VERY SHORT ESSAY ON TOLKEIN
Chapter 1:
The Geography of Arda
The Continents Of Arda
Since Tolkien's mythology involves a change in the form and nature of the world, it's difficult to
describe Arda physically. For example, Numenor existed only during the Second Age. Even if
one arbitrarily divided Arda's geographical history into two periods (pre-Change and post-
Change), Numenor itself would force a division of geological as well as political periods. And
should one not consider the changes to Arda after the destruction of Illuin and Ormal, the two
Lamps of the Valar in Middle-earth? Yet Tolkien wrote very little about "historical" matters
prior to the destruction of the Lamps, so it seems pointless to try to document the geography of
Arda for that time period. His conception of the "primitive" Arda was quite rough and never fully
developed. In fact, had Tolkien realized his intention to rewrite the entire mythology, all the
various lands he originally envisioned might have been erased from the “record.”
I've decided there were five "continents" in Arda at various times after the destruction of the two
Lamps. In fact, Endor itself probably would be considered two continents, which we might refer
to as Forendor and Harendor. But we know very little of what Harendor was like.
Aman was the western-most continent. It was changed in shape by the Valar on at least two
occasions, and perhaps went through other changes when Arda was changed. These were the
Undying Lands, also known as the Uttermost West and the Undying West. The Valar lived here
with the Maiar and the Eldar.
Elenna was the island raised in the middle of Belegaer, the Great Sea, for the Edain of Beleriand.
It was too small to be a continent yet geographically was not part of any other region of Middleearth.
The isle lay close to the Bay of Eldamar (in Aman) but I feel it deserves its own
description.
To the east of Endor lay two land-masses. I have named them Hyarmenor and Romenor,
although as far as I know Tolkien never used these names himself. Hyarmenor was originally
called "The Dark Lands" in a map published in THE SHAPING OF MIDDLE-EARTH (volume
IV of THE HISTORY OF MIDDLE-EARTH). Romenor was originally called "The Burnt
Lands of the Sun" or just "The Lands of the Sun". Both land-masses were visited by the
Numenoreans but apparently were never visited by either the Elves or the Dwarves. It is
conceivable, however, that Cirdan's mariners might have sailed east early in the Second Age,
preceding the Numenoreans, though Tolkien does not indicate such events ever occurred.
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Aman (The Undying Lands)
Of all the lands he described, Aman received the most attention with the least corresponding
detail. We know what kinds of lands existed there but not exactly where they were located. The
Eldar ranged through the lands, especially the western regions, and the accounts of Aman are
drawn from their traditions.
The continent proper was divided by a mountain range, the Pelori, which ran from the south to
the north in a sweeping arc which bulged toward the east. These mountains were raised by the
Valar to be a defense against Melkor, but he never attempted to assault the West.
The four major regions of Aman were Valinor, Eldamar, Araman, and Avathar. Of Avathar we
know nothing save only that for a time Ungoliant lived there, spinning webs of darkness. It may
be that after her departure and the rising of the Sun the Valar cleansed the land for the Eldar, but
Tolkien never indicated what became of the region.
Valinor
Valinor was the home of the Valar and their people, the Maiar. The Valar and Maiar were Ainur,
angelic beings who were not native to Middle-earth but who were charged with its shaping and
governance. Several of the Valar established a "country" in Valinor, but they also built a city
near the Pelori at about the middle latitude of the land. This was Valimar, where they established
a Ring of Doom, Mahanaxar. This was a circle of thrones where the Valar would sit in debate or
judgement.
Although it's difficult to place the regions of the individual Valar, Nienna's halls were said to be
"west of West, upon the borders of the world." This region would have been upon the shores of
Ekkaia, the Encircling Sea. Tolkien wrote that "the windows of her house look outward from the
walls of the world", so it may be Nienna's region was actually beyond Ekkaia, in a mountainous
land that originally was the westernmost region of the flat Arda (Arda before the Change of the
World). Mandos, the dwelling of Namo (the Doomsman of the Valar), was said to be close to
Nienna's land. He is not said to dwell outside Valinor, and he may have governed the western
regions of the land, for his halls grew constantly, making room for more and more "spirits".
