The existence of Dwarven women is among the most commonly questioned topics for The Lord of the Rings fans, as little information about them is offered. Even within Middle-earth itself, many debate their whereabouts, with some even theorizing that they don’t exist. However, J. R. R. Tolkien did reveal that Dwarf-women indeed exist, although their unique traits have led many to assume otherwise.

The entirety of Thorin Oakenshield’s company from The Hobbit was male, and not a single female Dwarf is seen throughout The Lord of the Rings. Gimli even brings this up in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, saying, “It’s true you don’t see many Dwarf-women… And this, in turn, has given rise to the belief that there are no Dwarf-women, and that Dwarves just spring out of holes in the ground!”

While Gimli doesn’t make this speech in the book, it closely matches the appendices for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, which explains some history of the Dwarves and Dwarf-women. It states that they’re so alike to men in both voice and appearance, that they can’t be told apart by most. As well as having the same structure as men, Dwarf-women also have beards, which is a trait no other major race possesses. This is even mocked by Aragorn, as he whispers, “It’s the beards!” to Éowyn as Gimli explains their appearance.

While the masculine features are a big part of their questioned existence, the appendices also mention that “it was said by Gimli that there are few Dwarf-women, probably no more than a third of the whole people.” Being so few in number means many women were kept safe and sheltered, as the Dwarven population gradually declined over time.

Because of their scarcity, only one Dwarven woman has ever been named in Middle-earth’s history: a royal Dwarf by the name of Dís. Although mentioned briefly, it’s known that she was Thorin’s sister, as well as a mother to Fíli and Kíli from The Hobbit. However, the only other fact known about her is that she was born in the Lonely Mountain and managed to flee during Smaug’s attack.

Even though relatively few Dwarf-women exist, it would be welcome to see them appear more in Middle-earth’s adaptations. The opening of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey briefly shows some Dwarf-women in a flashback, but nothing is seen of them after that. However, with the upcoming The Lord of the Rings: The Ring of Power prequel show, there’s a prime opportunity to fully introduce them to live-action.