The Doors of Durin LbNA #15015
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Add Location| Owner: | Donutz716  |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | May 8, 2005 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Marlborough |
| County: | Hartford |
| State: | Connecticut |
| Boxes: | 1 |
| Found by: | Traveln Turtle |
|---|---|
| Last found: | Oct 26, 2012 |
| Status: | FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF |
| Last edited: | Jan 5, 2021 |
Directions and Clues
Checked 1/4/2021 and all is well.
In Marlborough, you’ll need to find where the Blackledge River crosses under Route 66. Near a yellow, round steel gate found down hill from the State Department of Environmental Protection Eastern District Headquarters (you’ll see the Smokey Bear sign), there is a roadside pull-out. Park there and enter the woods by going past the gate. On the other side of the gate, you will see the Old Willimantic Turnpike, an old woods dirt road from the colonial period.
Head north on the old turnpike. Continue straight on this trail. After passing the DEP Salmon River Box, Eagle Eyes and Red Hat letterboxes (may be missing by 2021) continue straight on the main trail until you see an 8 to 10 foot high, 60 to 70 foot long rock outcropping about 40 feet off the left side of the trail. Could this have once been the Gates of Moria built during the Second Age of Middle Earth – long forgotten? At about midpoint on the rock outcropping, about chest height, you will find a small rock shelter. Utter the word “mellon” – the Elvish word for “friend”. If the conditions are just right, the rocks will part to reveal your prize. If not, you will need to physically remove the shelter, but beware of the Cave Troll!
If you received my postal letterbox – Speak Friend and Enter – this is not the same stamp, but is similar. You can count this stamp as a separate find.
Special thanks to Antiboxer2 for helping me plant this box!
About the Doors of Durin – Lord of the Rings:
The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria
The Doors of Durin were the western entrance to Hadhodrond or Khazad- d(o)m, later called Moria. They were built in the Second Age of Middle Earth, probably before Year 1000, at the time when the friendship between the Elves of Eregion and the Dwarves of Khazad-d(o)m was greatest there has ever been between the two peoples.
They stood until 13 January, 3019 Third Age, when the Fellowship of the Ring passed through them, narrowly escaping the Watcher in the Water, which slammed the Doors shut and buried them.
The doors were built in cooperation by the Elves and Dwarves. Narvi, presumably the greatest craftsman of the Dwarves of that time, designed and made the Doors themselves; Celebrimbor, Lord of Eregion and a descendant of Feanor, drew devices on them in _ithildin_: The Emblems of Durin, a hammer and anvil surmounted by a crown with seven stars; (sorry folks, my carving skills could not warrant the stars) The Tree of the High-Elves; and the Star of the House of Feanor. Written on the Doors were the words:
"The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak 'friend' and enter. I, Narvi, made them, Celebrimbor of Hollin drew these signs."
The Doors were so constructed that one could open them from within by pushing on them. According to the Dwarves, the strength of two was needed to do this. The Dwarves always kept a guard inside the doors, so that a single person, or a person trying to escape, could not escape without the help of the guard.
However, there was no way to open them from the outside except by saying the password - then the Doors would open by themselves.
After the Doors were made, they stood open for many years as the Dwarves of Khazad-d(o)m and Celebrimbor's people engaged in trade and various projects to their mutual benefit.
About 1200 Second Age, Sauron, in his guise as Annatar (Lord of Gifts) started to teach the elves of Eregion secrets of putting power into objects. Sauron made the One Ring in about 1600 S. A., and the Elves perceived that they had been tricked and Sauron would enslave them. The War of Sauron and the Elves began, and in 1697 S. A., Celebrimbor was killed and the Elves of Eregion were defeated by Sauron. A host of Dwarves and Elves from Lorien issued through the Doors upon Sauron's rear in the battle, which enabled Elrond to escape, after which the Door were shut against Sauron's army.
The Doors remained shut throughout the Dark Years (i. e. until the end of the Second Age).
The Doors are not mentioned again in history until the time of the Fellowship, although they must have been opened and closed many times by Durin's folk before the Balrog came in 1980 Third Age.
After that, with the brief exception of the occupation of Khazad-d(o)m (now called Moria) by Balin's expedition, they seem to have been closed. When the Fellowship stood before the Doors, no one knew how to open them from the outside.
Gandalf wasted much time and the Fellowship nearly fell victim to the Watcher because he erroneously translated the inscription on the Doors as:
"Speak Friend and Enter."
