Cirth (Elvish Runes)

Cirth — the angular runic script native to Sindarin, adopted by Dwarves as Angerthas Moria and Erebor — with letter tables and famous inscriptions.

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Cirth (kerth in singular; cirth is both singular and plural in some uses) are the angular runic letters native to the Sindarin Elves. While Tengwar was imported from Valinor, Cirth was developed in Beleriand — making it the indigenous Sindarin writing system.

History of Cirth

  • Origins: Devised by the Sindarin Elf Daeron (lore-master of King Thingol of Doriath) in the First Age
  • Design principle: Angular shapes optimized for carving on stone or wood (like Germanic runes)
  • Name: Cirth = Sindarin for "runes" (from a root meaning "cutting")
  • Early use: The Elves of Beleriand; later adopted by Dwarves
  • Dwarvish adaptation: Dwarves modified Cirth extensively; the Dwarvish versions are called Angerthas ("long rune-rows")
    • Angerthas Moria — used in Moria; Balin's tomb inscription
    • Angerthas Erebor — used in the Lonely Mountain by Thorin's company

The Full Cirth Alphabet: Angerthas Daeron

Tolkien devised a full Cirth alphabet called Angerthas Daeron (the "long rune-row of Daeron"). It has ~50 characters:

Cert # Letter Sound Notes
1 p [p]
2 b [b]
3 f [f]
4 v [v]
5 hw [ʍ]
6 m [m]
7 mh/mb [m̥]/[mb]
8 t [t]
9 d [d]
10 th [θ]
11 dh [ð]
12 n [n]
13 ch [x]
14 j [dʒ]
15 sh [ʃ]
16 zh [ʒ]
17 nj [nj]
18 ng [ŋ]
19 c [k]
20 g [g]
21 — —
22 — —
23 l [l]
24 lh [ɬ]
25 r [r]
26 rh [r̥]
27 — —
28 s [s]
29 ss [ss]
30 — —
31–36 vowels (a, e, i, o, u, y) Vowel certh
37–42 additional vowels
43–50 special/rare sounds

Note: The exact numbering and assignments vary between Angerthas Daeron (original Elvish) and Angerthas Moria (Dwarvish version). The table above follows the general Angerthas Daeron structure.

How Cirth Works

Unlike Tengwar (which has a complex diacritical system for vowels), Cirth writes both vowels and consonants as full rune-strokes — much more similar to a normal alphabet.

Key principles:

  • Each certh is a stem with branches or notches on one or both sides
  • Right-side branch: correlates with voiceless stops (p, t, c)
  • Left-side branch: voiced stops (b, d, g)
  • Double branches: fricatives (f, v, th, dh)
  • No branch: nasals, vowels, special characters

Reads left to right (in Tolkien's depictions of Elvish use; Dwarf adaptations vary).

Famous Cirth Inscriptions

Balin's Tomb (Moria)

In The Lord of the Rings, the Fellowship discovers Balin's tomb in Moria. The inscription on the tomb is written in Dwarvish Cirth (Angerthas Moria):

BALIN FUNDINUL UZBAD KHAZADDÛMU "Balin son of Fundin, Lord of Moria"

This is one of the most famous Cirth inscriptions in Tolkien's work.

The Dwarf-map in The Hobbit

Thorin's map in The Hobbit uses Dwarvish runes (Cirth-based) for its text and moon-letter inscriptions. The moon-letters reveal: "Stand by the grey stone when the thrush knocks, and the setting sun with the last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the keyhole."

Cirth vs. Tengwar: Practical Comparison

Feature Cirth Tengwar
Origin Sindarin native (Daeron) Valinorean import (Fëanor)
Letter shape Angular, stroke-based Rounded, elegant curves
Vowel treatment Full letters for vowels Diacritical marks (usually)
Best for Carving, inscription Writing on vellum/paper; calligraphy
Tolkien's examples Balin's tomb, Hobbit map Doors of Durin, Book of Mazarbul
Complexity Moderate High (multiple modes)
Used by Dwarves mainly (in LotR era); originally Elves Elves, Men, Hobbits

Learning Cirth

Cirth is less commonly taught than Tengwar but is simpler in some ways (no modes — just match letter to sound). Resources:

  • Tolkien Gateway: Cirth — complete chart with all certh
  • Omniglot: Cirth — overview and chart
  • The appendices to The Lord of the Rings contain Tolkien's own Cirth tables (Appendix E)

Tolkien's own description in Appendix E of The Return of the King is the authoritative reference for both Cirth and Tengwar.