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Although not completely analogous, there do seem to be some similarities between Sauron's "soul" embodied in the One Ring and Voldemort's "soul" embodied in a Horcrux.
Has JKR ever talked about the inspiration of creating the Horcrux idea?
I'm wondering if she has ever discussed this aspect in her numerous interviews/tweets/etc.
It is certainly possible, but the concept of a supernatural villain who can only be killed by destroying a particular object is much older than Tolkien.
It's found in a variety of folk tales, usually a complicated series of nested objects.
For example Koshchei the Deathless from Russian folklore :
“My death,” said he [Koschei], “is far from here and hard to find, on the wide ocean. In that sea is an island, and on the island there grows a green oak, and beneath the oak is an iron chest, and in the chest is a small basket, and in the basket is a hare, and in the hare is a duck, and in the duck is an egg; and he who finds the egg and breaks it, kills me at the same time.”
(The Golden Bough by Sir James Frazer - http://www.bartleby.com/196/pages/page671.html)
A very similar setup shows up in the Norwegian "The Giant Who Had No Heart in His Body", and several others.
Voldemort is a typical lich - a wizard who chooses immortality by embedding part of his soul into an object (called a phylactery in Dungeons&Dragons). There were many before him in myths and fiction worlds.
In fantasy fiction, a lich (/ˈlɪtʃ/;1 cognate to Dutch lijk, German Leiche, Norse lík, and Swedish lik, all meaning "corpse") is a type of undead creature. Often such a creature is the result of a transformation, as a powerful magician or king striving for eternal life uses spells or rituals to bind his intellect and soul to his phylactery and thereby achieve a form of immortality. Liches are depicted as being clearly cadaverous, bodies desiccated or completely skeletal. Liches are often depicted as holding power over hordes of lesser undead creatures, using them as soldiers and servants.
D&D: first mention of a lich - Wikipedia
For the original D&D rule set, the lich was introduced in its first supplement, Greyhawk (1975).2 It is described as a skeletal monster that was formerly either a magic-user or a cleric in life. The lich was further developed in Supplement III: Eldritch Wizardry (1976).
Kaschey the Immportal, mentioned in the first answer, is also a lich
I certainly haven't seen Rowling talk about this but:
One Answer suggests that it is possible but is it really so? If it is it's still very different (other than the part that each have some of their creator in them). You're forgetting some important things about the One Ring and the Horcruxes. I know the question actually points out that it's not exactly the same but I would like to explain how and why this is the case (as well as point out some interesting points that maybe haven't been - and might have - thought of).
A Horcrux contains a part of the soul so that if the creator were to die they could not die because there is still part of their soul living in another object. They could return - as Voldemort does. At this point it seems like the One Ring is similar, doesn't it? As long as the One Ring survives so too does Sauron (but Sauron never dies). But the similarities end there; there are significant differences:
When all the Horcruxes are destroyed Voldemort is still a formidable foe; Dumbledore says this directly in HBP:
Harry sat in thought for a moment, then asked, 'So if all of his Horcruxes are destroyed, Voldemort could be killed?'
'Yes, I think so,' said Dumbledore. 'Without his Horcruxes, Voldemort will be a mortal man with a maimed and diminished soul. Never forget, though, that while his soul may be damaged beyond repair, his brain and his magical powers remain intact. It will take uncommon skill and power to kill a wizard like Voldemort even without his Horcruxes.'
Yes quite a bit of Sauron is in the One Ring but what happens when the One Ring is destroyed? Is Sauron killed?
In fact when the One Ring is destroyed Sauron is not killed but he is diminished to an impotent shadow that could never threaten Middle-earth again (see next paragraph too). But what happens if all of Voldemort's Horcruxes are destroyed? Not only is he still alive but he still has exceptional magic (see above quote); he's mortal once more but he's still a powerful wizard. He also has his armies (and he still has his body).
Actually Sauron never is 'killed': when he caused Númenor to drown he did not 'die': he could never be fair again but he was still a formidable foe (though not immediately). Not when Elendil &co defeated Sauron (followed by Isildur cutting the Ring off his finger) did he 'die'; he lost his shape again but he returns in full form once more (with the Black Hand having only four fingers).
Critically there is this: if Horcruxes were the same idea then one of the following would hold true:
OR
But do either of those scenarios happen? No. When Voldemort's Horcruxes are destroyed he is mortal and thus at risk of death. When he is killed some who were truly under the Imperius Curse had control of themselves again; and yes you could argue this about when Sauron is defeated. But when Voldemort's Horcruxes are destroyed he still isn't defeated; when the One Ring is destroyed Sauron IS.
What might be interesting to point out though is that some of the Horcruxes had an influence on those who were in possession of them (or 'used' them where use could be writing in or wearing). These were negative influences though. Still having the One Ring also had influences but quite different. Does that make them more alike? I think that's a matter of opinion; personally I don't see it that way but it's certainly a similarity of sort.
The thing that I think makes the ring and Voldemort's horcruxes more similar in concept, aside from "splitting your soul to gain immortality and hiding it in an object/animal", is the way said ring/horcruxes affect those mortal who come in contact with them. I don't think Koshei's needle ever affected those who came in contact with it in any way, shape or form. I have read my Russian folklore diligently since childhood, being Russian and all, and when J.K. introduced the idea of a horcrux, my mind obviously flew there (and not Tolkien), but the idea that the horcrux/ring affects the reason of the people who have it, that it brings out the worst in them... the ring makes people covet it to the point of killing others, the horcruxes have a similar effect on the Golden Trio... so I think, it's more likely that she took inspiration from Tolkien, than other folklore. And I am not that diligent in my DnD knowledge, but I don't remember philacterys affecting the sanity of those who came in contact with them. But if I am wrong, feel free to correct me.
