<P> The Uruk - hai, described as large black orcs of great strength, first appeared from Mordor about the year 2475 of the Third Age, when they briefly took Ithilien and the city of Osgiliath . These original Uruks were of Sauron's breeding, but Saruman bred his own, which could endure sunlight . Due to their superior size and strength, the Uruk often looked down upon and bullied other breeds of orc . </P> <P> In The Two Towers, Aragorn observes that the fallen Uruk - hai at Amon Hen had different gear than he had seen before: swords and bows like those of men, and shields and helmets set with the white hand and S - rune of Saruman . Treebeard speculates that Saruman had crossbred Orcs and Men . These orcs, who named themselves "the fighting Uruk - hai", made up a large part of Saruman's army, together with the Dunlendings and other human enemies of Rohan . They were faster, stronger, and larger than normal orcs, and could travel during the day without being weakened, although they still did not like it . Saruman fed them with human flesh . Saruman's Uruk - hai fought against the Rohirrim at the Battles of the Fords of Isen, at the first of which King Théoden's son Théodred was killed, and at the Battle of the Hornburg, where the vast majority of the Uruks were defeated and destroyed . </P> <P> The chapter "The Uruk - hai" details some differences among the orcs . The raiding party included orcs from Mordor led by Grishnákh, Saruman's "fighting Uruk - hai" from Isengard led by Uglúk, and "northerners", orcs from Moria . It was the dead Uruks from Isengard whom Aragorn found remarkable . The Uruk - hai of Isengard were the tallest of these orcs, and had large hands and thick legs . The orcs of Mordor were all long - armed and crook - legged, not as tall as the Isengarders but larger and more powerful than the orcs from Moria . The orcs of Moria in turn could see better in the dark than the Isengarders . Grishnákh from Mordor is described as "short" but "very broad". In The Return of the King the orcs Shagrat and Gorbag are identified as Uruks of Mordor . </P> <P> The Lord of the Rings describes several differences in the equipment and heraldry of Uruks and other orcs . Uruks and other orcs in the service of Barad - dûr used the symbol of the red Eye of Sauron . The orcs of Mordor referred to Sauron as the Great Eye, and the Red Eye was painted on their shields . In contrast, Aragorn comments that the Uruk - hai of Saruman were not equipped in the manner of other orcs at all: instead of curved scimitars, they used short broad - bladed swords; and they wore iron helms marked with the Elf - rune which had the value of "S". It was clear the "S" stood for Saruman, considering Sauron's general desire not to have his name written or spoken . Saruman's Uruks used black shields emblazoned with a white hand, a symbol of Saruman . </P>

Where do orcs and uruk hai come from