The ring has been an ever-powerful, ever-present symbol in world mythologies and religions. A tradition of ring-quest tales came into being before the pyramids of Egypt were built, or the walls of Babylon raised. While the glorious civilization of Greece and the mighty Roman Empire rose and fell, that tradition lived on. It survived the fall of the pagan gods; and the rise of Buddha, Mohammed and Christ.Tolkien's Ring is a literary detective work about JRR Tolkien's inspiration and sources. It shows how The Lord of the Rings is the result of an ancient story-telling tradition that dates back to the dawn of western culture; and how, by drawing upon the world's primary myths and legends, JRR Tolkien created his own mythology for our times.Beautifully illustrated throughout, Tolkien's Ring is an extraordinary journey through the most magical and potent stories the people of our world have ever told one another.