# Gunpowder in Middle-earth?



## RangerStryder (Jan 26, 2010)

Gandalf is a well known fellow in the Shire because of his dazzling fireworks.

At the battle of Helm's Deep. Saruman's work/s was blamed on the destruction of the Deeping Wall; which is 20 feet high and four men can walk abreast on the top.
Helm's Deep:



> Quote:
> _'Devilry of Saruman!' cried Aragorn. 'They have crept in the culvert again. while we talked, and they have lit the fire of Orthanc beneath our feet'._


 
*Do you think that these Wizards have just invented gunpowder in Middle-earth?*



*.*


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## Bucky (Jan 26, 2010)

Good pint.

Saruman, perhaps.

Gandalf had special magical powers with fire though, so, maybe, maybe not (another word for perhap, lol).

Saruman's 'blasting fire' is certainly described as something much different and larger, never seen before as compared to Gandalf's though.

It's not like the same substances needed for gunpowder that the Chinese discovered weren't laying around Middle-earth either.

I'm sure there's some long winded essay that goes off on all kinds of speculation with no textual facts on the web somewhere (as always).


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## Might_of_arnor (Sep 18, 2017)

Good question, that black substance that Saruman showed grima looks like gunpowder, extra evidence when grima was bringing his candle lit near the bowl of gunpowder and Saruman put his out hand out and forced grima back.


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## Starbrow (Sep 18, 2017)

IMO, I think Gandalf's fireworks used gunpowder with enhancements from Gandalf's magical powers.


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