Sam´s "magic" rope?

[doug*platypus]

It's just a matter of terminology, really. I'm sure that a hobbit, or more likely a man of Rohan, could call the rope magic, and that would be right from their point of view. The hithlain rope certainly has properties or powers that cannot be easily explained or understood, and would seem strange to foreigners. The elves of Lórien would not have called the rope magic, even those who had no idea about ropemaking. A hithlain rope glowed in the dark, was light yet strong, came loose on command and packed down remarkably well. That's just how it was.

Many cultural items in our own world are in the same position. Crystals and other stones are worn by many people in the belief that they hold certain properties. The Chinese science of Feng Shui is used to control the properties and balance of a space. Many Christians wear a medallion of a chosen Saint. None of which is called magic.