation, mirroring real-world experiences of loss and the Christian notion of a marred paradise. The destruction underscores that even in a mythos of , rebellion and are integral to the narrative arc, setting the stage for redemption through lesser lights like the Sun and .

Impact on Elves and Men

The light of the Two Trees profoundly shaped the Eldar who journeyed to , particularly the Vanyar and , who dwelt beneath their radiance and were thereby distinguished as the Calaquendi, or Elves of Light. This exposure enhanced their wisdom, beauty, and artistic prowess, fostering a deep affinity for creation and preservation that permeated their culture. The , in particular, drew inspiration from the Trees' mingled silver and gold hues to craft exquisite works, most notably Fëanor's , which captured and immortalized that primal , symbolizing the Elves' yearning to safeguard beauty amid inevitable change. In contrast, Men awoke in the eastern region of Hildórien shortly after the Trees' destruction, under the faint light of Varda's rather than the direct brilliance of Telperion and Laurelin, marking the onset of their mortal existence and westward migrations in pursuit of greater illumination with the rising of the Sun and . This lesser endowment of light underscored the fundamental divide between the races: Elves as the "people of the stars," bound to the world's enduring cycles through their near-immortality and ancestral ties to stellar and arboreal radiance, and Men as the "children of the Sun," gifted with mortality and a transient vitality that propelled them toward innovation and dominion, yet also toward fleeting alliances and conflicts in . Such distinctions influenced pivotal historical interactions, as the star-kindled Elves often allied with select houses of Men, like the Edain, sharing fragments of their ancient light through friendship and counsel during of . Among the Elves who remained in , the Sindar of preserved a poignant of the Trees' light through oral traditions, songs, and lore that evoked the lost splendor of , even though most had never beheld it directly. Leaders like , who had glimpsed the radiance during a brief sojourn to the West, infused their realms—such as the enchanted woods of Doriath—with echoes of that holiness, fostering a collective longing that intertwined with their woodland existence and heightened the tragedy of their isolation from the Undying Lands. The Trees' diminishment cast a long shadow over the fates of both races, culminating in Valinor's increasing seclusion as the world shifted toward the dominion of Men. Post-destruction, the Undying Lands became a preserve for the immortal Elves, explicitly barring mortals to honor Ilúvatar's design separating the enduring from the departing Secondborn, thereby ensuring that Men could not partake in an eternal paradise ill-suited to their gifted transience and preventing the erosion of their unique purpose in Arda's unfolding history.

Depictions in Adaptations

Visual Arts and Illustrations

J.R.R. Tolkien produced early sketches and illustrations of the Two Trees as part of his developing legendarium. His 1915 watercolor titled "The Shores of Faery," created while he was a student at , depicts the city of the Elves in framed by Telperion and Laurelin, with the trees bearing the light that foreshadows the sun and . The Two Trees also appear in Tolkien's early maps of , integrated to emphasize their geographical and symbolic centrality. In (volume IV of ), the Ambarkanta sketches mark the Trees in the heart of Aman, near Valmar and Taniquetil, illustrating their position on the mound of Ezellohar amid the Pelóri Mountains. Artist has depicted the Two Trees in several evocative paintings, capturing their luminous forms and tragic end. His work "Ungoliant and the Two Trees" portrays the moment of destruction, with the spider draining the life from Telperion and Laurelin, their silver and golden branches wilting against a darkening sky to convey the loss of Valinor's primal light. Fan art trends frequently feature digital renders that accentuate the silver-gold duality of the Trees, blending ethereal glows and intricate branching structures in 3D visualizations shared across online creative communities.

