Questions about dwarves
 

A good question was brought up while I was talking to a guy on another forum about dwarves. I was telling him that dwarves are resistant to fire for many reasons. That led to some questions that I want to ask all of you.

Were the masks that the dwarves use to wear (In the battles against Melkor and such) used to resist fire? I know they were used for protection against arrows and weapons and also to make them look scary, but I dont know if the dwarves thought about being attacked with fire as well. That seemed to make sense to me.

And did dwarves do anything to protect their beards when fighting against dragons and balrogs? I think it would be a terrible thing to lose your beard when fire was shot at you or some came close enough to scorch your hair off.

[ July 26, 2002: Message edited by: Elendur ]

It is said in Quenta Silmarrilion (Of Túrin Turamber) that "...and none but Túrin defended by his dwarf-mask could withstand the approach of Glaurung..." I'm pretty sure that a mask wouldn't protect someone from the dragon's great bulk, so you must assume it protects from fire. We must assume that the masks protected beards, for what is the point of head-protection if you can still be burned?

You can tuck it in if you're worried about losing it.

As an aside (that means don't reply to it), great first post, Manwe Sulimo. Keep doing that, you're awesome.

Perhaps the Dwarrow-masks doubled up as masks for the great forges of the Dwarfs. That would explain why they would seem to 'expect' fire in battle.

good piont their masks were probably resistant to fire because of the way that they were forged, as too beards, the masks were very large and heavy so they might have covered beards, and i remeber in the hobbit tolkein describe Dain's army as " grim with their beards tuked in their belts" or something like that