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Minto
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Post Meaning of jewellery
on: August 04, 2006 09:22
I hope this topic is in the right place!

I was wondering, all the designed jewellry in the movies, they must be inspired on something. Are they inspired on Tolkiens descriptions, what do they mean? Like the Evenstar, I thought it stands for immortality. Are there specific jewellry parts, used in the movies which also are in the books and have a special meaning?
Old_Tom_Bombadil
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Post RE: Meaning of jewellery
on: August 11, 2006 04:40
My wife and I had the opportunity to meet Jasmine Watson, the jeweller for the movies, a few years ago at Tolcon 2004 in Seattle, Washington. Of course she discussed her experiences working on the film and collaborating with other artists including Ngila Dickson (costumes) and Alan Lee (conceptual artist).

I recall her saying that the design Elvish costumes, jewelry, etc., which would include the Evenstar, were largely inspired by the Art Nouveau style.

The Evenstar, of course, was a creation for the movies not featured in the books. It sort of took the place of the Elessar, or Elfstone, that Galadriel gave Aragorn in Tolkien's book. The Elessar featured a green stone set in a silver brooch in the shape of an eagle.

Of course the Three Elven Rings--Nenya, Vilya, and Narya--are shown in the film. These were described by Tolkien in general terms (metal and type of stone). The artists working on the film had to use their own imagination to create the desired style of the rings. Tolkien wrote that these rings were created by Celebrimbor, the grandson of the infamous Fëanor, and were hidden from Sauron so he could not capture and corrupt them. They had originally been possessed by Gil-galad, Galadriel, and Círdan (this is shown in the prologue to Jackson's The Fellowship of the Ring), but Gil-galad gave his ring to Elrond (Gil-galad was subsequently slain by Sauron) and Círdan gave his ring to Gandalf.

As far as the headdresses that Arwen, Galadriel, and Elrond wore and the brooches that Gandalf and Théoden wore in Jackson's films, I don't recall whether they were inspired by anything that Tolkien wrote but I'm inclined to say that they were not, although I do recall Tolkien describing a headdress that Arwen wore:
Above her brow her head was covered with a cap of silver lace netted with small gems, glittering white...

Tolkien may have also described a headdress worn by Galadriel, but if so I don't recall any specifics nor where to find it precisely. Obviously it would be found in one of the three chapters dealing with Lothlórien in The Fellowship of the Ring.
Old_Tom_Bombadil
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Post RE: Meaning of jewellery
on: August 11, 2006 04:47
I should add that Tolkien did write of an Evenstar, it just wasn't a piece of jewelry.

"Evenstar" was the title that Arwen took when she became queen. The Evenstar, which in Tolkien's lore is created by the light of a Simaril bound to the brow of Eärendil who sails the heavens in his ship Vingilot, is the star most beloved by the Elves.

Bilbo sings a song about Eärendil the Mariner in the chapter, "Many Meetings", which may also be found in The Fellowship of the Rings.
RiverWoman
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Post RE: Meaning of jewellery
on: October 03, 2006 05:36
The ring Aragorn wears is based on the description of the Ring of Barahir which he inherited from ancestors going back to the First Age. I feel fairly sure, though (don't have the book here to check) that by the time the movies take place Aragorn had given the ring to Arwen.

I think another element frm the books that contributed to the design/concept of the Evenstar necklace was mention in the books of a long white gem on a chain that Arwen gave to Frodo at the end of the quest, which was supposed to be able to give him some degree of comfort when all he had gone through was tormenting him.

The leaf shaped pins that the Fellowship wear on the cloaks from Lorien are based on a description in the book.

The jewelry in the movie does look art noveau to me, also with a "celtic" influence. I think if Tolkien had been involved he would have preferred a look more like Anglo Saxon jewelry.
Melianmaia
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Post RE: Meaning of jewellery
on: February 10, 2007 04:16
The ring of Barahir was originally Finrod's ring (Galadriel's eldest brother) He gave it to Barahir for saving him from the orcs.
Tyrhael
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Post RE: Meaning of jewellery
on: February 25, 2007 02:16
About Arwen's "cap", I remember reading in Vinyar Tengwar that the women of the Eldar commonly wore such caps, called a 'tressure' (or carrëa in Quenya).
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