Textile Arts and Tolkien - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Formendacil · 03-30-2005, 01:05 PM

A thought came to me that in real life, historical artefacts of cloth tend to have more significance than those of weaponry. Does anyone remember George Washington's sabre, or William the Conqueror's sword? No, it is Betsy Ross (that is name, right Americans?)'s original American flag, or the Bayeux Tapestry.

In much the same way, Arwen's banner might have had the same lasting place in the memories of the Gondorian people as Anduril did. Certainly, when Aragorn came up the Anduin to the Pelennor, it was not the sword of Elendil that people recognised as symboling the return of the king, or even the Elendilmir of Valandil, but rather the banner of the king.

I kind of like to think of Arwen as, among other things, the Betsy Ross of middle-earth.

03-30-2005, 01:05 PM	#3
Formendacil Dead Serious Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Perched on Thangorodrim's towers. Posts: 3,328	A thought came to me that in real life, historical artefacts of cloth tend to have more significance than those of weaponry. Does anyone remember George Washington's sabre, or William the Conqueror's sword? No, it is Betsy Ross (that is name, right Americans?)'s original American flag, or the Bayeux Tapestry. In much the same way, Arwen's banner might have had the same lasting place in the memories of the Gondorian people as Anduril did. Certainly, when Aragorn came up the Anduin to the Pelennor, it was not the sword of Elendil that people recognised as symboling the return of the king, or even the Elendilmir of Valandil, but rather the banner of the king. I kind of like to think of Arwen as, among other things, the Betsy Ross of middle-earth. __________________ I prefer history, true or feigned.