Three Rings - Definition

In J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, the Three Rings of the Elves of Eregion are fictional magical artifacts.

Unlike the other Rings of Power, they were forged by Celebrimbor alone, and were never touched by Sauron.

Names and descriptions of the Three Rings

• Narya, The Ring of Fire, set with a ruby; originally worn by Gil-galad, then by Círdan, who finally gave it to Gandalf.
• Nenya, The Ring of Water, also called the Ring of Adamant, made of mithril with a shimmering white stone; originally worn by Celebrimbor himself but given to Galadriel
• Vilya, The Ring of Air, gold with a sapphire stone; originally worn by Gil-galad but given to Elrond.

They remained hidden and their whereabouts were seldom revealed. Frodo Baggins learned that Nenya was worn by Galadriel, who used it to protect Lórien from attack. Frodo later carelessly revealed this to Aragorn, who reprimanded him for doing so.

The other two rings were revealed at the end of the Third Age, after Frodo destroyed the One Ring, and the Dark Lord Sauron was completely overthrown. It transpired that Elrond had wielded Vilya and Gandalf had wielded Narya.

After the destruction of the One Ring, the Three Rings gradually faded away, and their effects on the world dwindled.