Aulë
Creator of Arda itself. Aule was an Ainur who was the Vala of craft. He was known as the Smith of the Powers, and he was very skilled with metal and rock. It can be presumed that Aule had been directly created by Eru Iluvatar himself as one of fourteen extremely powerful beings known as the Valar. The term Ainur referred to the Valar themselves, but also to a lesser race of extremely powerful beings known as the Maiar. Generally, the Maiar served the Valar. Aule had several Maiar working for him throughout his history. Aule was the husband of Yavanna, the Vala of growing things.
Aule created the entire world of Arda itself. He created the continents and mountains, and he created vessels that became the Sun and the Moon. Aule allowed for the other Valar to come and live in Arda early in its history because he wanted them to populate the planet and bring life to it. Aule created a dwelling for himself called the Mansions of Aule, and from these great halls came magnificent tools and crafts. To address the problem of the great enemy Melkor, the one Ainur who had betray the Valar and turned to evil, Aule forged a chain called Angainor which would keep Melkor a prisoner in the Halls of Mandos in Arda. The chain was so powerful that it was able to hold Melkor prisoner for three ages, or about 2,900 solar years. After the War of Wrath at the end of the First Age, Angainor was used to keep Melkor prisoner outside the Doors of Night.
Aule anticipated the coming of the Children of Iluvatar (the races of Elves and men) to Arda, but after awhile he grew weary and began creating his own race. Aule created the Dwarves, a mighty race that would come to be very significant in the history of Arda. Eru learned of the creation of the Dwarves and he was ready to punish Aule, but Aule agreed to allow the Dwarves to become the Children of Iluvatar was well. Eru accepted them as his "adopted children," but allowed the Dwarves to be the rightful creation of Aule. When the Dwarves came to Arda, they came to worship Aule as a god.
When Eru allowed his own "children" to awake and populate Arda, many Elves took a Great Journey from eastern Arda to the Undying Lands in the west. Aule became a teacher to the Noldor, a powerful civilization of the Elves, and from Aule the Elves learned the art of craft. Feanor, High King of the Noldor, used the craft he had learned from Aule to create the Silmarils.
Several Maiar had served Aule in the course of Arda's long history. One of them was Sauron himself, who had not yet been corrupted by Melkor. Sauron learned many useful crafts from Aule, crafts that would later help him create the Rings of Power and the One Ring. Aule also had a Maia name Curumo, who eventually was chosen as one of the Istari and was sent to Middle-Earth to oppose Sauron in circa 1000 of the Third Age. When he came to Middle-Earth, Curumo became known as Saruman.
Presumably, Aule continued to exist until the Second Music of the Ainur and possibly beyond.
Aule created the entire world of Arda itself. He created the continents and mountains, and he created vessels that became the Sun and the Moon. Aule allowed for the other Valar to come and live in Arda early in its history because he wanted them to populate the planet and bring life to it. Aule created a dwelling for himself called the Mansions of Aule, and from these great halls came magnificent tools and crafts. To address the problem of the great enemy Melkor, the one Ainur who had betray the Valar and turned to evil, Aule forged a chain called Angainor which would keep Melkor a prisoner in the Halls of Mandos in Arda. The chain was so powerful that it was able to hold Melkor prisoner for three ages, or about 2,900 solar years. After the War of Wrath at the end of the First Age, Angainor was used to keep Melkor prisoner outside the Doors of Night.
Aule anticipated the coming of the Children of Iluvatar (the races of Elves and men) to Arda, but after awhile he grew weary and began creating his own race. Aule created the Dwarves, a mighty race that would come to be very significant in the history of Arda. Eru learned of the creation of the Dwarves and he was ready to punish Aule, but Aule agreed to allow the Dwarves to become the Children of Iluvatar was well. Eru accepted them as his "adopted children," but allowed the Dwarves to be the rightful creation of Aule. When the Dwarves came to Arda, they came to worship Aule as a god.
When Eru allowed his own "children" to awake and populate Arda, many Elves took a Great Journey from eastern Arda to the Undying Lands in the west. Aule became a teacher to the Noldor, a powerful civilization of the Elves, and from Aule the Elves learned the art of craft. Feanor, High King of the Noldor, used the craft he had learned from Aule to create the Silmarils.
Several Maiar had served Aule in the course of Arda's long history. One of them was Sauron himself, who had not yet been corrupted by Melkor. Sauron learned many useful crafts from Aule, crafts that would later help him create the Rings of Power and the One Ring. Aule also had a Maia name Curumo, who eventually was chosen as one of the Istari and was sent to Middle-Earth to oppose Sauron in circa 1000 of the Third Age. When he came to Middle-Earth, Curumo became known as Saruman.
Presumably, Aule continued to exist until the Second Music of the Ainur and possibly beyond.
Names & Meanings
Aulë is Quenya for "invention." In Valarin, the Eldest Speech spoken by the Valar, Aule's name is spelled Aȝūlēz. The Sindarin equivalent of Aulë is Óli or Ôl. In the Khuzdul language of the Dwarves, Aule was called Mahal, meaning "the maker." The Dwarves worshipped Mahal as a god. Aule was known to the Numenoreans as well, and they called him Tumar, which is Adunaic for "the smith."
Aule is clearly intended to resemble one of the ancient European gods of craft. Connections can be made between Aule's character in Tolkien's legendarium and the Greek god Hephaestus, the Roman god Vulcan, and the Norse god Völundr.
Aule is clearly intended to resemble one of the ancient European gods of craft. Connections can be made between Aule's character in Tolkien's legendarium and the Greek god Hephaestus, the Roman god Vulcan, and the Norse god Völundr.
References
The History of Middle-earth, Volume V, The Lost Road and Other Writings: "The Etymologies," page 358
The History of Middle-earth, Volume XI, The War of the Jewels: "Quendi and Eldar"
The Silmarillion: "Of Aule and Yavanna," passim
The History of Middle-earth, Volume XI, The War of the Jewels: "Quendi and Eldar"
The Silmarillion: "Of Aule and Yavanna," passim
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