View allAll Photos Tagged Tolkien
A Snaga Orc, seemingly having confused "Middle Ages" with "Middle-earth", during the medieval festival "Knights, Minstrels, Cut-purses" at Hilpoltstein Castle, Hilpoltstein, Franconia (Bavaria)
Some background information:
An orc or ork is a fictional humanoid creature that is part of a fantasy race akin to goblins. While the overall concept of orcs draws on a variety of pre-existing mythology, the main conception of the creatures stems from the fantasy writings of J. R. R. Tolkien, in particular "The Lord of the Rings". In Tolkien's works, orcs are a brutish, aggressive, repulsive and generally malevolent species, existing in stark contrast with the benevolent Elvish race and generally pressed into the service of an evil power. They fight ferociously as long as the guiding will of Sauron compels or directs them.
Orcs are of human shape and varying size. They are depicted as ugly and filthy, with a taste for human flesh. Tolkien himself describes them as "squat, broad, flat-nosed, sallow-skinned, with wide mouths and slant eyes". Snaga Orcs are the most widespread subspecies of Orcs. They are quite small and therefore treated by the much taller and stronger Uruk-hai as lesser Orcs.
Hilpoltstein Castle is the ruin of a hill castle on a sandstone rock. It is located in the old town of Hilpoltstein in Middle Franconia in the federal state of Bavaria, about 30 km (19 miles) south of the city of Nuremberg.
The castle dates back to the 10th century, as archaeologists have found evidences for a first fortification already at that time. However the hill castle, as we know it today, was most likely built not before 1100. In 1109, it was first mentioned in a document. In 1154, the castle was named "castellum dicto Stein", which refers to its founders, the Knights von Stein.
Between 1220 and 1230 the great hall and the keep were built. In 1250 the imperial ministerialis Heinrich von Stein pushed on with the further expansion of the castle. He passed the stronghold on to his son Hilpolt I, who also became its name giver. After the death of Hilpolt V in 1385, Hilpoltstein Castle was acquired by the House of Wittelsbach, but not for a long time. Further owners over the next two centuries were the Dukes of Bayern-Landshut and the Dukes of Pfalz-Neuburg.
In 1606, Dutchess Maria Dorothea, who was the widow of Duke Ottheinrich II of Sulzbach, the patriarch of a branch line of the House of Pfalz-Neuburg, chose the castle as her residence. Hence Hilpoltstein Castle was extended again. But after her death in 1639, the estate was abandoned.
In 1793 it was acquired by private persons, who used it as a stone quarry. In 1972, the administrative district of Roth took possession of the meanwhile badly damaged castle and in 1989, the administrative district began to realise extensive measures of protection.
Hilpoltstein Castle can be visited between April and October each year. Every year in May it is the venue of three-day medieval festival "Knights, Minstrels, Cut-purses", where people dress themselves up as medieval citizens and act out their romantic imagination of the Middle Ages.
The town of Hilpoltstein has a population of more than 13,000 and is situated in the administrative district of Roth in Northern Bavaria. The history of the town also dates back to the 10th century. In 1392, Duke Stephan of Bayern-Landshut approved the town privilege of Hilpoltstein. In 1505 Hilpoltstein was attributed to the princedom of Pfalz-Neuburg and in 1542 it was pledged to the free imperial city of Nuremberg for the following 36 years. After this period of time Duke Philipp Ludwig of Pfalz-Neuburg bequeathed both town and castle to his brother Ottheinrich II. After the death of Dutchess Maria Dorothea in 1639, who had chosen Hilpolstein as her place of residence, the castle derelicted and in the following years also the town lost its status as a ducal seat.
In 1799, Hilpolstein was awarded to the Electorate of Bavaria. Due to a boundary adjustment between the Upper Palatinate and Middle Franconia in 1880, the town was affiliated to Middle Franconia. Until 1972 Hilpoltstein was the administrative centre of the administrative district of Hilpoltstein, but has lost this function in the course of local government reorganisation.
