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Rúmil of Tirion

Other Names:
(HoME only):
Rúmil of Valinor
Rúmil of Tûn
Rumil of Túna
the sage of Kôr
the sage of Tûn
the sage of Tirion
the Elf-sage of Valinor

Location(s): Tirion

Race/Species: Elf

Type/Kind: Noldor

Dates: Time of the Trees

Description:

The Noldorin sage who first invented a written alphabet; he is also said to have composed the Ainulindalë, the tale of the beginning of the World:
In this year [1179] Rúmil, most renowned of the masters of the lore of speech, first devised letters and began recording in writing the tongues of the Eldar and their songs and wisdom.

Morgoth's Ring, HoME Vol 10, Part 2, The Annals of Aman

[The] Noldor first bethought them of letters, and Rúmil of Tirion was the name of the loremaster who first achieved fitting signs for the recording of speech and song, some for graving upon metal or in stone, others for drawing with brush or with pen.

The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Ch 6, Of Fëanor and the Unchaining of Melkor

The oldest Eldarin letters, the Tengwar of Rúmil, were not used in Middle-earth. The later letters, the Tengwar of Fëanor, were largely a new invention, though they owed something to the letters of Rúmil. They were brought to Middle-earth by the exiled Noldor....

The Return of the King, LoTR Appendix E, Writing and Spelling: Writing

Ainulindalë
The Music of the
Ainur

This was made by Rúmil of Túna in the Elder Days. It is here written as it was spoken in Eressëa to Ælfwine by Pengoloð the Sage. To it are added the further words that Pengoloð spoke at that time concerning the Valar, the Eldar and the Atani....

Morgoth's Ring, HoME Vol 10, Part 1, Ainulindalë D

'Most... references [to the Valarin language] appear to be derived, by tradition of mouth, from "the Sayings of Rúmil" (I Equessi Rúmilo), the ancient sage of Tirion, concerning the early days of the Eldar in Aman and their first dealings with the Valar. Only part of these Equessi1 were preserved in the memory of the Lambengolmor2 during the dark years of the Flight and the Exile.'

The War of the Jewels, HoME Vol 11, Part 4, Quendi and Eldar: Note on the 'Language of the Valar'


Notes
1   Eques: a saying, a current or proverbial dictum (plural: equessi).

The War of the Jewels, HoME Vol 11, Part 4, Quendi and Eldar: Appendix D. Kwen, Quenya, and the Elvish (especially Ñoldorin) words for 'Language'

2   Lambengolmor: Loremasters of Tongues.

The War of the Jewels, HoME Vol 11, Part 4, Quendi and Eldar: Appendix D. Kwen, Quenya, and the Elvish (especially Ñoldorin) words for 'Language'

Contributors:
Elena Tiriel 14Mar08

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