He concluded that there was a password, but did not realize that the word was in front of him. In the movie, Frodo solved the riddle. Gandolf said "mellon", the Elvish word for friend, and the Doors opened.
Checked 1/4/2021 and all is well.
In Marlborough, you’ll need to find where the Blackledge River crosses under Route 66. Near a yellow, round steel gate found down hill from the State Department of Environmental Protection Eastern District Headquarters (you’ll see the Smokey Bear sign), there is a roadside pull-out. Park there and enter the woods by going past the gate. On the other side of the gate, you will see the Old Willimantic Turnpike, an old woods dirt road from the colonial period.
Head north on the old turnpike. Continue straight on this trail. After passing the DEP Salmon River Box, Eagle Eyes and Red Hat letterboxes (may be missing by 2021) continue straight on the main trail until you see an 8 to 10 foot high, 60 to 70 foot long rock outcropping about 40 feet off the left side of the trail. Could this have once been the Gates of Moria built during the Second Age of Middle Earth – long forgotten? At about midpoint on the rock outcropping, about chest height, you will find a small rock shelter. Utter the word “mellon” – the Elvish word for “friend”. If the conditions are just right, the rocks will part to reveal your prize. If not, you will need to physically remove the shelter, but beware of the Cave Troll!
If you received my postal letterbox – Speak Friend and Enter – this is not the same stamp, but is similar. You can count this stamp as a separate find.
Special thanks to Antiboxer2 for helping me plant this box!
About the Doors of Durin – Lord of the Rings:
The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria
The Doors of Durin were the western entrance to Hadhodrond or Khazad- d(o)m, later called Moria. They were built in the Second Age of Middle Earth, probably before Year 1000, at the time when the friendship between the Elves of Eregion and the Dwarves of Khazad-d(o)m was greatest there has ever been between the two peoples.
They stood until 13 January, 3019 Third Age, when the Fellowship of the Ring passed through them, narrowly escaping the Watcher in the Water, which slammed the Doors shut and buried them.
The doors were built in cooperation by the Elves and Dwarves. Narvi, presumably the greatest craftsman of the Dwarves of that time, designed and made the Doors themselves; Celebrimbor, Lord of Eregion and a descendant of Feanor, drew devices on them in _ithildin_: The Emblems of Durin, a hammer and anvil surmounted by a crown with seven stars; (sorry folks, my carving skills could not warrant the stars) The Tree of the High-Elves; and the Star of the House of Feanor. Written on the Doors were the words:
"The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak 'friend' and enter. I, Narvi, made them, Celebrimbor of Hollin drew these signs."
The Doors were so constructed that one could open them from within by pushing on them. According to the Dwarves, the strength of two was needed to do this. The Dwarves always kept a guard inside the doors, so that a single person, or a person trying to escape, could not escape without the help of the guard.
However, there was no way to open them from the outside except by saying the password - then the Doors would open by themselves.
After the Doors were made, they stood open for many years as the Dwarves of Khazad-d(o)m and Celebrimbor's people engaged in trade and various projects to their mutual benefit.
About 1200 Second Age, Sauron, in his guise as Annatar (Lord of Gifts) started to teach the elves of Eregion secrets of putting power into objects. Sauron made the One Ring in about 1600 S. A., and the Elves perceived that they had been tricked and Sauron would enslave them. The War of Sauron and the Elves began, and in 1697 S. A., Celebrimbor was killed and the Elves of Eregion were defeated by Sauron. A host of Dwarves and Elves from Lorien issued through the Doors upon Sauron's rear in the battle, which enabled Elrond to escape, after which the Door were shut against Sauron's army.
The Doors remained shut throughout the Dark Years (i. e. until the end of the Second Age).
The Doors are not mentioned again in history until the time of the Fellowship, although they must have been opened and closed many times by Durin's folk before the Balrog came in 1980 Third Age.
After that, with the brief exception of the occupation of Khazad-d(o)m (now called Moria) by Balin's expedition, they seem to have been closed. When the Fellowship stood before the Doors, no one knew how to open them from the outside.
Gandalf wasted much time and the Fellowship nearly fell victim to the Watcher because he erroneously translated the inscription on the Doors as:
"Speak Friend and Enter."
He concluded that there was a password, but did not realize that the word was in front of him. In the movie, Frodo solved the riddle. Gandolf said "mellon", the Elvish word for friend, and the Doors opened.