Zarathustra Suicuine wrote:
I was wondering if anyone knew of any refrences to Numenorian art, banners or icons in the books? I'm working on ideas for Numenorian banner bearers, one idea being to use an eagle icon due to their association with the Valar, would this work?
I don't recall any eagles in Tolkien's descriptions of Númenor, but he frequently talks of "sea-birds". Anything connecting to the Númenorean founding myth and the story of Eärendil and Elwing should be fine. Seabirds (esp. Elwing in seabird shape + Silmaril), Vingiloté, or the evening star; all those could work as Númenorean insignia before the downfall.
However, I would regard Nimloth, the White Tree of Númenor as the most important Númenorean emblem, especially for Elendil and his sons.
In Elendil's case the tree was complemented with the seven stars and the high crown of Gondor, as depicted in the movies.
EDIT: According the eagles, I just remembered that I once indeed read something that the helmet wings of the Númenorian soldiers were meant to resemble the eagles of Manwe... However, this was a fan written text.