The Maker

A title given to Aulë, ranked third in power among the Lords of the Valar, whose province was especially the Earth and materials of which it was made. He delighted in invention and works of skill, and in Valinor the Noldor - who shared the same passions - became his pupils. Indeed, another of Aulë's titles is 'Friend of the Noldor'.

As the title 'Maker' suggests, Aulë played a great part in the making of the world, and indeed he is said to have been responsible for the making of Middle-earth itself. He was also the creator of the race of Dwarves, though he was unable to truly bring them to life without the intervention of Ilúvatar. He made many other things of legend and renown: the Lamps of the Valar were his work, as was the chain Angainor that bound Melkor, as well as the vessels that carried the Sun and Moon through the sky.

Aulë's love of knowledge and skill were always used in the service of Ilúvatar and the other Valar, but this was not true for all of his servants, and at least two of them subverted their knowledge and skill to their own dark ends. Sauron was originally a Maia of Aulë's people who went over to the service of Melkor, and long afterwards another of Aulë's Maiar, known in Middle-earth as Saruman, was tempted to seek for power in his own right.