Places in Middle-earth
Pillar of the White Hand, The
Type: Other Constructions
Region: Rohan
Location: A statue near the gates of Isengard, along the road from the Fords of Isen.
Description: After they had ridden for some miles, the highway became a wide street, paved with great flat stones, squared and laid with skill ... Suddenly a tall pillar loomed up before them. It was black; and set upon it was a great stone, carved and painted in the likeness of a long White Hand. Its finger pointed north. Not far now they knew that the gates of Isengard must stand ...
Now Gandalf rode to the great pillar of the Hand, and passed it: and as he did so the Riders saw to their wonder that the Hand appeared no longer white. It was stained as with dried blood; and looking closer they perceived that its nails were red.
The Two Towers, LoTR Book 3, Ch 8, The Road to Isengard
They came to the pillar of the White Hand. The pillar was still standing, but the graven hand had been thrown down and broken into small pieces. Right in the middle of the road the long forefinger lay, white in the dusk, its red nail darkening to black.
'The Ents pay attention to every detail!' said Gandalf.
The Two Towers, LoTR Book 3, Ch 11, The PalantÃr
Contributors: Elena Tiriel 28Jan05