black wizard

[Lord of Angmar]

Aaah, but the wizards are Maia, so the two terms are not exclusive.

I believe actually that the term 'wizard' is exclusive to the group of Maiar that came to Middle Earth at the beginning of the Third Age at the bidding of the Valar. One would not consider Gandalf a Balrog, though Balrogs are a type of Maiar as well. The same would apply for calling Sauron a member of the Istari, or a wizard.

To answer the initial question, there may well have been a 'black' wizard. Although Tolkien never mentions one, he does say that it is unknown how many Istari came to Middle Earth at the start of the Third Age, and he also hints that not all of the wizards that came to Middle Earth came on the same boat as Gandalf, Saruman, Radagast and the Blue Wizards, nor necessarily to the same area of Middle Earth or at the same time.

[ October 19, 2003: Message edited by: Lord of Angmar ]