areyousuretonightsadangernight:

There and Back Again – The Mementos of Bilbo’s Adventure

The top image is Bilbo on his return journey from Erebor to the Shire, carrying many mementos from his adventure. The mementos tie in to things we’ve seen previously in Bilbo’s life, or will see in Bo5A.

Bilbo’s backpack isn’t one we’ve seen him use before. Possibly a gift, or something he found to replace the Hobbit backpack he lost in the goblin caves

Hanging from the bottom of the pack is an orc helmet. The same one Frodo pulls from the glory box at the start of AUJ

The rope is likely from Bilbo’s ‘thief in the night’ escape down the side of Erebor, to give the Arkenstone over to Bard

Three thus far unidentified items:

• A blanket/weaving over his shoulder
• A sword, the hilt of which is sticking out of his bag. Frodo pulls it from the glory box at the start of AUJ
• A shield over his pack. It appears squared-off in shape and Dwarf/Hobbit-sized, so likely Dwarven, possibly that of an Iron Hills Dwarf, but too difficult to tell

Items that are likely inside Bilbo’s pack:

• Thorin’s map. In FOTR, Gandalf finds it buried under a stack of papers at Bag End
• A hedgehog-shaped piece from Beorn’s chess set. Also, a wood carving (beneath Sting in the pic) that is also in the style of carvings owned by Beorn
• A claw, possibly from Smaug
• A portrait of himself, drawn by Ori

Symbolically, all stored inside the hope chest of his mother, a Took, who gave to Bilbo his adventurous spirit