In J.R.R. Tolkien’s mythology, what are the three Silmarils made from?
Answer
The light of the Two Trees
In J.R.R. Tolkien’s mythology, the three Silmarils are made from the light of the Two Trees.
The craftsman Fëanor creates the Silmarils, three jewels that preserve the blended light of Telperion and Laurelin, the Two Trees of Valinor. Their brilliance makes them the greatest works of craftsmanship in the history of the Elves.
Morgoth steals the jewels after destroying the Two Trees with the giant spider Ungoliant. Fëanor and his sons then swear an oath to recover them, setting off the tragic wars and exiles described in the Quenta Silmarillion.
The Silmarils are not merely valuable gemstones. Their beauty, sacred origin, and resistance to corruption make them central to the moral and political conflicts of the First Age. The later fate of the jewels also connects them to land, sea, and sky.