A new view on elven ears - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

the guy who be short · 06-21-2003, 05:42 AM

Now then, look at your ear. See the bit of the lobe under your earhole? Right, good. Now, in say 70 years of living, gravity pulls that bit down. Lets say that somebody who was 70 had 2cm of that earlobe part. A very young elf of only 700 would have 20 centimetres of earlobe, presuming that gravity worked the same before the world was made round. So a 3000 year old elf (leggy) would have abot a metre of earlobe-thingy. And really old elves, like Cirdan, would have their ears down to the ground. Didnt this cause a problem in fighting, and being graceful? did they tie their ears in bows to keep the out of the way? How and what did they do to deal with the situation?

Horse-Maiden of the Shire · 06-21-2003, 08:57 AM

Well, I guess that because they didn't age, their ears didn't age. But if they did, I'd say plastic surgery for all.

merenwen · 06-21-2003, 09:05 AM

do your ears hang low, do they wobble to and fro. *ahem* sorry. [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img] yes i'd have to agree with Horse-Maiden on that one. i dont really think they had that problem.

the guy who be short · 06-21-2003, 09:07 AM

The elves aged, but only very slowly. However, this ear thing has nothing to do with age, its because of gravity, which pulls down your ear.
So if the laws of gravity were the same on the straight world, then every 70 years the elves' ears would grow 2 centimetres. (Thats a rouggh estimateby the way, let me check my grans ears)
Yes, I think 2cm in 70 years is about right.
It just amuses me how long the elves' ears would get. I guess that once their ears reach the ground theyd stop growing.

Luthien_ Tinuviel · 06-21-2003, 01:41 PM

I'm actually pretty sure that it has nothing whatsoever to do with gravity. If that was the case, our noses would droop, too. Our fingers might as well. The thing is, the cartilage on one's body continues to grow throughout one's lifetime. This means that your ears grow all your life. It is for this reason that many elderly people have large ears. That's probably the reason (I hope). Elven genentics are probably different, anyway. So I doubt any of this affected them very much.

Meela · 06-21-2003, 01:50 PM

Didn't Bilbo have rather large ears...

Gravity pulls your ears down? *giggles* makes sense, though. But I keep thinking of Legolas, who is rather bouncy, meaning that he tends to float around, therefore evading the laws of gravity, so his ears are not yet going to grow down. And living so high up a la Celeborn and Galadriel must have evasive qualities... they practically live at the top of the Faraway Tree, and that is pretty darn high. Surely they are reaching the moon by now, meaning there is less gravity.

Eruwen · 06-22-2003, 01:50 PM

Guy who be short, how do you come up with these ideas anyway? Do questions like this just float around in your head all day? I have to admit though, it did give quite a comic relief to my day when reading. But I would have to agree with Luthien_Tinuviel on this one.

[ June 22, 2003: Message edited by: Eruwen ]

the guy who be short · 06-22-2003, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Guy who be short, how do you come up with these ideas anyway? Do questions like this just float around in your head all day?

Yes, these are the things that keep me awake at night. [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img] I dont really know how I thought this up, I just remembered the random info about ears and linked it in with my obsession with LotR. Thus this topic was born.

Lëowen · 06-22-2003, 03:26 PM

You have way too much time on your hands.
I don't think elves' ears would grow down to the ground. In stead, what if they grew up? There might be something about the elves that makes their ears defy gravity. Then after 3000 years, they'd have really, really pointy ears.
That made no sense. If no one understands that, I'll try to explain better later. [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]

Alatariel Telemnar · 06-22-2003, 06:05 PM

That's an interesting theory, but don't the ears point out from the top? So how would that work?

ElenCala Isil · 06-22-2003, 06:09 PM

I believe he was referring to the ear lobe in which case, would an elf know that it was ready to vanish if you will when it's ear touched bottom? [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img] [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img] [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[ July 08, 2003: Message edited by: ElenCala Isil ]

Alatariel Telemnar · 06-22-2003, 06:21 PM

Quote:

I believe her was referring to the ear lobe in which case, would an elf know that it was ready to vanish if you will when it's ear touched bottom?

Don't you mean he? vanish?

[ June 22, 2003: Message edited by: Alatariel Telemnar ]

Finwe · 06-23-2003, 08:20 AM

I don't think that Elves' bodies worked the same way as ours. After all, they do walk on snow. I don't think their earlobes dragged on the ground if they were as old as Galadriel and Cirdan. But if they did, that would be funny. They'd probably braid them into their hair to hide them or something.

Alatariel Telemnar · 06-23-2003, 09:50 AM

They could... that be funny, Galadriel say something like, 'Celeborn, honey! Can you come help me? I can't fix my ears. I just can't get them to braid in with my hair...'