Oromë the hunter dwelt in the woodlands of Valinor, but Tolkien does not precisely place them.
They were in the southern regions, ending somewhere near Hyarmentir.
Probably the dwelling of Tulkas and Nessa (Oromë's sister) was close by Oromë's forests
because she loved to run through the woods, leading deer in her wake.
The region of Lorien probably lay close to Mandos. Irmo, Lord of Lorien, was Namo's brother.
Their sister was Nienna, so Lorien may have lain in western Valinor as well. In the midst of
Lorien was a great lake, Lorellin. The shores of the lake were forested and the land was filled
with gardens and fountains.
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The Halls of Manwë and Varda upon Taniquetil were the easternmost dwelling of the Valar in
Aman. Many Maiar (and later some Vanyar) settled on the slopes of Taniquetil to be close to
Manwë and Varda.
Valimar lay in a plain in the center of the land. Its eastern gate opened upon a green hill or
mound, Ezellohar, where Yavanna planted the Two Trees, Telperion and Laurelin. Telperion was
white. Laurelin was golden and it produced a golden dew that Varda collected into lakes
throughout Valinor. Mahanaxar, the Ring of Doom, lay between the city and Ezellohar.
The Halls of Aulë were said to be in the very midst of Valinor, which implies the center region.
Since he was associated with mining and the earth he must have raised hills or mountains there.
Perhaps Valinor was divided in the following way:
The southernmost region of Valinor appears to have been empty and only partially lit by the Two
Trees. This was the region overlooked by Hyarmentir, the tallest mountain in the southern Pelori.
Just north of that region lay the woods of Oromë, and to the west stood the gardens of Yavanna.
Lorien must have extended northward from Yavanna's land.
North of Oromë's woods lay the plain of Valimar, and beyond that region lay the Halls of Aulë.
Mandos was west of Valimar and Aulë's lands, while Taniquetil lay to the east of Valimar, and
the mountain's southern slopes faced toward Tirion upon Tuna.
Note: Karen Wynn Fonstad offers a different placement of the regions of the Valar, but for
reasons I won't go into here, I disagree with her interpretations of the texts.
Eldamar
Eldamar was the home of the Eldar. It consisted of a valley in the middle region of the Pelori
where the hill named Tuna rose up and the lands to the east of the Pelori which lay close to the
Bay of Eldamar. The valley was the Calacirya (Cleft of Light) which the Valar created when
they brought the Eldar to Aman.
Within the Bay of Eldamar the Valar set the isle Tol Eressëa (the Lonely Isle). There were
apparently forests and gardens in Eldamar since the Teleri were able to find wood to build their
ships. At least one mountain rose up in the midst of the isle, and its western shore was the region
where flowers first bloomed (and probably where the Teleri dwelt until they learned to build
ships).
Tol Eressëa was originally used as a ferry by the Valar to bring the Elves to Aman. None of the
Noldor and Vanyar stayed there, but the Teleri lived on the isle for a long time before they
learned to build ships and spread to the shores of Eldamar. Some Teleri may have continued to
live on the isle throughout the Years of the Trees.
After the First Age the Exiles and the Sindar who went to Aman settled in Tol Eressëa, where
they may have built several cities (Tavrobel and Kortirion are mentioned in early stories
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describing Tol Eressëa). The city of Avallonë, built on the eastern shores of Tol Eressëa, was the
chief haven of the Eldar of Middle-earth and it was from here that their ships sailed to Numenor.
The Noldor are said to have dwelt in Tirion and in the hills and mountains "within sound of the
western sea," but they also spread northward through the western hills of the Pelori (within
Valinor) because Fëanor built Formenos in the far northern mountains.
A road ran east from Tuna toward the sea, and apparently turned northward along the coast to
Alqualondë. Another road ran west into Valinor toward Valimar.
