Object: Antique candle-holders
Medium: Painted glass with gilt rings
Creator: Unknown
Date of manufacture: 1346 S.R.
Place of creation: Umbar, Harad
Artifact Number: M-h 156
Collection: Permanent
Source: Donated by Aragorn and the Rangers of the North
Glass making has long been a practiced craft in Harad, and these glass candle holders are designed with careful attention to the revered creatures that inhabit Umbar along the coast of Harad. Though the creator is unknown, these candle holders are believed to have been creations that displayed the deep pride the Haradrim possessed towards their ecosystem and lands. Carefully crafted through manipulation of glassware and careful painting, these candle holders are fragile in nature and are intended to support candles with a wider basin at the bottom to catch dripping wax.
Image Copyright Information:
Photograph. ‘Glass Candle Holders.’ Medium: painted glass with gilt rings. Manufacturer: Unknown. Description: Glass candle holders, Egyptian origins. Date: Unknown. Original Owner: Mia Huybrechts. Photographer: Mia Huybrechts. Source of Object: Gift to Mia Huybrechts
Description:
The fertile lands of Harad offer enough sand, soda, and lime to make glass, and as such, glass manipulation and crafting became a quick art for the craftsmen of this region. The Haradrim, the people of the warm and sunny land of Harad, often cultivated artifacts that incorporated the rich biodiversity that inhabited their grassy lands. The coastal region around the harbor of Harad is known as the Havens of Umbar, and its climate offers perfect land and climate for a wide variety of animals to call home, this climate containing dunes, oases, and freshwater havens. Camels, as well as Oliphaunts, are revered by the people of Harad for their use as mounts to move war towers, and are embraced in these glass candle holders. In addition, there is a wide variety of species of birds from Harad that have been memorialized in the first candle holder. These artifacts are often traded around Harad.
The top of the candle holder features a “tube” for the candle to be situated through, held stable by a wider “basin” below. This widened feature allows for the dripping candle wax to be collected, thus eradicating the need for cleaning messes. The glass is quite fragile, and as such, it must be treated with care and caution. The beautiful purple and blue paint that have been used to decorate the glass represents the rich colors of the sky that the sun creates, enough to the point that the Hobbits of the Shire refer to the land of Harad as “the Sunlands”.
Many of the individual tribes of the Haradrim were mutually hostile and became allied in their hostility against Gondor by becoming heralds of darkness and shadow. During the War of the Ring, they were allied with darkness due to the corruption of Sauron. Umber, in particular, was under great siege for years, and due to this, its people suffered from many hardships. These glass candle holders offer a differing perspective into the ability of the Haradrim to create, cultivate, and appreciate life’s beauty. As such, these glass candle holders are priceless artifacts to be cherished and appreciated. After the War of the Ring, Umbar was subdued, cultivating a newfound appreciation for the Men of Harad and for their creations.
The Rangers of the North are known to travel far and wide, and as such often come across a wide variety of artifacts, goods, and treasures. The Rangers of the North that had traveled far to these southern lands brought back these candle holders to Michel Delving. Once in the Michel Delving, it was determined that due to the beauty, exoticness, and functionality of these candle holders, they are worth keeping around. However, due to the fragility of the glass and the pricelessness of the artifacts, they wouldn’t be used often.
Works Cited
“Harad.” Tolkien Gateway, tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Harad#cite_ref-23. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.