Decoding the Symbols in The Lord of the Rings

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A comprehensive guide to heraldry & symbolism in Middle-earth

Co-authored by Glenn Carreau

Last Updated: February 2, 2026 Fact Checked

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Heraldry Symbols

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Symbolic Figures & Objects

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Christian Symbolism

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To fans of The Lord of the Rings: how much do you know about the symbols associated with the books (and movies)? J.R.R. Tolkien was a master of world-building, which means there’s a rich tapestry of lore connected to every major symbol and emblem in The Lord of the Rings. In this article, we’ll discuss heraldry symbols, symbolic figures and objects, significant literary symbols, and examples of Christian allegory found in Tolkien’s work. Get ready to learn everything you need to know about the symbology of Middle-earth!

Major Symbols in The Lord of the Rings

An illustration of several important symbols from The Lord of the Rings.

Some of the most prominent symbols from The Lord of the Rings include heraldry of Gondor (a white tree with seven stars) and Rohan (a horse over a green background). There’s also the One Ring and the elven script engraved on it, as well as the white Hand of Saruman and the red Eye of Sauron.

Section 1 of 4:

Heraldry Symbols in The Lord of the Rings

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Gandalf the GreyFirst, let’s talk about Gandalf the Grey and his heraldry (as in, the symbol that represents him). In The Fellowship of the Ring, Gandalf carves his rune into a stone on Weathertop: it’s the Cirth rune for the letter “G” on a grey background, with one vertical line and two diagonal lines coming off it, like a backwards “y.”^{[1]
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- In The Lord of the Rings, Cirth is a rune-like script based on real runic alphabets, but changed and adapted by J.R.R. Tolkien.
- Gandalf also uses this symbol in The Hobbit, carving it into Bilbo’s door (to show the dwarves where to go for their meeting).
The dark lord Sauron’s symbol is fairly straightforward, considering Sauron himself exists primarily in the form of a great, flaming eye atop his tower. Meanwhile, Sauron’s heraldry is a large, red eye on a black background, with a black slit for the pupil as well. In The Lord of the Rings, the “Evil Eye” is a symbol of Sauron himself.^{[2]
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Saruman the WhiteOriginally, Saruman’s symbol is the Cirth rune for the letter “S” on a white background—two diagonal lines joined at the ends, like a stylized “<” symbol. However, when Saruman betrays the Council of the Wise and joins forces with Sauron, he becomes “Saruman of Many Colours,” and his heraldry becomes a white hand on a black background.^{[3]
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- The White Hand symbol is, therefore, not only a symbol of Saruman himself but also of his betrayal.
- Additionally, the White Hand is depicted open in a gesture of friendship—representing Saruman’s attempts to disguise his betrayal and still appear to be allied with the forces of good.
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GondorThe heraldry of Gondor is quite recognizable: a white tree in bloom beneath a white crown and seven stars, on a deep blue background. This is significant not only as a symbol of the kingdom of Gondor, but also for Aragorn and his ancestry. This is because the seven stars and crown are symbols of Elendil (the father of Isildur, a past king of Gondor and ancestor of Aragorn).^{[4]
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- In The Return of the King (the book), Aragorn’s royal standard also has the Seven Stars wrought with gems, and the crown wrought with mithril and gold.
- The gems are significant because they represent Arwen, the daughter of Elrond and Aragorn’s love.
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RohanThe sigil of Rohan is a white-and-gold horse over a green background. This heraldry represents Rohan’s history as a nation whose armies primarily ride horses; even the name “Rohan” is derived from the Elvish word for swift horse for riding. Additionally, Rohan’s landscape is mainly grasslands, represented by the green background.^{[5]
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- Rohan’s symbol is also more natural-looking and vibrant than the symbols of Mordor or Saruman’s White Hand of Isengard.
Minas Morgul’s heraldry features a skull and crescent moon over a black background. In The Lord of the Rings, Minas Morgul is inhabited by the Ringwraiths—former Kings of Men consumed by the power of their respective rings and turned into servants of Sauron. Formerly, Minal Morgul was Minas Ithil, its symbol a moon; the skull represents the wraiths corrupting the city with “a ghastly face of death” (as stated in The Return of the King).^{[6]
