Re: Palantiri Vs The sack of Formenos | White Council Forum Archive - msg 6531

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Re: Palantiri Vs The sack of Formenos | White Council Forum Archive - msg 6531

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Topic: Re: Palantiri Vs The sack of Formenos
Reply to: Message 6497
Posted: November 22, 1999 at 21:37:25: by Michael Martinez
: First the Palantiri only might have been made by Feanor. Which
: would answer your question why they were not consumed by
: Ungoliant. Even if they were they were not kept with the
: Silmarils, which were kept at Formenos.

: The Palantiri: Crystal globes wrought by the Noldor in Eldamar.
: The Master-stone was kept in the Tower of Avallone, but the
: Eldar gave seven palantiri to Amandil of Andunie. These globes
: were used to see far off places. Whereas the Silmarils were the
: greatest of Feanor's treaures, and they shone with the light of
: the two trees; it was that light that Ungoliant hated and
: wanted destroyed not the art. That is why the Palantiri weren't
: consumed.

: At the fall of Numenor, Elendil brought the palantiri to
: Middle-earth and placed them throughout his realm.

: In short they were at different places that is why.

I think we could come up with many plausible explanations. For instance, even if Feanor made the Palantiri, why should they all have been kept at Formenos? That would hardly have been useful. Whoever made them wanted to enable communication across vast distances, as well as remote observation.

Also, these were not simple jewels that a man or elf could hold in their hand. Although Melkor and Ungoliant were undoubtedly huge compared to the Elves, I suspect Melkor only took the small treasures. THE SILMARILLION says he only took all the jewels. I don't believe the Palantiri would have seemed like jewels.

Of course, Avallone didn't exist when Melkor raided Formenos, but the Noldor (and Vanyar) had settled throughout Eldamar, not just in Tirion. Tirion was at that time inhabited only by Noldor and perhaps even by a large part of them, but the majority may have been living outside of the city. The fact Tolkien mentions only the one city and fortress (if Formenos was not itself a town or city) must also be contrasted with the statement that the Noldor lived in the hills and valleys where they could hear the sound of the sea, and that they loved to build high towers even in Aman. There must have been many Elven halls and towns throughout Eldamar.
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