The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - Why so little technological advancement in ME?

Orodhromeus · 04-15-2002, 04:03 PM

I've followed this discussion with great interest. Middle-Earth's story spands over 7000 years. 7000 years ago the first city at Mesopotamia was yet to be built! It's hard to believe that things would stay so still over so long of a period in M-E. Europe has gone through some similar development, but in a less long period: with Greek & Roman civilizations humanity reached its peak at the period. Not counting the First Age, it was the same with M-E when Numenoreans arrived. Then Europe went through the Dark Ages, when technology was forgotten & life standards dropped instead of increasing. At the beginning of the Third Age, many things were forgotten, Numenorean buildings were left to ruins, Arnor faded & Gondor survived with a Steward. In the Renaissance, the lost knowledge of the Ancient times was rediscovered and a prosperous era began. It might be likewise with the beginning of the Fourth Age and the return of the King of both Arnor & Gondor.
That's for the approximated parallel...
Now, if M-E's timeline was reduced to half, things would be more logical: SA & TA would be 1500-1700 years long, which is a long enough period for as many changes to occur. Maybe less king successions, but despite men's longer lifespan at the time it still is long. Maybe the elves, the leaders of M-E during FA & SA, contributed a lot in slowing technological development a lot. With their departure begins the Dominion of Men, and technological discoveries which would bring to an uninteresting (for Tolkien & the story) industrial era like today's.

04-15-2002, 04:03 PM	#16
Orodhromeus Wight Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Greece Posts: 106	I've followed this discussion with great interest. Middle-Earth's story spands over 7000 years. 7000 years ago the first city at Mesopotamia was yet to be built! It's hard to believe that things would stay so still over so long of a period in M-E. Europe has gone through some similar development, but in a less long period: with Greek & Roman civilizations humanity reached its peak at the period. Not counting the First Age, it was the same with M-E when Numenoreans arrived. Then Europe went through the Dark Ages, when technology was forgotten & life standards dropped instead of increasing. At the beginning of the Third Age, many things were forgotten, Numenorean buildings were left to ruins, Arnor faded & Gondor survived with a Steward. In the Renaissance, the lost knowledge of the Ancient times was rediscovered and a prosperous era began. It might be likewise with the beginning of the Fourth Age and the return of the King of both Arnor & Gondor. That's for the approximated parallel... Now, if M-E's timeline was reduced to half, things would be more logical: SA & TA would be 1500-1700 years long, which is a long enough period for as many changes to occur. Maybe less king successions, but despite men's longer lifespan at the time it still is long. Maybe the elves, the leaders of M-E during FA & SA, contributed a lot in slowing technological development a lot. With their departure begins the Dominion of Men, and technological discoveries which would bring to an uninteresting (for Tolkien & the story) industrial era like today's.