I’ve been a huge fan of J.R.R. Tolkien’s books since I discovered the world of Middle Earth at about twelve. So, I’m always tickled to find ways in which obsessed readers help others grasp the complexity of the stories.

Emil Johansson of the Lord of the Rings Project has created an amazing “periodic table of Middle Earth” to assist readers and viewers in tracking the myriad of characters. Arranged according to race, each of the characters has a symbol, birth and death date, as well as other pertinent information. Take a look: