#adding archaeologist dwarves to my list of things i want to draw

[matrose]

Hello! I hope you're having a lovely day. I really enjoy all the gorgeous art you create especially for lotr. You have some wonderful visions of those characters and your art style is filled with so much warmth. -- Do you have any thoughts on dwarves as archaeologists, particularly in the fourth age? I’m picturing the return to Khazad-dûm triggering a wave of new found passion for archaeology as they uncover long forgotten heirlooms, artwork and signs of the lives of their people. 1/2

The first grand construction in Khazad-dûm is a museum and there are debates about whether some ruins should be preserved as they are or restored. Eventually their interests expand beyond dwarven archaeology and expeditions begin starting in Eregion and then expanding into Arnor, Eriador and beyond. 2/2

Hi!!!!!!! Hello!!!!! thank you so so much for your kind words and your wonderful thoughts!!! ill be honest — the first thought i had about archaeology in middle-earth involved underwater archaeology. the sunken cultures of beleriand and numenor are just begging for that! sadly this does not go well with the general opinion most dwarves seem to have on water, though im sure a few very dedicated fourth age dwarven archaeologists would not let themselves be stopped by that!

eregion is so great for archaeology too im sure — in general there are so many ruins in all of middle earth, i can imagine there is atleast one dwarf whos passion is recreating all those grand buildings into mini models for a private collection or even an exhibition… legolas says the elves of eregion left not many traces but the stones sing of them still, and who better to examine those stones and listen to their stories than a dwarf !!!!

and i loooove the idea of dwarven museums. they already have so much appreciation and admiration for the past and their ancestors (which they are so often out of touch with due to the almost constant displacement they seem to keep experiencing), it would make so much sense for them to get to establish a museum in peaceful days ❤️ a bit of inspiration perhaps taken by the hobbits who do have museums but generally regard them as useless if i remember correctly (😭)… and speaking of hobbits and your idea of the dwarves expending their archaeology into different regions, i could see them excavating the village smeagol came from — they seemed to have had a very waterbased lifestyle

and i could picture them maybe living in stilt houses/pile dwellings (pictured here are reconstructions of stilt houses from the bronzeage, in the bodensee, germany) which they dwarves could unearth and then perhaps ALSO reconstruct as a fun project. sorry to the poor dwarves, its so waterbased again!!

also! helms deep and the glittering caves have a particularly rich history with the rohirrim! im not sure if gimli himself would be an archaeologist (he definitely has the passion for the past, but maybe he would be too busy 😔) but dwarves of aglarond could definitely work with the rohirrim to uncover more tracks of their ancestors. who knows what other caves lie in the mountains, where humans may have lived once!: ancient burial sites, part time dwellings, hiding places during conflicts, etc. though this would have to have been a long long time before , since the rohirrim have a long line of barrow-burials. but im sure theres lots to be found in the caves!!!

speaking of BARROWS ! those barrows in arnor maybe be haunted but listen. there are things to uncover and learn about the past. maybe they barrow-wights wont be as mad if they just dont commit grave-robbery and they can catalogue the findings and illustrate them… maybe…?🥺 it would certainly make great business for bree to have all these archaeologist dwarves come through trying to keep literal ghosts at bay long enough to properly sketch a funnelbeaker. ❤️ theres sooo many possibilities here !! thank you for sending these asks and i love u and feel free to dm me anytime ❤️❤️❤️ i hope you have a wonderful day as well!