One of a pair of iron-cutting swords forged by Eöl, the Dark Elf, from an iron meteorite. Anguirel's mate was Anglachel, which Eöl gave to Thingol in payment for leave to dwell in Nan Elmoth, and that sword went on to perform many mighty deeds - reforged as Gurthang, it was the sword that Túrin used to kill Glaurung.
Anguirel's history is far more mysterious. The only specific detail we have is that Eöl kept it for himself, but it was stolen by his son Maeglin. This must have happened when Maeglin and his mother Aredhel fled Nan Elmoth for Gondolin, so presumably the sword was taken to Turgon's Hidden City. What became of it after that is unknown.
Notes
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We know that Anguirel had been made by Eöl before he settled in Nan Elmoth (because he gave its mate Anglachel to Thingol in payment for dwelling there). This cannot have been later than about I 300 (because Aredhel found Eöl in Nan Elmoth shortly after that date), but it is implied that he had already dwelt there alone for many years, in turn suggesting that the swords were made before the rising of the Sun and Moon.
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The elements ang and el are clearly interpretable as 'iron' and 'star', respectively. The -uir- element is less sure, but it is probably related to the Sindarin word for 'heat' or 'fire', hence 'fiery' in the translation above. This is supported by the fact that the sword's mate Anglachel had a name that meant 'iron of the flaming star'. Both names are references to the fact that the swords were forged from meteoric iron.
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- Updated 25 June 2010
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