Fantasy Counterpart Culture

[Kuruharan]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

In regards to the Wainriders, I also considered steppe peoples, but the ancient Celts are also up for consideration, primarily for their armies confederated in a tribal manner and the use of chariots, an important facet of their form of combat preceding their arrival in the British Isles. Their migration from the East into Europe also mirrors their movements in Middle-earth.

I had never considered the Celts in this context before but that is an excellent point.

[littlemanpoet]

My recollections of some of Tolkien's thoughts on this matter include that he wrote his Elves in part as a reaction to, and corrective of, the way "elfs" were described in 19th century romantic literature, in which they were diminutive figures living in buttercups and such. He wanted Elves to be raised to their former high place in the literature, namely the Northern epics, such as the Elder and Lesser Eddas, I believe.

As such, Elves are not based upon a historic culture, but upon a mythical folk derived from northern myth.

[William Cloud Hicklin]

The use of "war-wagons" as opposed to mere chariots is a far more Germanic practice, associated with both the Teutones and the much later Goths. (Of course, there was also Attila's fortified wagon-camp at the Battle of Chalons)

[Kuruharan]

Originally Posted by William Cloud Hicklin

(Of course, there was also Attila's fortified wagon-camp at the Battle of Chalons)

That is exactly what I was thinking of in regard to the Wainriders.

[William Cloud Hicklin]

Originally Posted by Kuruharan

That is exactly what I was thinking of in regard to the Wainriders.

OTOH, the wagons in that case may well have belonged to the Goths who made up nearly half of Attila's army on that occasion; there is little to suggest, in other accounts of the Huns, that their armies used anything for transport besides packhorses and travois.

[Kuruharan]

Originally Posted by William Cloud Hicklin

OTOH, the wagons in that case may well have belonged to the Goths who made up nearly half of Attila's army on that occasion; there is little to suggest, in other accounts of the Huns, that their armies used anything for transport besides packhorses and travois.

That is a good point I had never considered before.