Another Chain of Custody: Possessors of the Silmarils
Some time ago, I put together a complete and overly pedantic chain of custody for the One Ring: https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2020/05/07/a-chain-of-custody-listing-the-ringbearers/
Today, I decided to match that, by doing something similar for the Silmarils. In the interests of clarity, I will be using the text as it appears in the published Silmarillion of 1977 – which means Christopher Tolkien’s reconstructed Ruin of Doriath.
The dates are taken from the Annals of Aman (HOME X, pp.94-96., and pp.98-108.), the Grey Annals (HOME XI, p..63-69.), and The Tale of Years (HOME XI, pp.350-351.). Note that Christopher Tolkien’s reconstruction is not entirely consistent with the Tale of Years, where Melian takes the Silmaril to Lúthien after Thingol’s death. To resolve this, I have placed the events of the published Silmarillion into the timeline otherwise intended for the Ruin of Doriath.
The First Silmaril
| NAME | Year Obtained | Year Lost/Surrendered | Length of Possession | Additional Notes |
| Fëanáro (Fëanor) | Y.T. 1450 (created) | Y.T. 1495 | 45 Valian Years | Silmarils hallowed by Varda (Y.T. 1450), relocated from Tirion to Formenos (Y.T. 1490), and stolen from Formenos by Melkor and Ungoliant (Y.T. 1495). |
| Melkor (Morgoth) | Y.T. 1495 | Y.S. 466 | 5 Valian Years + 466 Years of the Sun | Silmarils taken from Formenos to Angband. Morgoth forged the Iron Crown (The Silmarillion, p.95.), and put in it the three Silmarils. |
| Beren | Y.S. 466 | Y.S. 466 | < 1 day | Silmaril cut from Iron Crown by Beren using Angrist. Beren took the Silmaril from Morgoth’s throne-room up to the Gates of Angband. |
| Carcharoth | Y.S. 466 | Y.S. 466 | < 1 year | Bit off Beren’s hand, swallowing the Silmaril. Fled from Angband to Doriath. |
| Mablung | Y.S. 466 | Y.S. 466 | < 1 day | Carcharoth slain by Huan. Silmaril taken from the Wolf’s stomach by Mablung, and given to Beren. |
| Beren | Y.S. 466 | Y.S. 466 | < 1 day | Silmaril given to Thingol in completion of his Quest. |
| Elwë (Thingol) | Y.S. 466 | Y.S. 503 | 37 years | Took Silmaril to Menegroth. Hired craftsmen of Nogrod to place the Silmaril in the Nauglamír. |
| Dwarves of Nogrod | Y.S. 503 | Y.S. 503 | < 1 year | Slew Thingol. Silmaril-Nauglamír taken from Menegroth along eastwards road. |
| Unknown Sindarin Elf of Doriath | Y.S. 503 | Y.S. 503 | < 1 year | Dwarves slain by Elves of Doriath. Silmaril-Nauglamír taken back to Menegroth and given to Melian. |
| Melian | Y.S. 503 | Y.S. 503 | < 1 year | Entrusted Silmaril-Nauglamír to Mablung before departing from Beleriand. |
| Mablung | Y.S. 503 | Y.S. 503 | < 1 year | Silmaril-Nauglamír kept in treasury of Menegroth. Mablung slain by the Dwarves of Nogrod before the doors of the treasury. |
| Dwarves of Nogrod | Y.S. 503 | Y.S. 503 | < 1 year | Silmaril-Nauglamír taken from Menegroth to Sarn Athrad. Dwarves slain by Beren, Green-Elves, and Ents. |
| Beren | Y.S. 503 | Y.S. 503 | < 1 year | Slew the Lord of Nogrod (Naugladur, as per The Book of Lost Tales), and took the item from him. Silmaril-Nauglamír taken from Sarn Athrad to Tol Galen. |
| Lúthien | Y.S. 503 | Y.S. 503 | < 1 year | Wore Silmaril-Nauglamír in Tol Galen until autumn. |
| Unknown Lord of the Green Elves | Y.S. 503 | Y.S. 503 | < 1 year | Silmaril-Nauglamír taken from Tol Galen to Dior in Menegroth. |
| Dior Eluchíl | Y.S. 503 | Y.S. 506 | 3 years | Wore Silmaril-Nauglamír in Menegroth. Slain during Yule by the Sons of Fëanor. |
| Elwing | Y.S. 506 | Y.S. 538 | 32 years | Took Silmaril from Menegroth to the Havens of Sirion, and thence leapt into the Sea. Took Silmaril to Eärendil. |
| Eärendil | Y.S. 538 | Current possessor | A long time. | Took Silmaril across the Sea to Valinor, and thence into the skies. |
The Second Silmaril
Here the additional source is the Tale of Years (HOME XI, pp.345-346.)
NAME | Year obtained | Year Lost/Surrendered | Length of Possession | Additional Notes |
| Fëanáro (Fëanor) | Y.T. 1450 (created) | Y.T. 1495 | 45 Valian Years | Silmarils hallowed by Varda (Y.T. 1450), relocated from Tirion to Formenos (Y.T. 1490), and stolen from Formenos by Melkor and Ungoliant (Y.T. 1495). |
| Melkor (Morgoth) | Y.T. 1495 | Y.S. 587 | 5 Valian Years + 587 Years of the Sun | Silmarils taken from Formenos to Angband. Morgoth forged the Iron Crown (The Silmarillion, p.95.), and put in it the three Silmarils. Beren failed to take this Silmaril in Y.S. 466. |
| Eönwë | Y.S. 587 | Y.S. 587 | < 1 year | Took Silmaril from the Iron Crown after Morgoth’s defeat, and held it for safekeeping, pending the judgement of the Valar. |
| Maedhros | Y.S. 587 | Y.S. 587 | < 1 year | Reclaimed Silmaril from Eönwë. Silmaril burned his hand. In despair, Maedhros threw himself and the Silmaril into a fiery chasm. |
| None | Y.S. 587 | Currently situated | A long time. | Lost in the underground fires of the Earth. |
The Third Silmaril
Additional sources as with Second Silmaril.
NAME | Year obtained | Year Lost/Surrendered | Length of Possession | Additional Notes |
| Fëanáro (Fëanor) | Y.T. 1450 (created) | Y.T. 1495 | 45 Valian Years | Silmarils hallowed by Varda (Y.T. 1450), relocated from Tirion to Formenos (Y.T. 1490), and stolen from Formenos by Melkor and Ungoliant (Y.T. 1495). |
| Melkor (Morgoth) | Y.T. 1495 | Y.S. 587 | 5 Valian Years + 587 Years of the Sun | Silmarils taken from Formenos to Angband. Morgoth forged the Iron Crown (The Silmarillion, p.95.), and put in it the three Silmarils. Beren failed to take this Silmaril in Y.S. 466. |
| Eönwë | Y.S. 587 | Y.S. 587 | < 1 year | Took Silmaril from the Iron Crown after Morgoth’s defeat, and held it for safekeeping, pending the judgement of the Valar. |
| Maglor | Y.S. 587 | Y.S. 587 | < 1 year | Reclaimed Silmaril from Eönwë. Silmaril burned his hands. In despair, Maglor threw the Silmaril into the Sea. |
| None | Y.S. 587 | Currently situated | A long time. | Lost in the depths of the Sea. |
A Phuulish Fellow 