Film and Media Portrayals

The Two Trees of Valinor have not been directly depicted in Peter Jackson's live-action film adaptations of The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001–2003) or The Hobbit trilogy (2012–2014), as these narratives focus on events in Middle-earth during the Third Age, long after the Trees' destruction in the First Age. However, their influence is implied through symbolic lighting effects, such as the golden-silver glow in Galadriel's eyes during her confrontation with Frodo, evoking the Trees' light captured in the Silmarils. In contrast, Amazon's series marks the first major screen portrayal of the Trees, appearing in historical flashbacks to during the Years of the Trees. Season 1 (2022) briefly shows the luminous Trees illuminating the Undying Lands, emphasizing their role as sources of divine light before their canonical destruction. Season 2 (2024) expands on this with more detailed visuals of Telperion and Laurelin, including a striking overhead shot of their alternating light cycles, which has been praised for capturing their ethereal beauty while setting up lore connections to the Sun and . As of 2025, these depictions remain the most prominent in live-action media, though they deviate slightly from Tolkien's text by integrating the Trees into broader historical flashbacks rather than a dedicated storyline of the Years of the Trees. In video games, the Trees feature symbolically in : Shadow of Mordor (2014) and its sequel : Shadow of War (2017), where collectible artifacts like the "Medallion Half 1, The Two Trees of Valinor" represent resistance against Morgoth's forces, commemorating the Trees as emblems of the ancient bond between Elves and Men. The light of the Trees is invoked in gameplay lore as a purifying force, with elements like elven artifacts granting temporary power-ups that enhance Talion's abilities against Sauron's armies, echoing the Trees' canonical role in opposing darkness. Animated adaptations of the Trees remain unrealized in official productions due to rights restrictions on The Silmarillion. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, producer , who held live-action rights to Tolkien's works through his company, explored adapting The Silmarillion into an animated film that would have included the Trees' creation and destruction as central events, but the project collapsed amid legal disputes with the . No subsequent animated feature has materialized, leaving the Trees absent from official animation beyond conceptual artwork tied to unproduced scripts. Audio dramas have dramatized the Trees primarily through fan productions, as official adaptations of The Silmarillion are limited by estate permissions. Fan podcasts like The Prancing Pony Podcast and The Rings of Power Revealed have featured episodes recreating the Trees' destruction with immersive , simulating the day-night cycles through layered audio effects of blooming light and fading glow to evoke their rhythmic illumination of . While the produced radio adaptations of in 1981, these omitted the Trees; however, unofficial fan audio series, such as those on platforms like 's Lord of the Rings Lorecast, incorporate scripted narrations of the Trees' saga, using ambient soundscapes to highlight their symbolic light.

References

  1. https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1614&context=honors201019
  2. https://scholar.valpo.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1359&context=journaloftolkienresearch
  3. http://ae-lib.org.ua/texts-c/tolkien__the_silmarillion__en.htm
  4. https://ia802804.us.archive.org/5/items/TheSilmarillionIllustratedJ.R.R.TolkienTedNasmith/The%20Silmarillion%20%28Illustrated%29%20-%20J.%20R.%20R.%20Tolkien%3B%20Ted%20Nasmith%3B.pdf
  5. https://books.google.com/books?id=k-Vh_Lnyb-IC
  6. https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-silmarillion-j-r-r-tolkien
  7. https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Telperion
  8. https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Two_Trees_of_Valinor
  9. https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Wells_of_Varda
  10. https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Laurelin
  11. https://eldamo.org/content/words/word-4248841545.html
  12. https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Ezellohar
  13. https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Years_of_the_Trees
  14. https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Darkening_of_Valinor
  15. https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Varda
  16. https://dc.swosu.edu/mythlore/vol42/iss1/11/
  17. https://www.glyphweb.com/arda/s/silmarils.php
  18. https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Silmarils
  19. https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x96icao
  20. https://irishmyths.com/2024/06/21/celtic-sacred-trees/
  21. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309478590_Trees_as_a_Central_Theme_in_Norse_Mythology_and_Culture_An_Archaeological_Perspective
  22. https://oulurepo.oulu.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/11661/nbnfioulu-201804201498.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
  23. https://dc.swosu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1342&context=mythlore
  24. https://www.academia.edu/39234784/The_Silmarillion
  25. https://www.academia.edu/1825597/Environmental_Stewardship_in_the_Works_of_J_R_R_Tolkien
  26. https://www.academia.edu/123153751/The_imagery_in_J_R_R_Tolkiens_fantasy_of_Middle_earth
  27. https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Letter_131
  28. https://dc.swosu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1934&context=mythlore
  29. https://scholar.valpo.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1354&context=journaloftolkienresearch
  30. https://jewlscholar.mtsu.edu/bitstreams/9dcd2ddb-e0b2-4532-91d9-0a375dfaf09f/download
  31. https://www.academia.edu/108731871/Paradox_in_the_Woods_The_Twin_Destiny_of_Elves_and_Men_in_the_Forests_of_Beleriand
  32. https://www.tolkienestate.com/painting/the-silmarillion/
  33. https://www.tednasmith.com/tolkien/ungoliant-and-the-two-trees/
  34. https://www.artstation.com/artwork/Nq8oKD
  35. https://movieweb.com/lord-of-the-rings-silmarillion-references-peter-jackson/
  36. https://www.slashfilm.com/997891/the-lord-of-the-rings-valinor-explained-how-the-blessed-realm-differs-in-the-books-peter-jacksons-films-and-the-rings-of-power/
  37. https://collider.com/rings-of-power-trees-of-valinor-tolkien-sun-moon-lord-of-the-rings/
  38. https://www.vulture.com/article/lord-of-the-rings-rings-of-power-season-2-review.html
  39. https://shadowofwar.fandom.com/wiki/Medallion_Half_1%2C_The_Two_Trees_of_Valinor
  40. https://nerdalicious.com.au/books/why-peter-jackson-will-never-film-the-silmarillion/
  41. https://www.theonering.net/torwp/2022/02/18/112369-warner-bros-and-saul-zaentz-co-spar-over-tolkien-film-rights/
  42. https://open.spotify.com/episode/1WUoUXg0FTw3bId1xkQ3e6
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.