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| - Most of the Dwarves of the Blue Mountains lived north of the ruins of the ancient cities of Nogrod and Belegost in a valley called Nan-i-Naugrim (S. "Vale of the Dwarves", Q. "Nanda Naukolieo", Kh."Khazadbizar"). The Vale of Dwarves contained several Dwarf-mines in various states of activity, all gathered under the rule of the king of the Broadbeams (and in the later half of the Third Age, a local lord). In the First Age, the two fathers of the two Ered Luin Dwarf-tribes awoke here. Although the mistake had been made by learned Men of Gondor, the Nan-i-Naugrim was not the site of the ancient Dwarf-cities of Belegost and Nogrod, which lay buried in rubble near the sources of the Little Lune to the south. Perhaps hoping to stymie potential treasure-hunters, the Dwarves kept the true location
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| abstract
| - Most of the Dwarves of the Blue Mountains lived north of the ruins of the ancient cities of Nogrod and Belegost in a valley called Nan-i-Naugrim (S. "Vale of the Dwarves", Q. "Nanda Naukolieo", Kh."Khazadbizar"). The Vale of Dwarves contained several Dwarf-mines in various states of activity, all gathered under the rule of the king of the Broadbeams (and in the later half of the Third Age, a local lord). In the First Age, the two fathers of the two Ered Luin Dwarf-tribes awoke here. Although the mistake had been made by learned Men of Gondor, the Nan-i-Naugrim was not the site of the ancient Dwarf-cities of Belegost and Nogrod, which lay buried in rubble near the sources of the Little Lune to the south. Perhaps hoping to stymie potential treasure-hunters, the Dwarves kept the true location of their ruined fortresses secret. The ruins held bitter memories for them, but they also served as a focus for their long memories and rich traditions. Though greedy, stubborn, bellicose, and solemn, like Dwarves everywhere, these Children of Aule were more somber than most. Their past wars with the Elves now an unhappy memory', King Úri had maintained good relations with Cirdan and his folk in the Grey Havens. The Mountains produced some small veins of gold, but the Dwarves' stapled mining products were the more mundane metals of iron, tin, copper, and lead. The Khazad shiped these products to the Men of Arthedain and Cardolan, working them into beautiful objects for a steep price. The Dwarves also had sent occasional parties of warriors into Arthedain's northern marches to attack the Orc tribes there. Úri had performed this service out of friendship to Arthedain's Kings, and out of hatred of the Orcs. Few Dwarven leaders were so outgoing. The largest mines were Edennogrod (the Broadbeam capital since the Second Age) and Mallost (founded by the Firebeards, like Nornhabar in the Harered Luin). The combined population of the vale numbered at about 7,200 in the mid-Third Age (vastly outnumbering any nearby settlement of Men or Elves). In later years the population diped considerably. Already there were problems with food because of the effects of the Plague on nearby communities of Men. The various mines were all rather independent, but marched to war under the banner of a Hammer surmounted of three Tongues of Flame (a combination of the old symbols of the tribes). The Khazad of the Blue Mountains formed the largest community of Dwarves outside the great subterranean city of Moria. Less secretive than their cousins in the Misty Mountains, the Dwarves of Middle-earth's western shores formed a significant part of the traffic of the [[Great East Road]] and often appear in Fornost and Tharbad. They were the descendants of Úri and Dwálin, but they maintained close ties to the House of Dúrin. Such close cooperation among Dwarvcn houses was rare; indeed, outsiders could no longer distinguish Úri's from Dwálin's Folk. Dwarvish geneologists knew the date when the last Khazad—whose lineage derived purely from either the father of the Third Tribe or that of the Fourth—died. In the eyes of most Dwarves, this obscure point was a technicality. The Ered Luin had been the home of Dwarves since the First Age, when the Dwarves of Nogrod and Belegost worked alongside the Elves. The theft and wars surrounding the great necklace known as the Nauglamir ended the accord between the two races, and misfortune surrounded the Houses of Úri and Dwalin ever after. Nogrod and Belegost were destroyed in the cataclysm that drowned Beleriand, and the Dwarves of the Ered Luin never fully recovered their numbers or stature. Many Dwarves fled to sanctuary at the Dwarf-mansion at Moria , and the few that remained in the Ered Luin forever lost the skill at smithing for which their ancestors were famed. Their mines ceased to produce the fabulous gems they once had, and the flow of gold from the depths diminished to a trickle.
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![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)