Gemstones, Greed, and Greatness: The Dwarves of Middle-earth

In the time before the First Age, the Vala Aulë, master of craft and making, grew impatient waiting for the Children of Ilúvatar to awaken. His desire to share his knowledge and craftsmanship led him to secretly create the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves. These beings were made strong and unyielding, resistant to domination by evil, and possessed of great skill with their hands.

When Ilúvatar discovered Aulë's creation, the Vala humbly offered to destroy his work. However, Ilúvatar, seeing Aulë's sincere repentance and pure intentions, chose to adopt the Dwarves as his children. This blessing granted them true independence and free will, though they remained bound to Aulë's original design in form and nature.

Following Ilúvatar's blessing, the Seven Fathers were put into a deep sleep by their maker. They rested in separate places across Middle-earth until after the first Elves awakened at Cuiviénen. This sleep ensured that the Firstborn of Ilúvatar would indeed be the first to walk in Middle-earth, as was intended in the Music of the Ainur.

The Seven Fathers established their clans in different regions of Middle-earth, creating distinct houses that would shape the destiny of their race. These houses were scattered across the great mountain ranges, from the far north to the east, each developing their own traditions while maintaining their fundamental Dwarven nature and crafting excellence.

The Longbeards, also known as Durin's Folk, became the most prominent and numerous of all Dwarven houses. Their greatest realm was Khazad-dûm, called Moria by the Elves, which they established beneath the Misty Mountains. Under the leadership of Durin I, called the Deathless, and his descendants, this kingdom grew to become the mightiest and most splendid of all Dwarven realms in Middle-earth.

The other six houses established themselves in various mountain ranges across Middle-earth. The Firebeards and Broadbeams settled in the Blue Mountains, the Ironfists and Stiffbeards in the East, and the Blacklocks and Stonefoots in the far reaches of the Orocarni. Each house developed distinctive characteristics and specialized crafting techniques, though less is known about these other clans as they feature less prominently in the surviving histories.

Dwarven smiths were renowned throughout Middle-earth for their unparalleled mastery of metalwork and stonecraft. Their techniques in working with precious metals and gems surpassed all other peoples, and their ability to create items of both beauty and incredible durability was legendary. The Dwarves developed methods for crafting items that could withstand the ages, imbuing their works with a strength and resilience that reflected their own nature.

Among the most famous works of Dwarven craft were the mithril-mail shirt worn by Bilbo and later Frodo, and the magnificent Doors of Durin at the west entrance of Khazad-dûm. The mithril coat, light as a feather yet harder than dragon scales, exemplified their mastery of precious metals, while the Doors showcased their ability to work with ithildin and create mechanisms of incredible complexity.

The secrets of Dwarven craftsmanship were carefully guarded and passed down through generations within their families and guilds. Their techniques for tempering metal, setting gems, and working stone were never shared with outsiders. The Dwarves developed their own unique tools and methods, including the use of runes to enhance their crafts, and their workshops were places of closely guarded knowledge where masters would teach their apprentices the ancient ways of their craft.

Khazad-dûm was established in the First Age by Durin I, who awakened at Mount Gundabad and journeyed south to the Misty Mountains. There he founded what would become the greatest kingdom of the Dwarves, spanning the entire width of the mountain range with its many halls, chambers, and mines. During its peak, Khazad-dûm was a marvel of engineering and architecture, with multiple levels extending deep into the mountain.

The discovery of mithril beneath the foundations of Khazad-dûm brought unprecedented wealth and power to Durin's Folk. This precious silver-steel was more valuable than gold, stronger than any other metal, and could be beaten like copper while maintaining its strength. The presence of mithril made Khazad-dûm the wealthiest and most powerful of all Dwarven realms.

The architectural achievements of Khazad-dûm showcased the height of Dwarven ingenuity. The city featured vast halls with soaring columns, intricate stone carvings, and sophisticated systems for ventilation and lighting. The Dwarves created innovative mechanisms for opening doors, moving heavy objects, and defending their realm, while their mining operations demonstrated advanced understanding of geology and engineering.

The glory of Khazad-dûm came to an end in the Third Age when the Dwarves delved too deeply and awakened a Balrog, known as Durin's Bane. This ancient demon slew King Durin VI and his son Náin I, forcing the Dwarves to abandon their greatest realm. The fall of Khazad-dûm marked a turning point in Dwarven history, leading to their dispersal and the loss of many ancient crafts and techniques.

Khuzdul, the secret language of the Dwarves, was created for them by Aulë himself and remained largely unchanged throughout their history. The Dwarves guarded their language zealously, teaching it only to their own kind and using it primarily for their private affairs. Even their names in Khuzdul were kept secret from non-Dwarves, with most using names in the languages of other peoples for public use.

