Contents of this entry
A kingdom before it became a darknessThe Balrog and the failed returnPrimary referencesRelated encyclopedia entries
A kingdom before it became a darkness
Khazad-dûm is associated with Durin and the long history of his people. Its eastern gate opens towards the Dimrill Dale, while the western approach connects it with Eregion. The Doors of Durin preserve the friendship of Narvi and Celebrimbor, making a boundary a record of cooperation as well as a means of defence.
The wealth of mithril belongs to the kingdom’s importance, but it should not replace its whole cultural history. Songs, inscriptions, halls and memories show an inhabited realm rather than merely a profitable mine enlarged to fantastic dimensions.
The Balrog and the failed return
The awakening of Durin’s Bane drives the Dwarves from their home. Much later, Balin attempts to establish a colony, but its silence conceals a final destruction recorded in the Book of Mazarbul. The Fellowship discovers that account in the chamber containing his tomb.
The route becomes a desperate escape, ending with Gandalf’s confrontation with the Balrog on the bridge. His fall changes the company, but the journey has already exposed the fragility of assuming that a famous former homeland can simply be reclaimed through courage and desire.
Using one entry for Moria and Khazad-dûm avoids counting alternate names as separate subjects. The names carry different histories and perspectives, and a good reference explains those differences while keeping the underlying place identifiable across texts.
Primary references
The Lord of the Rings, Book II, “A Journey in the Dark” and “The Bridge of Khazad-dûm”; Appendix A, “Durin’s Folk”; Unfinished Tales, “The History of Galadriel and Celeborn”.
