Ring of Barahir

The Ring of Barahir

The Serpent ring.

The ring was made in Valinor in the form of twin serpents with eyes of emeralds,their heads met beneath a crown of golden flowers which one upheld and the other devoured. There is not named a master of the ring and neither an exact year of its making. Since it was Finrod`s ring it could well be assumed he made it himself. In the latter that is my assumption.

The ring became famous mostly due to its significance of friendship between Finrod`s family and kin and the humans First House where Barahir received it as a sign of eternal friendship between Finrod`s and the house of Barahir, it was given for the honorable deeds and the saving of Fingons life in the Dagor Bragollach. But also because it was one of the very few objects that survived into the Third age and War of the Ring.

Valian Years of the Trees.

V.Y.t.1240-1496. The Serpent Ring must have been made between these years. The year 1240 is most likely the earliest birthdate of Finrod, the year 1496 is the year Finrod left Valinor.

1 Age.

F.A.455. In the Dagor Bragollach / Battle of Sudden Flame Finrod was surrounded by Orcs but he was rescued by Barahir and his men, and for his brave deeds Finrod gave Barahir his ring as a sign of eternal friendship between their families.

F.A.460. When Barahir was slain in Dorthonion the Orcs cut off his hand with the ring to prove to Morgoth he was dead but Beren, Barahir`s son, assailed them and took back his fathers ring.

F.A.466. This year Beren came to Nargothrond and with the Serpent Ring he asked the aid of Finrod in his quest for a Silmaril.

F.A.503. As this year was the year Dior, son of Beren and Lúthien, received the Nauglamír with the Silmaril it may be thought that also the Serpent Ring came to Dior.

F.A.507. As Elwing was the only child of Dior that survived the Second Kinslaying in the Destruction of Doriath she must have brought the ring to the Mouth of Sirion.

F.A.528-532. Elros must have received the ring between these years.

2 Age.

The Serpent Ring was brought to Númenor by Elros.

S.A.521-751. The ring was given to Silmarien by her father Tar Elendil between these years. Silmarien wedded Elatan the Lord of Andúnië and from them it descended down to Elendil.

S.A.3319. Elendil brought it to Middle-earth at the Fall of Númenor.

S.A.3441. At Elendil`s death in the War of the Last Alliance Isildur must have taken it since the ring passed into the Third age as an heirloom in the Western Kingdom, Arnor. How it passed from Isildur would be pure guessing as he died in Anduin and never was found but perhaps he gave it to one of his sons before the disaster at Gladden Fields and it was found afterwards by the wood-elves and brought to Imladris and the last remaining son and heir.

From him it was handed down through the Kings of Arnor to the Chieftains of the North and finally to Aragorn II.

3 Age.

T.A.1974. The last king of Arthedain, Arvedui, gave the Serpent Ring to the Lossoth, the Snowmen at the Bay of Forochel, at their parting. Later the Chieftains of the North ransomed the ring and it was then kept in Imladris with other heirlooms, the scepter from Annúminas, the Star of the North and the shards of Narsil.