Although the Noldor and Teleri remained for the most part in Eldamar or the nearby lands, the
Vanyar migrated into Valinor. Tolkien wrote "they forsook the city of Tirion upon Tuna, and
dwelt thereafter upon the mountains of Manwë, or about the plains and woods of Valinor."
Ingwë's house was in fact located on the western slopes of Taniquetil, overlooking the plain of
Valimar and the city. Finwë, in order to visit with Ingwë, had to pass into Valinor and climb the
mountain from the west, following only paths and no road.
Alqualondë was built in a natural harbor along the northern shore of the Bay of Eldamar. The
Swan-ships of the Teleri sailed through a great stone arch to enter or exit the harbor. The city
itself was built of stone but was adorned with pearls and in the Years of the Trees was lit by
many lanterns. For some reason the city had walls when Fëanor attacked it. Perhaps the "walls"
were built atop a natural ridge of stone surrounding all or part of the harbor (and of which the
great arch would have been a part).
Eldamar appears to have extended far to the north of Alqualondë, but THE SILMARILLION
does not indicate whether these lands were inhabited before the Noldor went into exile. After the
Noldor took the ships of the Falmari they traveled north for some length of time (a period of
years, measured in Years of the Sun) before they left Eldamar.
Araman
North of Eldamar lay Araman (Outer Aman). Originally this area was not settled but the Noldor
passed through it on their return to Middle-earth. When Melkor and Ungoliant passed through
Araman the region consisted of "barren plains," and yet the Noldor were able to survive there for
the equivalent of 15-20 Years of the Sun, perhaps by fishing. It may be that trees grew there after
the rising of the sun, spreading north from the forests of Eldamar, or planted by the Eldar or
Valar.
After the First Age the Teleri built a tower for Elwing in far northern Araman, so they may have
spread up the coast lands.
THE SILMARILLION says the Noldor "came at length to the northern confines of the Guarded
Realm, upon the borders of the empty waste of Araman which were mountainous and cold." The
passage seems to imply that Araman stretched westward across Aman and that Valinor did not
extend very far to the north of the Calacirya.
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Near the Helcaraxë Araman became a cold and desolate land, afflicted by the cold fogs and ices
escaping from the Grinding Ice in the north. It was only in this region that the Noldor actually
began to suffer from the climate on their road into Exile. Fingolfin's host of Noldor actually
wandered through this region for a long time before they finally passed north and crossed the
Helcaraxë itself.
Avathar
South of Eldamar lay Avathar where we have heard only Ungoliant ever dwelt. After her
departure with Melkor there is no further mention of Avathar, but it may be that eventually the
webs of darkness she had woven there were destroyed and the region was claimed by the Elves.
Avathar was a very narrow strip of coast land (compared to Araman) and Ungoliant's valley was
far to the south of Eldamar, beyond Hyarmentir, which was the highest peak in the southern
Pelori and about even with the southernmost settled regions of Valinor.
Elenna (Numenor)
The island of Elenna, raised up by the Valar to be a home and refuge for those Edain who had
survived the Wars of Beleriand, was more than 500 miles long and 300 wide, but it was shaped
with five peninsulas. Karen Fonstad estimates the total land area to be about 167,000 square
miles.
For the sake of comparison, Elenna was (by her estimates) about 3 times the size of Rohan, 3/5
the size of Arnor, twice the size of Cardolan, and nearly 8 times the size of the Shire.
Uniquely among all the land-masses of Arda, Elenna was home to a single nation of people, the
Numenoreans. It was never politically divided or invaded. So the land is usually referred to as
Numenor, a later name that eventually referred more to the civilization of the Dunedain than to
the island itself.
The island rose up out of the seas like a huge plateau, and only a few regions actually possessed
beaches or natural harbors. In some places the cliffs dropped 200 feet (about 61.5 meters) to the
sea. The three named bays were Romenna (the eastern bay), Eldanna (the large western bay), and
the Bay of Andunië (in the northwest). But the southern port of Nindamos (which lay along the
only beach-type shore) seems to have been situated along a third bay or "sea".
