Dragon-Helm

[Galin]

The image of the Dragon on the helm appears to have been the head of the Dragon, though the description used in the new Children of Hurin more easily allows for Alan Lee's interpretation.

Anyway, I wonder what people imagine the visor itself to look like (I can't remember any artistic renderings of it myself).

In the Grey Annals (§232): 'Now the Naugrim withstood fire more hardily than either Elves of Men, and it was the custom of the Enfeng to wear great masks (struck out: or vizors) in battle hideous to look upon, which stood them in great stead against the drakes.' Compare to the description from Unfinished Tales: 'It had a visor (after the manner of those that the Dwarves used in their forges for the shielding of their eyes), and the face of one that wore it struck fear into the hearts of all beholders,...'

In commentary to the Grey Annals (§280) we find that Túrin 'thrust up the visor and looked Glaurung in the eye' (in both the published Silmarillion and The Children of Húrin Turin does not have the Helm at this point).

Anyway, any ideas? I thought maybe (and perhaps like one of the battle-masks) a distorted image of an angry dwarf-face? for one possibility.

[Pitchwife]

Originally Posted by Galin

Anyway, any ideas? I thought maybe (and perhaps like one of the battle-masks) a distorted image of an angry dwarf-face? for one possibility.

That's more or less what I'd imagine, too. There's a nice picture of a dwarven battle-mask here, although the expression could be a little more ferocious.

[Elemmakil]

Originally Posted by Galin

The image of the Dragon on the helm appears to have been the head of the Dragon, though the description used in the new Children of Hurin more easily allows for Alan Lee's interpretation.

Anyway, I wonder what people imagine the visor itself to look like (I can't remember any artistic renderings of it myself).

Anyway, any ideas? I thought maybe (and perhaps like one of the battle-masks) a distorted image of an angry dwarf-face? for one possibility.

My suspicion is that the description Tolkien wrote in UT was probably influenced by this real life Anglo Saxon/Swedish helm from the early 7th century:

http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore...burial_at.aspx

Can't prove it, but the original reconstruction was published by Herbert Maryon in 1946, and I find it hard to believe that it would not have struck Tolkien's fancy, as enamored of that culture and time period as he was.