Heehee... [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img] [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img]

Aredhel Idril Telcontar · 06-23-2003, 10:53 AM

[img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]
Good one. Hehehe. This can be turned into a long and serious debate: do ears grow because of cartilage or because of gravity? Either way, Galadriel's ears cover the distance from Aman to Middle Earth by now
[img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Tinuviel of Denton · 06-23-2003, 09:38 PM

Oh, dear...

Silmiel of Imladris · 06-24-2003, 06:15 PM

I am a little confused but thats OK because I stopped trying to understand people a long time ago. Anyway back to the ag-ing slowly for elves. I do believe that I have read that somewhere in some book along the line but I don't really get it. If elves were to age just slowly they would die after a while like mortals. *Shrugs* [img]smilies/confused.gif[/img] It seems to me that the elves age for awhile and then stop. Well whatever the really answer elves have to age sometime or they would be kids forever. Ok now I am probably making everyone else confused too so I will shut up.

Alatariel Telemnar · 06-24-2003, 07:27 PM

I agree, I think elves age like humans till a certain point where the aging just stops... good idea Silmiel. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Feared Half-Elf · 06-26-2003, 11:57 AM

Are you insinuating (sp?) that my ears will touch the floor? I think I'm, lets see, 3,074 this summer, and my ears haven't grown at all!

the guy who be short · 06-26-2003, 01:34 PM

That's 'cos you're in a movie. [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img] The real legolas will have ears that reach the floor. I'll try and find evidence in a week or so.

elfearz1 · 07-03-2003, 11:28 AM

hahaha you guys are funny. I never really thought about that. And for someone with my screen name, mind you, I do think about Elven Ears alot. hehehe. That's really interesting, I look forward to seeing your proof! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] Although, they are probably right about the slow aging thing.

Gamja · 07-03-2003, 06:32 PM

maybe elven ears' lengths are porportionate (sp?) to their pysical age. For example, elrond happened to be a man, then my guess is that he would be around 40-50 years old. therefore, his lobes aren't that long yet.

if this sin't true, then elven ears are too pure to be lengthened by mere gravity.

Everdawn · 07-07-2003, 04:26 AM

oh my god! I dont even want to think about old elves and their ears! thanks guy who be short! i am going to have nightmares! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

the guy who be short · 07-07-2003, 10:06 AM

Everdawn, why would you have nightmares about elves? Elves cannot be part of a nightmare. Unless they get hit in the nose by a hammer or something... anyway, I have found one piece of writing on the net about this:

Quote:

The ears lengthen slightly (probably caused by cartilage growth).

But thats a "probably"!
Must get proof...

Everdawn · 07-07-2003, 11:16 PM

Im going to have bad dreams about old elves running around with ears dragging along the ground! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] , nah, i will probably just laugh. But yes, it is an interesting view on elvish ears none the less. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Catherine · 07-08-2003, 08:20 PM

Since elves are magical, mystical people who aren't human I dont think that they would have a problem like that.

ElenCala Isil · 07-08-2003, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Don't you mean he? vanish?

wow, this is late.. yes he.. and it might be a somewhat humourous concept if, by the time and elf's ears touched ground they knew it was time to sail off to the undying lands along with all the other long-lobed elves.. or perhaps they measured them, and when they reached a certain length they sailed off to the undying lands.. yes, that could be it.

06-21-2003, 05:42 AM	#1
the guy who be short Shadowed Prince Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Thulcandra Posts: 2,360	A new view on elven ears Now then, look at your ear. See the bit of the lobe under your earhole? Right, good. Now, in say 70 years of living, gravity pulls that bit down. Lets say that somebody who was 70 had 2cm of that earlobe part. A very young elf of only 700 would have 20 centimetres of earlobe, presuming that gravity worked the same before the world was made round. So a 3000 year old elf (leggy) would have abot a metre of earlobe-thingy. And really old elves, like Cirdan, would have their ears down to the ground. Didnt this cause a problem in fighting, and being graceful? did they tie their ears in bows to keep the out of the way? How and what did they do to deal with the situation?

06-21-2003, 08:57 AM	#2
Horse-Maiden of the Shire Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Chillaxin' with Glorfindel-441 miles on the RtR Posts: 1,198	Well, I guess that because they didn't age, their ears didn't age. But if they did, I'd say plastic surgery for all. __________________ "There's a big...machine in the sky...some kind of electric snake...coming straight at us." "Shoot it," said my attorney. "Not yet...I want to study its habits."

06-21-2003, 09:05 AM	#3
merenwen Animated Skeleton Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: in my happy place! Posts: 47	do your ears hang low, do they wobble to and fro. ahem sorry. [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img] yes i'd have to agree with Horse-Maiden on that one. i dont really think they had that problem. __________________ " you are a total... total... a word has yet to be invented to describe how totally whatever it is you are, but you are one, and a total, total one at that!"

