Sylphs
Sylphs were creatures only mentioned fleetingly in the earliest versions of the legendarium and nomenclature by the Eldar.
Characteristics and divisions
The sylphs were part of what apparently was a three-fold division of the lesser Ainu spirits: sylphs (spirits of the air), sprites (spirits of the earth), and water spirits.
Manwë had "two clans of air-spirits", a basic division of two groups of sylphs which, with their Elvish names, are given as follow:
- Qenya Mánir (or Mānir): "spirits of the air"; Gnomish môna or môni
- Qenya Súruli/Sūruli, also Suluthrim) (sing. Sūru): "spirits of the winds"; Gnomish Sulus (pl. Sulussin)
An individual Súru mentioned by name was Ilinsor, steersman of the Moon. Ilinsor "loved the snows and the starlight and aided Varda in many of her works".
Commentary
It has been suggested that the concept "air spirits" is used "metaphorically [...] for the winds that these spirits govern".
Other versions of the legendarium
Sylphs are not mentioned in the later versions of the legendarium. Many of the classes of beings references in The Book of Lost Tales were superseded by the concept of the Maiar, which were not introduced until the reworking of the Annals of Valinor into the Annals of Aman.
Inspiration
Patrick H. Wynne and Christopher Gilson have noted that Tolkien's use of sylphs (and related spirits) is likely influenced by Paracelsus's chart of four elementals: sylphs (air), pygmies or gnomes (earth), nymphs (water), and salamanders (fire).
Referencias
1. Esta ficha se ha importado inicialmente de TolkienGateway.net el día 30/05/2026.
