The New Notion Club Archives
Advertisement
The New Notion Club Archives
Wagon

In Middle-Earth, a tinker was a travelling craftsman, especially a copperworker, bartering with tinware such as pots and pans or who repaired cauldrons but may be skilled in many other types of handicraft and small trade. Tinkers were often looked down upon as Rogues.

The Tinker-folk[]

The Tinkers have their origins in displaced commoners of Eriador, mostly of Rhudaur and Cardolan, who lost their homes to the forces of Angmar during the wars in the North.

The Tinkers developed a nomadic culture of their own. Sometimes, the Kings of Arthedain, and later the Rangers of the North, offered to resettle them, but they would often refuse. The Tinkers viewed all land as belonging to all Free Peoples, though in practice many peoples of Eriador, such as the Shirefolk, the Dwarves of the Blue Mountains, the Elves of Rivendell and the Grey Havens, and the Men of Bree-land preferred to keep to themselves. Complaints about their trespassing led to vagrancy laws being passed, which made them more stigmatized. They could typically make some coin through odd jobs in Bree, but had conflicts with the Rangers and Bounders if they tried to enter the Shire. In spite of their ill reputation, they were very important to trade in the sparse and isolated lands of Eriador following the fall of Arthedain. Some Tinkers traveled as far south as the northern boundaries of Gondor, although this was rare, as it was common for them to be attacked by Dunlendings at various times.

They did believe in Eru in a rather abstract sense, and had some notion of Authorities like the men of Bree and the Hobbits of the Shire, though some of their traditions and folk beliefs harkened back to the "pagan" understanding of the Valar by their ancestors. All Tinkers knew Westron and usually spoke it among themselves, though they also spoke the "Tinker-tongue", a creole of Westron and several indigenous languages of Eriador, commonly used to communicate in a way that would exclude others from the conversation.

Other Tinkers[]

Some not of the Tinker-folk also worked to mend items or sell things, and would travel from place to place for an odd job. They were sometimes called peddlers to distinguish themselves from the Tinker-folk. These were most often Men of Bree or closely related groups, with a rare few from elsewhere sometimes taking up the trade, such as adventurous Hobbit-lads and lasses from the Shire, or even sometimes those from the least prestigious families in the Angle.

See also[]

speculations[]

The many tribes of Tomb Robbers, Traders and maybe the Eglain of LOTRO could be interpreted as part of the Eriadorian Tinker-folk.

Roleplaying[]

In Rolemaster Tinker is a playable profession. A similar profession is the Gypsy.

Advertisement