# The gate into moria



## Sarah (Apr 12, 2003)

I may just be ignorant, but...

Why is it that a dwarven-made gate has an elvish word for a password?


----------



## gilgalad (Apr 12, 2003)

Maybe because the gate was constructed at a time when friendship between the Dwarves and Elves was very great. The people using the gate most often were the elves, so it would make sense to have an elvish password.


----------



## Ancalagon (Apr 12, 2003)

> Celebrimbor had "an almost 'dwarvish' obsession with crafts"; and he soon became the chief artificer of Eregion, entering into a close relationship with the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm, among whom his greatest friend was Narvi. [In the inscription on the West-gate of Moria Gandalf read the words: Im Narvi hain echant: Celebrimbor o Eregion teithant i thiw hin: "I, Narvi, made them. Celebrimbor of Hollin drew these signs." The Fellowship of Ring II 4]. Both Elves and Dwarves had great profit from this association: so that Eregion became far stronger, and Khazad-dûm far more beautiful, than either would have done alone.


 _Unfinished Tales_

The relationship between Durins line and the Elves was the closest and most productive that had been established at any point in Middle-Earth. Though in later days there was little love lost between the races, Celebrimbor was akin to dwarves in that his lore and skill was after the fashion of Aule himself.



> Eregion was nigh to the great mansions of the Dwarves that were named Khazad-dûm, but by the Elves Hadhodrond, and afterwards Moria. From Ost-in-Edhil, the city of the Elves, the highroad ran to the west gate of Khazad-dûm, for a friendship arose between Dwarves and Elves, such as has never elsewhere been, to the enrichment of both those peoples. In Eregion the craftsmen of the Gwaith-i-Mírdain, the People of the Jewel-smiths, surpassed in cunning all that have ever wrought, save only Fëanor himself; and indeed greatest in skill among them was Celebrimbor, son of Curufin, who was estranged from his father and remained in Nargothrond when Celegorm and Curufin were driven forth, as is told in the Quenta Silmarillion.


 _The Silmarillion_

Rather a pity that such a frienship would come to an abrupt and violent end.


----------



## gilgalad (Apr 12, 2003)

But with regard to the question as to why the password was an Elvish word, would you agree with my assessment?


----------



## Anamatar IV (Apr 12, 2003)

Well Ancalagon's post answers the question. Celebrimbor made the gates and it only makes sense if the maker of them created the password of them. As to why Celebrimbor made the gates, Ancalagon answered that.


----------



## Sarah (Apr 12, 2003)

thanky thanky


----------