06-21-2003, 01:41 PM	#5
Luthien_ Tinuviel Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: May 2002 Location: A very lovely tree-hut in the Chunnel. Posts: 804	I'm actually pretty sure that it has nothing whatsoever to do with gravity. If that was the case, our noses would droop, too. Our fingers might as well. The thing is, the cartilage on one's body continues to grow throughout one's lifetime. This means that your ears grow all your life. It is for this reason that many elderly people have large ears. That's probably the reason (I hope). Elven genentics are probably different, anyway. So I doubt any of this affected them very much. __________________ I am a nineteen-year-old nomad photographer who owns a lemonade stand. You know what? I love Mip.

06-21-2003, 01:50 PM	#6
Meela Denethor's True Love Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Mirkwood. With Thranduil... swoon Posts: 2,070	Didn't Bilbo have rather large ears... Gravity pulls your ears down? giggles makes sense, though. But I keep thinking of Legolas, who is rather bouncy, meaning that he tends to float around, therefore evading the laws of gravity, so his ears are not yet going to grow down. And living so high up a la Celeborn and Galadriel must have evasive qualities... they practically live at the top of the Faraway Tree, and that is pretty darn high. Surely they are reaching the moon by now, meaning there is less gravity. __________________ 'The Hobbit' 1st impressions: 1. Thorin is hot... Oh god, I fancy a dwarf. 2. Thranduil is hotter. 3. Is that... Figwit! 4. Does Elijah Wood never age? 2nd: It's all about Fili & Kili, really. 3rd: BARD! OMG, Bard.

06-21-2003, 09:07 AM	#4
the guy who be short Shadowed Prince Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Thulcandra Posts: 2,360	The elves aged, but only very slowly. However, this ear thing has nothing to do with age, its because of gravity, which pulls down your ear. So if the laws of gravity were the same on the straight world, then every 70 years the elves' ears would grow 2 centimetres. (Thats a rouggh estimateby the way, let me check my grans ears) Yes, I think 2cm in 70 years is about right. It just amuses me how long the elves' ears would get. I guess that once their ears reach the ground theyd stop growing.

06-22-2003, 01:50 PM	#7
Eruwen Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 901	Guy who be short, how do you come up with these ideas anyway? Do questions like this just float around in your head all day? I have to admit though, it did give quite a comic relief to my day when reading. But I would have to agree with Luthien_Tinuviel on this one. [ June 22, 2003: Message edited by: Eruwen ]

06-22-2003, 03:26 PM	#9
Lëowen Haunting Spirit Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: my computer chair, being smothered by my impossibly large cat Posts: 93	You have way too much time on your hands. I don't think elves' ears would grow down to the ground. In stead, what if they grew up? There might be something about the elves that makes their ears defy gravity. Then after 3000 years, they'd have really, really pointy ears. That made no sense. If no one understands that, I'll try to explain better later. [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img] __________________ Be individual! Join the millions of other people also being individual! Prevent Merry Abuse! Join S.A.M!

06-22-2003, 06:05 PM	#10
Alatariel Telemnar Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: watching the ants closing in Posts: 292	That's an interesting theory, but don't the ears point out from the top? So how would that work? __________________ -Ever wonder whats beyond those trees? -More trees. 'Poor ye. Ye're tied to someone who's been photographed trying to shave their hand... My condolences.'

06-22-2003, 06:09 PM	#11
ElenCala Isil Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Somewhere Else Posts: 439	I believe he was referring to the ear lobe in which case, would an elf know that it was ready to vanish if you will when it's ear touched bottom? [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img] [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img] [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] [ July 08, 2003: Message edited by: ElenCala Isil ] __________________ Prevent Merry-abuse today! Join the S.A.M. (That's the Save-A-Merry foundation) Rivendell brought to you by the long lost sister of the guy who be short.

06-23-2003, 08:20 AM	#13
Finwe Deathless Sun Join Date: May 2003 Location: The Royal Suite in the Halls of Mandos Posts: 2,609	I don't think that Elves' bodies worked the same way as ours. After all, they do walk on snow. I don't think their earlobes dragged on the ground if they were as old as Galadriel and Cirdan. But if they did, that would be funny. They'd probably braid them into their hair to hide them or something. __________________ But Melkor also was there, and he came to the house of Fëanor, and there he slew Finwë King of the Noldor before his doors, and spilled the first blood in the Blessed Realm; for Finwë alone had not fled from the horror of the Dark.

06-23-2003, 09:50 AM	#14
Alatariel Telemnar Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: watching the ants closing in Posts: 292	They could... that be funny, Galadriel say something like, 'Celeborn, honey! Can you come help me? I can't fix my ears. I just can't get them to braid in with my hair...' Heehee... [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img] [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img] __________________ -Ever wonder whats beyond those trees? -More trees. 'Poor ye. Ye're tied to someone who's been photographed trying to shave their hand... My condolences.'