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Dol AmrothIn The Lord of the Rings, Dol Amroth is a fortress-city situated on the southern shores of Gondor (and thus under Gondor’s sovereignty). Dol Amroth’s heraldry is “the Ship and the Silver Swan”—a white or silver ship sailing the waves, with the image of a swan over it and a blue background. It represents the swan-knights of Dol Amroth as well as the city’s Prince.^{[7]
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- Dol Amroth’s sigil, like that of Gondor, has Elvish influences as well.
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HaradHarad is a land south of Gondor and Mordor, with the Haradrim (its people) being a nation of barbarians—warlike and dangerous, but not innately evil (although they allied with Mordor, fighting against the forces of Gondor and Rohan). Harad’s symbol is a coiled black snake over a red background, drawing some similarities to Mordor’s heraldry, which is also red and black.^{[8]
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- In Harad’s heraldry, the red may represent the southern heat in their nation.
- The snake, meanwhile, is a symbol of evil in Christianity. However, it’s also a contrast to Sauron’s eye or Saruman’s hand; the snake is a living creature, more like Rohan’s horse.
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The Star of ElendilAlso called Elendilmir (“Star of Elendil” in Elven Quenya), the Star of Elendil is the name for a crown-like object consisting of two star-shaped white gems set into mithril fillets. As a symbol of royalty, the Elendilmir was worn on the brows of the Kings of Arnor, and later by Aragorn during the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. ^{[9]
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- There were actually two Elendilmir in the history of Middle-earth, the first of which was worn and lost by Isildur upon his death. Saruman’s trackers later found and delivered the Elendilmir to him.
- The first Elendilmir was later re-discovered in the Tower of Orthanc; Aragorn then wore it on special occasions (and used the second Elendilmir the rest of the time).
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The White TreeThe White Tree of Gondor—which is depicted on Gondor’s heraldry above—also stands on its own as a symbol of Gondor. Images of the tree are worn on the livery of Elendil’s heirs, the guards of Minas Tirith, and Elendil’s standard (as well as Gondor’s royal banner). In the books, although the third White Tree died, Aragorn found a new sapling after becoming king and planted it in the old tree’s place, making the tree a symbol of hope and new beginnings as well.^{[10]
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- The White Tree of Gondor is actually descended from another tree called Galathilion, the Tree of Silver, and the Tree of the High Elves.
- Galathilion was a white tree grown in Valinor, in the Elvish city of Tirion. Its seedlings grew into other trees, and eventually, one of its descendants became the first White Tree of Gondor.
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The Houses of GondolinIn The Book of Lost Tales, Tolkien describes 12 Houses of Gondolin—11 of them entirely Elvish, and one with human ancestry (with Gondolin itself being a secret Elvish city in the First Age of Middle-earth). The Houses of Gondolin each had a unique emblem, similar to European heraldry. These include:^{[11]
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- Folk of the White Wing: A white wing with a deep blue background.
- The House of the Mole: This House had no emblem—just the color black (their helmets and shields were covered with moleskin). It was primarily a skilled mining house.
- The House of the Swallow: A white arrowhead with a deep blue background. This House consisted of the best archers in Gondolin.
- The House of the Heavenly Arch: A circle of jewels in every color on a bright sky-blue background. Fittingly, this House was exceedingly wealthy (and known for its archers).
- The House of the Pillar: A yellow pillar with a red background.
- The House of the Tower: A white monolith with a grey background.
- The House of the Tree: A white tree with a grass-green background. This House used clubs and slings in battle.
- The House of the Golden Flower: A golden flower with a grass-green background.
- The House of the Fountain: Diamonds and gems arranged in the shape of a fountain, with a silver background. Warriors from this House guarded the king’s fountains and the seventh gate of Gondolin.
- The House of the Harp: A white harp with a black background. This House was known for its musicians.
- The House of the Hammer: A hammer and an anvil over a red background, with the hammer striking the anvil and causing sparks to fly. This was the largest House, known for its blacksmithing.
- The House of the King: A yellow sun and red heart surrounded by a white moon, all over a bright blue background.

