Which fictional artifact is central to J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings?

The One Ring is the fictional artifact central to J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. Sauron forged it in the fires of Mount Doom to control the other Rings of Power and extend his domination over Middle-earth.

The Ring’s power is linked directly to Sauron because he placed much of his own strength into its making. It can amplify the abilities of powerful beings, but it also corrupts those who try to possess or use it. Its main ability for ordinary wearers is invisibility, although the wearer becomes visible in the wraith-world to beings such as the Nazgûl.

Frodo Baggins is entrusted with carrying the Ring to Mount Doom, where it can be destroyed. The quest is difficult because the Ring cannot safely be wielded against Sauron; it must be unmade in the same volcanic fire that forged it. The One Ring should not be confused with the Arkenstone, a precious jewel in The Hobbit, or the Silmarils, jewels from Tolkien’s earlier mythology.