On Balin's Tomb

[Androthelm]

Another thought while listening to a podcast — the hosts have just mention a criticism Tolkien himself offered of the reproduced art of the runes on Balin's tomb, as it made its way into the published books. Long and short of it seems to be that several "corrections" were made, adjusting Tolkien's original runes to a neater and more standard — but less accurate to his intention — script*.

Has anyone ever heard of this before? And, better yet, does anyone have a source — either for T's exact criticism or to some text which includes a rendition of Tolkien's "original" submitted art?


*to the extent you can call runes a script

[Aikári Salmarinian]

Androthelm: I have heard of it through the additional appendices of the extended movie of Fellowship of the Ring. But a more original source I have not at my disposal. They found out a few things about the Angarthas of Moria on Balin's Tomb. Ref. 5 points to the Peoples of Middle Earth, of Dwarves and Men, page 298-9. But more I cannot tell, I am sorry. I hope someone pops by who can answer this.