Section 2 of 4:

Symbolic Figures & Objects in The Lord of the Rings

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The One RingIn The Lord of the Rings, the Ring (as in Sauron’s ring, the one Frodo carries to Mordor) is essentially a symbol for evil itself—and so is the easy-to-recognize elven script engraved on it. Made by Sauron, the Ring is an emblem of his power, malice, and desire to have power over others. Furthermore, the Ring can coax the inner darkness out of anyone, even the best of people, representing weakness, temptation, and submission to another’s will.^{[12]
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- Characters like Gollum and Isildur are both examples of the Ring’s power and what happens when one submits to its power.
- Not only that, but the Ring is capable of affecting anybody in Middle-earth, of any race, not just humanity. This is another indication of the Ring’s true power.
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The Sword of ElendilThe “Sword that was Broken” is a relic that belonged to Elendil, an ancient king and ancestor of Aragorn’s who died in the battle that ended in Sauron’s (temporary) defeat. The blade was shattered during the battle, and its pieces were kept safe for centuries as a reminder of the kingdom that once was. When the sword is remade for Aragorn, it becomes a symbol of his birthright and status as the rightful king of Gondor.^{[13]
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- The sword also mirrors Aragorn’s transformation throughout the series. In the beginning, Aragorn appears unassuming—just a weathered and well-traveled Ranger. Similarly, the blade lies in fragments at the start of the story.
- Later, it’s revealed that Aragorn is actually royalty, descended from the House of Isildur—and when the blade is remade into a magnificent weapon, that’s also when Aragorn steps into his royal birthright.
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Mount DoomMount Doom is where the One Ring was forged, and thus the only place where it can be destroyed as well. This is what sets Frodo’s journey to Mount Doom in motion, and Mount Doom also becomes Frodo’s most difficult challenge. For all the obstacles he endures over the course of his journey, Mount Doom represents his final “test” of sorts—a test that Frodo ultimately fails.
- Even though the Ring is destroyed, it isn’t by Frodo’s choice; rather, it’s because he and Gollum fight over it after Frodo decides to keep it.
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WaterWater is a recurring motif in The Lord of the Rings, and a force representing healing and salvation that saves the lives of multiple characters. Gandalf and Aragorn both have falls that should be fatal, only to be saved by landing in water. Similarly, water is what sweeps the Nazgul away in the flood, allowing Arwen to bring Frodo safely to Rivendell.
- Saruman loses his power when the nearby dam breaks, flooding the area.
- When the elves leave Middle-earth, they sail away on a body of water.
- Additionally, Boromir’s body is set adrift on a river, evoking the idea that his memory will linger even though he himself is dead.
Galadriel’s mirror is the object she peers into—and invites Frodo and Sam to do the same—to see visions of the past, present, and possible future. However, there’s no way to control what the mirror shows a person, or tell when exactly the visions take place. Thus, the mirror is a symbol of knowledge and fate, as well as how ambiguous and difficult to understand those things can be.^{[14]
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Section 3 of 4:

Christian Symbolism in The Lord of the Rings

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Gandalf’s death and resurrection are a form of Christian symbolism. In The Fellowship of the Ring, Gandalf makes an enormous sacrifice, choosing to face the Balrog on the Bridge of Khazad-dûm while the rest of the fellowship escapes. In the fight, he falls from the bridge and uses the last of his power to kill the Balrog. Although he’s dying, the Valar decide that he still has more to do—and he returns to life as Gandalf the White.^{[15]
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- Gandalf’s apparent death and resurrection mirror that of Christ in the Bible, from his sacrifice and fall into darkness to his return in a new form.
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Aragorn is another Christ-like figure in The Lord of the Rings. He’s a man of the people, starting as a Ranger called “Strider” and traveling the land to protect it as best he can. And, in The Return of the King, Aragorn figuratively dies when he willingly enters the Path of the Dead (to summon the ancient traitors and get them to fulfill their oath to Gondor). Despite traveling to a place filled with death, Aragorn emerges victorious and uses his army to save Gondor from evil.^{[16]
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- Aragorn’s return to Gondor as king leads to a period of peace and prosperity in Middle-earth, drawing parallels to the Christian prediction that Christ will return to the world to rescue the faithful (another “return of the king”).
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Frodo also undergoes a Christ-like journey throughout the story. Frodo Baggins is the final example of a character with Christ-like traits, which are reflected throughout his journey. In The Fellowship of the Ring, Frodo (like Aragorn) symbolically dies when stabbed by the Morgul-knife on Weathertop. He returns from “death” after being healed by Elrond, and proceeds to embark on a quest to save Middle-earth from Sauron.^{[17]
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- Frodo’s painful, perilous walk to Mount Doom also mirrors Jesus’s walk to Golgotha (where he was crucified).
- In this way, Frodo’s companion Samwise is also a parallel to Simon of Cyrene, who carried Jesus’s cross to Golgotha for him.
- Finally, Jesus ascends to heaven after his death and resurrection. Similarly, after his journey on Middle-earth ends, Frodo leaves forever to live in the Undying Lands.