Mithril facts for kids

Mithril is a special, imaginary metal from the fantasy world of J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. It's like a super-strong, magical metal that looks a lot like silver.

This amazing metal is known as the strongest in all of Middle-earth. Even though it's incredibly tough, it doesn't weigh much at all. This makes it very easy to shape and use for different things. Mithril is also super rare and very valuable. It was mostly found deep underground in a place called Khazad-dûm, also known as Moria. Dwarves were the main ones who mined for it there. It might have also been found in Númenor.

The name "Mithril" comes from the Sindarin language. The word mith means "grey," and ril means "glitter." So, Mithril means "grey glitter." In another Middle-earth language called Quenya, it was called mistarille. People also sometimes called it "true-silver" or "Moria-silver." One of the most famous items made from Mithril is the mail shirt worn by Bilbo and later by Frodo Baggins. This shirt was light but incredibly strong, protecting them from harm.

Mithril's Impact on Other Stories

Mithril became so popular that many other fantasy writers started using similar ideas in their own stories. You'll often find a strong, magical metal like Mithril in other fictional worlds. Sometimes, its name is changed a little, like mythril or mithral. This shows how much Tolkien's ideas have influenced fantasy books, movies, and games.

Images for kids

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  This drawing shows the Kimberley Diamond Mine in South Africa from 1885. J. R. R. Tolkien, the author of The Lord of the Rings, grew up near deep mines like this one.

See also

In Spanish: Mithril para niños