A drawing of the Inscription appears in Book I, Chapter 2 of The Fellowship of the Ring, ' The Shadow of the Past'.

Normally, the One Ring appeared perfectly plain and featureless, but when heated in a fire the inscription appeared in fiery letters inside and outside the Ring. The Ring-inscription was a Black Speech inscription in Tengwar script upon the One Ring, symbolizing the Ring's power to control the other Rings of Power. ' Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul, ash nazg thrakatulûk, agh burzum-ishi krimpatul' - The transliterated inscription upon the One Ring, in the Black Speech of Mordor