06-23-2003, 10:53 AM	#15
Aredhel Idril Telcontar Wight Join Date: May 2003 Location: Hanging on a sheer cliff with Maedhros Posts: 113	[img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] Good one. Hehehe. This can be turned into a long and serious debate: do ears grow because of cartilage or because of gravity? Either way, Galadriel's ears cover the distance from Aman to Middle Earth by now [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] __________________ "I am your sister and not your servant, and beyond your bounds I will go as seems good to me." Tai uzdaryk mane Tevyne savyje/kaip giesme gerkleje mirtis uzdaro/ ir kaip uzdaro vakara naktis/ o Tu man atsakai: as Tavo laisve

06-23-2003, 09:38 PM	#16
Tinuviel of Denton Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Amid the hills and dales of the Shire... or not. Posts: 579	Oh, dear...

06-24-2003, 06:15 PM	#17
Silmiel of Imladris Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Looking into a crystal ball- still see nothing Posts: 395	I am a little confused but thats OK because I stopped trying to understand people a long time ago. Anyway back to the ag-ing slowly for elves. I do believe that I have read that somewhere in some book along the line but I don't really get it. If elves were to age just slowly they would die after a while like mortals. Shrugs [img]smilies/confused.gif[/img] It seems to me that the elves age for awhile and then stop. Well whatever the really answer elves have to age sometime or they would be kids forever. Ok now I am probably making everyone else confused too so I will shut up. __________________ Legolas 20 ales later: I feel something, a slight tingling in my fingers. I think it's affecting me. Figwit on his name: Are you suggesting that I have the wit of a fig?

06-24-2003, 07:27 PM	#18
Alatariel Telemnar Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: watching the ants closing in Posts: 292	I agree, I think elves age like humans till a certain point where the aging just stops... good idea Silmiel. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] __________________ -Ever wonder whats beyond those trees? -More trees. 'Poor ye. Ye're tied to someone who's been photographed trying to shave their hand... My condolences.'

06-26-2003, 11:57 AM	#19
Feared Half-Elf Wight Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Up a tree. Posts: 213	Are you insinuating (sp?) that my ears will touch the floor? I think I'm, lets see, 3,074 this summer, and my ears haven't grown at all! __________________ "You will find the Holy Grail in Castle Aaaaaaahhhhhh leans sideways" Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

06-26-2003, 01:34 PM	#20
the guy who be short Shadowed Prince Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Thulcandra Posts: 2,360	That's 'cos you're in a movie. [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img] The real legolas will have ears that reach the floor. I'll try and find evidence in a week or so.

07-03-2003, 11:28 AM	#21
elfearz1 Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Mirkwood Posts: 261	hahaha you guys are funny. I never really thought about that. And for someone with my screen name, mind you, I do think about Elven Ears alot. hehehe. That's really interesting, I look forward to seeing your proof! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] Although, they are probably right about the slow aging thing. __________________ I didn't eat Merry, i just ate his waistcoat!-Horse maidens dream 915/920 miles. On my way to Lothlorien! ^^Elfearz^^

07-03-2003, 06:32 PM	#22
Gamja Haunting Spirit Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 55	maybe elven ears' lengths are porportionate (sp?) to their pysical age. For example, elrond happened to be a man, then my guess is that he would be around 40-50 years old. therefore, his lobes aren't that long yet. if this sin't true, then elven ears are too pure to be lengthened by mere gravity. __________________ "Ni"-the knights who say "Ni!"

07-07-2003, 04:26 AM	#23
Everdawn Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: On the sand dunes outside of Ilium, watching it burn. Posts: 1,291	oh my god! I dont even want to think about old elves and their ears! thanks guy who be short! i am going to have nightmares! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] __________________ "Athena, stepping up behind him, visible to no one but Achillies, gripped his red-gold hair. Startled he made a half turn, and he knew her upon the instant for Athena." ~The Iliad~ ~My lord, Éomer~

07-07-2003, 11:16 PM	#25
Everdawn Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: On the sand dunes outside of Ilium, watching it burn. Posts: 1,291	Im going to have bad dreams about old elves running around with ears dragging along the ground! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] , nah, i will probably just laugh. But yes, it is an interesting view on elvish ears none the less. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] __________________ "Athena, stepping up behind him, visible to no one but Achillies, gripped his red-gold hair. Startled he made a half turn, and he knew her upon the instant for Athena." ~The Iliad~ ~My lord, Éomer~

07-08-2003, 08:20 PM	#26
Catherine Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Lothlorien Posts: 297	Since elves are magical, mystical people who aren't human I dont think that they would have a problem like that. __________________ ~.:Catherine:.~ "I have never been out of my own land before. And if I had known what the world outside was like. I don't think I should have had the heart to leave it." ~Merry to Haldir in Lothlórien~