Adamantine is an indestructible mythical metal. In The Gemstone Chronicles, the Elven Sword and the armor that Maggie discovers were both crafted from adamantine. But, what exactly is adamantine and where did the legendary metal originate? Read on and discover what I found out!
What is adamantine?
First, the word adamantine, according to Dictionary.com, means unyielding, firm, or too hard to cut, break, or pierce. The word is from the Greek root word adamas, which means, perhaps, unconquerable or invincible. Fitting that the metal, then, would become synonymous with indestructible!
Surprisingly, I found adamantine (or adamant) mentioned in many different literary works. Our friends over at Wikipedia gave us a number of examples. Here are a few of my favorites:
In the epic Medieval poem The Faerie Queene, Sir Artegal’s sword is adamantine.
In J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of The Rings, Nenya, one of the Three Rings of Power is described as a Ring Of Adamant. There are other mentions throughout the books!
In Greek mythology, Perseus uses an adamantine sword to decapitate Medusa.
John Milton’s Paradise Lost mentions the metal numerous times. The first reference is where Satan is hurled into “bottomless perdition, there to dwell in adamantine chains and penal fire” (lines 47-48).
Adamantine in The Gemstone Chronicles:
I could go on and on, but I think you get the drift. Adamantine, in the context I use it in my books, is a metal that creates indestructible weapons and armor. The Elven Sword, for instance, takes the power from its four gemstones and channels that power to The Diamond . In conjunction with the Elven Bow and its four gemstones, the power maintains the barrier between Celahir and the human world and the balance between good and evil. Maggie uses the armor made from the metal, forged by Valandil Lissesul, to fight the cockatrice. And Aidan finds a use for the Elven Sword, though I won’t tell you what it is! For that, you have to read Book Four: The Ruby!!
Adamantine, real or imagined is still a fascinating metal. Imbued with inherent magical powers, indestructible, and suitable for the weapons of the gods, I think it’s a great addition to The Gemstone Chronicles!!
If you’re a fantasy writer, what kind of awesome weapons do your characters wield? If you’re a reader, what do you think of the weapons in The Gemstone Chronicles? Leave me a comment and let me know!
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Great article, William. I loved the historical references. I always wondered if someone in history had accidentally discovered one of the tougher metals or alloys and called it adamantine. It would be great if archaeologists dug up a hammer or sword forged from a metal so strong that it deserved the name of adamantine.
Hi Susan! I wondered the same thing as I was researching the post. Interestingly, in Europe during the Middle Ages, the term became synonymous with diamonds since that was the hardest known substance. It is amazing what you can find out with a little research!!