Pygmies

Pygmies was a term used in relation to the height and intelligence of peoples and creatures.The Nature of Middle-earth, Part Two: Body, Mind and Spirit, "VI. Descriptions of Characters"
==History==
After the Awakening of Men during the First Age, a group known as the Drúedain did not rise that much above the state of pygmies.
During the late First Age, Eärendil set sail in Vingilot and had many voyages in his quest to reach Valinor. During one of these voyages, Vingilot was driven south by the wind into dark regions and fire-mountains where he encountered some people or creatures called pygmies in addition to Sun-dwellers, Tree-men, and Sarqindi.The History of Middle-earth, The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, "The Tale of Eärendel", pg. 254
Sometime during or after the Fourth Age, Hobbits "relapsed into the state of 'pygmies'" after some Men drove them from their lands, making them afraid of being seen since they were hunted like animals, with future generations scarcely reaching a height of three feet tallThe Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "Prologue: Concerning Hobbits".
==In other versions==
In an early linguistic text, pygmies were classified as Earthlings along with Dwarves and Giants. In the same text, Pygmies were referred to as pilkir in Qenya; this word was likely derived from PIKI ("small"), a Qenya root.Parma Eldalamberon XIV, "The Creatures of the Earth", "Early Qenya and The Valmaric Script", pgs. 7, 9
In an early draft of The Hobbit, after Thorin and Company was saved by the Eagles, Tolkien wrote an outline of potential ideas on some loose paper, mentioning pygmies in the second line: "Mirkwood & <pygmies>".The History of The Hobbit: Mr Baggins and Return to Bag-End, The Second Phase: "VII. Medwed"
==Background==
In a reply to a letter, Tolkien denied that his Hobbits were consciously inspired by pygmies. Despite this, however, Tolkien was skeptical of whether any influence was subconscious or conscious.The History of The Hobbit: Mr Baggins and Return to Bag-End, Appendices: "II. Tolkien's Letter to the Observer (The Hobyahs)"
In a reply to a different letter, Tolkien mentioned "pygmies of the African forest".The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, Letter 181
==References==
Category:Characters of unspecified race
Category:Concepts & principles
Category:Living things
Category:Mystery