Where Are All the Palantirs?

Q: Where Are All the Palantirs?

ANSWER: The history of the Palantíri is most fully explained in the chapter by the same name in Unfinished Tales of Numenor and Middle-earth. There were at least eight of these stones, although a couple of passages suggest there may have been more.

According to “Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age” there was a Masterstone in the “Tower of Avallónë upon Eressëa”:

It is said that the towers of Emyn Beraid were not built indeed by the Exiles of Númenor, but were raised by Gil-galad for Elendil, his friend; and the Seeing Stone of Emyn Beraid was set in Elostirion, the tallest of the towers. Thither Elendil would repair, and thence he would gaze out over the sundering seas, when the yearning of exile was upon him; and it is believed that thus he would at whiles see far away even the Tower of Avallónë upon Eressëa, where the Masterstone abode, and yet abides. These stones were gifts of the Eldar to Amandil, father of Elendil, for the comfort of the Faithful of Númenor in their dark days, when the Elves might come no longer to that land under the shadow of Sauron. They were called the Palantíri, those that watch from afar; but all those that were brought to Middle-earth long ago were lost.

The story says that Elendil had a palantir at Annúminas and another at Amon Sûl; Isildur had one at Minas Ithil and Anarion had a stone at Minas Anor. And they kept a stone at Orthanc. Among the Seven Stones the largest, also called the “master stone” of the group, was kept at Osgiliath.

One-by-one these stones vanished or were lost through the years.

Stone of Osgiliath — This stone, maintained in a tower on the bridge, was lost in the year 1437 when the tower was destroyed by Castamir the Usurper’s forces in the Kin-strife.

Stone of Amon Sûl — This stone was taken by Arvedui in 1973 when he fled north. He also took the Stone of Annúminas with him; both stones were lost when Arvedui and his men perished on the ship Cirdan had sent to rescue them.

Stone of Annúminas — As mentioned above, this stone was lost in 1973. However, it was probably the only one of the stones moved from its original location in the Third Age to be used in another location. It seems unlikely that the Kings of Arthedain would have left it in Annúminas when they moved their seat to Fornost Erain (in the year 861, if not sooner).

Stone of Minas Ithil — This stone was captured by Sauron’s forces when the Nazgul laid siege to and took Minas Ithil in the year 2002. The stone was eventually moved to Barad-dur when Sauron rebuilt his ancient fortress in the 30th century. There it was lost and probably destroyed when Barad-dur collapsed in the wake of the destruction of the One Ring.

Stone of Minas Anor — This stone was left unused after the Ithil stone was captured until Denethor II dared to use it. Denethor died with the stone in his hands as he burned himself on a forbidden pyre; although the stone did not entirely lose its power, it became virtually unusable after Denethor’s death.

Stone of Orthanc — This stone was unused after 2002 until Saruman took control of the fortress. Grima Wormtongue threw the stone out of the tower after the Ents had destroyed the fortress of Isengard; the stone was picked up by Pippin Took, who looked into it and briefly spoke with Sauron. Aragorn later took possession of the stone and used it to distract Sauron from Frodo’s journey into Mordor. Aragorn retained the stone for his use in Minas Tirith (the former Minas Anor).

Stone of Emyn Beraid — According to the chapter on the Palantíri Cirdan placed this stone on board Elrond’s ship at the end of the Third Age. After Elendil’s death, only the Elves of Lindon and Rivendell used it anyway.

# # #

Have you read our other Tolkien and Middle-earth Questions and Answers articles?