The Cirth runes, though originally developed by the Sindar Elves, were adopted and modified by the Dwarves to better suit their needs in recording their crafts and histories. The Dwarves refined these runes into the Angerthas Moria and later the Angerthas Erebor, using them extensively for inscriptions on stone and metal, as well as in their books of lore.

The Dwarves maintained detailed written records of their histories, genealogies, and craft-knowledge in great books of lore. These records were kept in protected libraries within their mountain halls, carefully preserved and copied by dedicated loremasters. The combination of their secret language and runic script allowed them to maintain their cultural heritage and technical knowledge through the ages.

The relationship between Dwarves and Elves was marked by both great friendship and bitter rivalry throughout the Ages. The greatest example of cooperation between the two races occurred in the Second Age, when the Dwarven smiths of Khazad-dûm worked alongside the Elven-smiths of Eregion. This partnership resulted in many great works, including the Doors of Durin, which bore inscriptions in both Elvish and Dwarvish.

The Dwarves established important trading relationships with the societies of Men, particularly the Northmen and the men of Dale near Erebor. These partnerships were built on mutual benefit, with Dwarves trading their crafts and metalwork for food, textiles, and other goods they could not produce in their mountain homes. The men of Dale and Esgaroth became particularly prosperous through their trade with the Dwarves of Erebor.

Despite their trading relationships, Dwarven society remained largely isolated and secretive. They rarely shared their crafting techniques or allowed outsiders into their mountain halls beyond designated trading areas. This isolation helped preserve their culture and traditions but also contributed to misunderstandings and prejudices between Dwarves and other races.

Dwarven warriors were renowned for their fighting prowess, particularly in close combat with axes and heavy weapons. Their natural strength and endurance, combined with their craftsmanship in arms and armor, made them formidable opponents. Dwarven warriors typically wore heavy mail and plate armor of their own making, which provided excellent protection while allowing them to move with surprising speed and agility in battle.

Throughout their history, Dwarves participated in many significant battles and campaigns. They fought alongside Elves and Men in the War of the Last Alliance, demonstrated their valor in the Wars of the Dwarves and Orcs, and played crucial roles in the Battle of Five Armies. The War of the Dwarves and Orcs, sparked by the murder of Thrór, showcased their military might as they systematically cleared the Misty Mountains of Orcs.

The defensive capabilities of Dwarven strongholds were legendary, incorporating sophisticated engineering and natural mountain features. Their gates were nearly impenetrable, their walls immensely thick, and their halls designed with defense in mind. They created elaborate systems of tunnels, gates, and killing zones that made their fortresses extremely difficult to capture by force.

Beards held immense cultural significance in Dwarven society, serving as symbols of pride, honor, and authority. Dwarves began growing their beards from a young age, and the length and elaborateness of one's beard often indicated their status and experience. They would weave elaborate braids and decorations into their beards, sometimes incorporating precious metals and gems for special occasions.

The naming customs of Dwarves were complex and rooted in ancient traditions. Each Dwarf had both a public name used in dealings with other races and a secret name in Khuzdul known only to their own people. Dwarven women, who made up about one-third of their population, were rarely seen by outsiders and were nearly indistinguishable from male Dwarves in appearance and dress when they did travel.

The passing of craft and lore through generations was a fundamental aspect of Dwarven culture. Young Dwarves would apprentice under master craftsmen, learning not only the technical skills of their craft but also the ancient lore and traditions associated with it. This system ensured the preservation of their crafting techniques and cultural heritage through the ages.

Dwarven society celebrated numerous festivals and ceremonies throughout the year, many of which were connected to their crafts and ancestors. These included ceremonies marking the beginning of new mining operations, celebrations of great crafting achievements, and solemn observations of historical events. During these occasions, Dwarves would gather in their great halls for feasting, singing, and the recitation of ancient tales.

The arrival of Smaug at the Lonely Mountain in 2770 of the Third Age marked a catastrophic turning point for Durin's Folk. The dragon's attack was swift and devastating, driving the Dwarves from their wealthy kingdom and scattering them across Middle-earth. The loss of Erebor not only deprived the Dwarves of their riches but also of their ancestral home and many of their ancient treasures.

In 2941, Thorin Oakenshield led a company of twelve Dwarves, along with the hobbit Bilbo Baggins and the wizard Gandalf, on a quest to reclaim Erebor. Their journey, chronicled in The Hobbit, involved numerous perils including encounters with trolls, goblins, and spiders, as well as negotiations with the Elves of Mirkwood and the men of Lake-town. The quest ultimately succeeded in defeating Smaug, though at great cost.

Following the Battle of Five Armies and the death of Thorin Oakenshield, his cousin Dáin Ironfoot became King under the Mountain. Under Dáin's rule, Erebor was restored to its former glory, and the Dwarves reestablished their powerful presence in the north. The kingdom prospered until the War of the Ring, during which Dáin fell defending the body of his ally King Brand of Dale against Sauron's forces.