The two major rivers of Elenna were the Siril and the Ninduinë, both of which rose near the
Meneltarma. Siril flowed south and entered the sea to the west of Nindamos. Ninduinë flowed
west into the Bay of Eldanna on the south side of Eldalondë, the fairest of the havens of
Numenor. The only lake Tolkien mentioned was the Nisinen, formed by the Ninduinë just west
of Eldalondë on the eastern border of the woodland called Nisimaldar.
Elenna was divided into six regions: Mittalmar, Orrostar, Forostar, Andustar, Hyarnustar, and
Hyarrostar.
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The Mittalmar (Inlands)
The Mittalmar was the central region and the most densely populated. The Meneltarma, the
central mountain of Elenna, was located in the heart of this region and the capitol city of
Armenelos was built at the mountain's feet. The easternmost region of Mittalmar was called
Arandor and it included Armenelos and Romenna. The only other region of Mittalmar to be
named was Emerië, which lay to the southwest of Meneltarma.
Mittalmar was mostly a flat grassland with few trees. The region was used largely for pasturing
herds and flocks. A majority of the people were drawn from the golden-haired Marachians of the
First Age (the House of Hador, from Dor-lomin).
The Orrostar (Northeast lands)
Orrostar was the northeastern region of Numenor. It was a cold region but the lands closest to
Arandor in Mittalmar were farmed (the Edain raised grains there). There is no mention of any
cities in the region.
The island Tol Uinen, which lay north of the haven of Romenna, may have been a part of
Arandor, but by looking at Karen Fonstad's map one gets the impression it lay closer to the
shores of Orrostar.
The Forostar (North lands)
Forostar was the northern region of Numenor, and the Edain mined the hills and mountains of
the region. Tar-Meneldur, the fifth King of Numenor, built a tower upon the mountain Sorontil
near the North Cape so that he could watch the stars. The chief (and perhaps only) city of the
region was Ondosto, which was probably associated with the stone quarries in the north.
The Andustar (West lands)
Andustar was the western region of Numenor. It was settled mostly by the Bëorians of the First
Age (the First House of the Edain, from Ladros in Dorthonion). The chief city of the west was
Andunië, but Eldalondë also lay in this region.
The forested region of Nisimaldor was called "The Fragrant Trees" and was enriched by the
Eldar with many gifts of trees brought from the West. There were apparently many Mallorns
there as well.
Andustar had many farms, but its havens were the ones the Eldar sailed to most often, and it was
in Andustar (near Andunië) that Tar-Minastir built his tower on the peak named Oromet so that
he could gaze west and see Avallonë.
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The Hyarnustar (Southwest lands)
The Hyarnustar was probably not thickly settled, for its western lands were mountainous and
possessed no cities. In the east the lands became gently rolling hills and the Edain established
farms and vineyards there.
The southeastern shores of Hyarnustar were gentle enough that many fisherfolk could settle
there.
The Hyarrostar (Southeast lands)
Like the Hyarnustar this region was settled along the coast land by fisherfolk, and their chief
haven of Nindamos lay on the east side of the river Siril, within the borders of Hyarrostar. But
this land was also the most thickly forested region of Numenor, and Tar-Aldarion as Master of
Forests established many tree plantations here for the production of timber.
It is probable that most of the people of Hyarrostar were descended from the Haladin of the First
Age (the Second House of the Edain from Brethil).
Endor (The Middle Lands)
Of course the continent known as Middle-earth was huge and fairly well-documented by
Tolkien. Its many lands and regions are catalogued in various books by Tolkien commentators.
The primary regions of Middle-earth included: Beleriand, Eriador, Rhovanion, Gondor, Near
Harad, Far Harad, Mordor, and Rhun.
Beleriand (Land of the Valar)
This was the most storied region of Middle-earth, and the home of Arda's most ancient
civilization outside of Aman. The great forests of Beleriand, nestled about the rivers Sirion and
Gelion, harbored the Sindar and Noldor, and later the Edain.
