"Atanatar Alcarin son of Hyarmendacil lived in great splendour, so that men said precious stones are pebbles in Gondor for children to play with."
- The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A I (iv), "Gondor and the Heirs of Anárion"
Atanatar Alcarin (Q. "Father-of-men Glorious") succeeded his father, Ciryaher Hyarmendacil, to the throne when Gondor was at the height of its power. Unlike his vigilant father, however, Atanatar cared little for the security and administration of the realm. He preferred to enrich the cultural life of the South Kingdom and indulge himself in the splendid spoils reaped by his predecessors. Thus, he began the gradual decline of his nation. He ruled as 16th King from T.A. 1149 until T.A. 1226, and was best known for his monumental works and his penchant for opulent celebrations and ceremonies. At the same time he erected triumphal columns and redesigned the royal jewels, he relaxed the Watch on Mordor and unwittingly invited the resurrection of Gondor's enemies.
Principle Items[]
The following items were the hereditary possessions of the Kings of Gondor. All of them except the "Helm of Elendil" were lost when King Eärnur disappeared in T.A. 2050.
- Crown-helm of Gondor – (Helm of Atanatar): white (mithril alloy) helmet of High Helmet design, shaped like a high, pointed dome applied with jewels.
- Helm of House Andúnië: A Númenórean war-helm of the High Helmet design, a stylized high dome with two applied wings of Sea-birds. This was the Helm of Elendil and the original crown of Gondor.
- Mace – (Mace of Anárion): mithril-inlaid eog Holy Mace topped with an inset aquamarine. The gem glowed upon wielder's mental command and, depending on the level of concentration, could emit a bright beam that shone afar. The mace was a originally a slaying-weapon when used against Sea-drakes, Kraken, or Fell-turtles, and was used as the sceptre of Gondor.
- Shield – (Shield of Anarion): gold-and silver-inlaid black ithilnaur shield. Set atop the black metal field, the silver inlay formed the symbol of Gondor: the White Tree and the Seven Stars.