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Middle-earth dwarf

File:J.R.R._Tolkien_-_Sketch_of_Dwarves.jpeg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons

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Middle-earth dwarf

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Also known as dwarf, Gonnhirrim

humanoid species from J.R.R. Tolkien's legendarium

Key facts

First appearance
The Hobbit
Created by
J. R. R. Tolkien
Other names
Khazad, Naugrim
Home world
Middle-earth
Language
Khuzdul , Westron
Notable members
Thorin II Oakenshield Balin Gimli

via Wikipedia infobox

~20 min read

Encyclopedic overview

In the fantasy of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Dwarves are a race inhabiting Middle-earth, the central continent of Arda in an imagined mythological past. They are based on the dwarfs of Germanic myths who were small humanoids that lived in mountains, practising mining, metallurgy, blacksmithing and jewellery. Tolkien described them as tough, warlike, and lovers of stone and craftsmanship.

The origins of Tolkien's Dwarves can be traced to Norse mythology; Tolkien also mentioned a connection with Jewish history and language. Dwarves appear in his books The Hobbit (1937), The Lord of the Rings (1954–55), and the posthumously published The Silmarillion (1977), Unfinished Tales (1980), and The History of Middle-earth series (1983–96), the last three edited by his son Christopher Tolkien.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Middle-earth dwarf” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

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