Arcane Topic Warning: Part the Fifth

[Fordim Hedgethistle]

Originally Posted by Raynor

Some noldor went to Eregion exactly because they learned that mithril has been discovered in Moria; they particulary made the ithildin, the starmoon, which is seen on the doors of Moria. In Late Writings, Celebrimbor is said to have equaled the art of the dwarves in using mithril.

Well that cinches it: if the height of Elvish mithril crafting went no furher than equalling the Dwarves then finished goods of mithril would have formed an important part, if not the most important part, of their trade. Think of it: one Elf can do it, but all (or at least a lot) of Dwarves can do it. If you're trying to equip an army it would take a long time for just one guy to make everything you need, even if it's Celebrimbor, but a raft of Dwarves hammering way would do the job in no time.

As to what the Elves would trade in return, just look at the things we see them using and/or referred to as making in LotR: rope, boats, glasswares, wood-crafts, gems, weaving, clothes, cloth, leather-goods, jewellry, and on. Why would a Dwarf who has a mithril sword bother trading that for wood so he can carve a table when he would trade the sword for 50 Elvish-made tables?

And there's other things the Elves could trade: technology and knowledge...

Elf: If you give me that mithril sword I'll show you how to make a torch that never goes out.

Dwarf: Throw in some tips on how to kill trolls and it's a deal.

Elf: Done and done!

[Mithadan]

Mithril would explain things in the Second and Third Ages, and indeed I conceded the likilhood of trade to and from Khazad Dum. But Kuruharan's thesis and the section he quotes is that the Dwarves traded primarily for food and livestock which they could not grow or maintain underground. Beleriand was a long ways away from Khazad Dum, probably too far to transport crops. No doubt the Longbeards traded locally, but trade to Beleriand seems a bit of a stretch, particularly at wartime.

[Aiwendil]

No doubt the Longbeards traded locally, but trade to Beleriand seems a bit of a stretch, particularly at wartime

But it does seem that some trade routes ran all the way from Beleriand out into the east, beyond Khazad-dum (though perishable items probably did not travel that far). In the alliterative Children of Hurin, Beleg is said to have carried wine that came from Dorwinion - a land that is probably far to the east and south of Beleriand (Pauline Baynes's map, which is based on information given to her by Tolkien, places it near the sea of Rhun).