J.R.R. Tolkien - The Hobbit or There and Back Again
Unwin Paperbacks, n.d. ca. 1975
Cover Artist: J.R.R. Tolkien
En la tierra de Mordor, donde habitan las sombras..(J.J. Tolkien)
Hay dias en que parece que las fuerzas del maligno de Tolkien realmente existen y están en el tajo ("hay trabajo que hacer.." decía el jefe de los orcos a Saruman). Tu hijo tiene fiebre, tu amigo enferma, se muere un vecino, el calor no te deja domir..Sin enbargo al dia siguiente sale el Sol y se abre paso entre las nubes.
There are days when it seems like the forces of Tolkien's evil one really exist and are at the job (" there is work to be done.." said the head of the orcs to Saruman). Your child has fever, your best friend is ill, a neighbor dies, the heat does not let you sleep..Nevertheless next day the Sun rises and shows through the clouds.
My entry for round 1 of the Middle Earth LEGO Olympics:
The Road goes ever on and on
Out from the door where it began,
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
Let others follow it who can!
Let them a journey new begin,
But I at last with weary feet
Will turn towards the lighted inn,
My evening-rest and sleep to meet.
Barad-dur (the Eye of Sauron) and the tower of Orthanc (tower of Isengard). Made for my microscale map of Middle-Earth.
"The Hobbit" by J.R.R.Tolkien
Puffin first edition published by Penguin in 1961
Illustrations by Pauline Baynes
Ascended the hill a sweaty aching mess. Looked at a phenomenal view right out of "The hobbit" then, an old man and a boy enter the scene, he is strong, steady and gradually making his way down, the boy darts past him, "Wait for you grand pa!" he bellows after him. It was magic. The trusty 20d was suspended from my neck and I captured about 5 shots ( think i missed the moment i wanted by a nano-second) but i still think i captured the mood..
A redwork design I did for my dad, who wanted this quote embroidered. I think it needs a better frame/framing job, but we'll see how he likes it.
Tree redwork design from here (http://www.needlenthread.com/2009/01/free-blackwork-pattern-for-my-whitework.html)
and lettering put together in PCStitch.
I'm going to try and match some of my photos with poems this month, wish me luck!
Cat
The fat cat on the mat
may seem to dream
of nice mice that suffice
for him, or cream;
but he free, maybe,
walks in thought
unbowed, proud, where loud
roared and fought
his kin, lean and slim,
or deep in den
in the East feasted on beasts
and tender men.
The giant lion with iron
claw in paw,
and huge ruthless tooth
in gory jaw;
the pard dark-starred,
fleet upon feet,
that oft soft from aloft
leaps upon his meat
where woods loom in gloom --
far now they be,
fierce and free,
and tamed is he;
but fat cat on the mat
kept as a pet
he does not forget.
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien
This bust of the author JRR Tolkien is located high on the wall close to the entrance to Exeter Colege Chapel, Oxford. The inscription reads:
JRR Tolkien
1892 - 1973
Faith Tolkien
b.1928
Sculpted this portrait
of her Father-in-law
in 1977.
Renowned for his high fantasy novels; The Hobbit & Lord of the Rings Tolkien graduated from Exeter College with a first class honours degree in English Language and Literature and became a Professor at Oxford's Pembroke College. He was a member of "The Inklings" as was his close friend C.S.Lewis.
"Understanding Tolkien and the Lord of the Rings," by William Ready. Warner Paperback Library.
Back in the days when even casual readers appreciated a little help from scholars. Paperback edition of a well-known commentary.
Azog on his white warg (not in this wave's set) together with an orc on the dark brown warg from 79012 Mirkwood Elf Army.
Organized a photo shoot with my Tolkien group's cosplayers and my photo group Lomomanila. We used a bunch of toycameras in this shoot, but we took shots with digital cameras as well.
These are the first few shots, all from my digital camera.
This group of trees, with their gnarly roots, inspired J.R.R. Tolkien to write The Hobbit. At least that is what our guide told us... (Avebury Henge, England)