East Beleriand properly consisted of the lands between Gelion and the Ered Luin (Blue
Mountains), and the regions between the Gelion and Sirion. After the First Age, only the lands
east of Gelion survived the destruction of Beleriand, and they were much changed by the tumults
caused by the War of Wrath.
West Beleriand lay beyond Sirion and included fewer forests but more highlands than East
Beleriand. The chief rivers of the region were the Narog and the Nenning, both of which were
rose from sources in the Ered Wethrin (Mountains of Shadow) in northwestern Beleriand.
The regions of Hithlum, Ard-galen, Dorthonion, and Lothlann might be said to compose North
Beleriand, but are sometimes said to be separate from Beleriand. Dorthonion was separated from
Ered Wethrin by the Sirion, and from Ered Luin by the Gelion.
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Ard-galen, later named Anfauglith, was bordered by the Ered Wethrin on the west (beyond
which lay Hithlum), Dorthonion on the south, Angband (the peaks of Thangorodrim) to the
north, and Lothlann to the east.
Lothlann stretched north to the icy wastes that were a remnant of Melkor's first fortress, Utumno.
Parts of the region survived as the shores of the Ice Bay of Forochel after the First Age.
Eriador (Land Between the Mountains)
Eriador lay between two mountain ranges, the Ered Luin and the Hithaeglir (Peaks of Mist). The
southern boundary of the region consisted of the Glanduin (border river) and Gwathlo
(Greyflood) rivers.
Much of the region consisted of hills, some of which were called "downs", a type of hill which is
formed by the erosion of soft sediments, according to Karen Fonstad. The downs were long
ridges but were not (in the passages where Tolkien described them) simply exposed outcroppings
of stone. They were usually grassy and grouped fairly close together. The chief rivers of
Eriador were the Mitheithel (which formed the upper source of the Gwathlo with the Bruinen,
the river that bordered Imladris) and the Baranduin (brown river, but called Brandywine by the
hobbits).
The river Lhun, which flowed south near the Ered Luin to the Gulf of Lhun (after the First Age),
was sometimes treated as a border for Eriador, which in the Third Age was almost synonymous
with the Dunadan kingdom of Arnor.
Once thickly forested, Eriador was denuded of trees in the War of the Elves and Sauron in the
middle of the Second Age, but by the end of the Third Age (about 4700 years later) the area had
recovered in many places.
The Elves lived in Eriador for many long ages until the War of the Elves and Sauron. But in the
First Age clans of Men began to settle in the region and the Nandor pulled back before them. It
was in the Second Age that the land became split between Elves and Men about evenly, for the
Baranduin marked a boundary between their lands.
The Dunedain settled in the lands between the Lhun and Baranduin, in the Hills of Evendim near
Lake Nenuial (from which the Baranduin flowed), and in the North Downs and South Downs to
the east of that area. They governed other Men who had migrated north during the Second Age.
There were three Elven realms which endured in Eriador: the Kingdom of Gil-galad, which
lasted until the end of the Second Age; the realm of Eregion, which lasted from about SA 700 to
1700; and the refuge of Imladris, which was founded after the fall of Eregion in the War of the
Elves and Sauron and lasted until well into the Fourth Age.
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The Kingdom of Arnor was established by the Dunedain at the end of the Second Age, gathering
under one crown all the lands which were not at that time Elvish. Many of these Dunedain were
descended of the Bëorians of Andunië, for that was the region where most of the Faithful lived in
Numenor before they were driven from their homeland.
When nearly a third of the Third Age was over, the Kingdom of Arnor was divided into three
realms: Arthedain, Cardolan, and Rhudaur. In time Cardolan returned to the Crown of Arthedain
but Rhudaur was conquered by the Witch-king of Angmar, who had established a kingdom in the
far northern mountains.
The restored Kingdom of Arnor struggled to survive with aid from the Elves but before the year
2000 the kingdom was overrun and destroyed. With the fall of Angmar the next year (1975) the
last great power in northern Middle-earth was brought to an end. Afterwards, the region
languished, with only a handful of enclaves surviving until Aragorn II re-established Arnor as
part of the Reunited Kingdom (in the Fourth Age).
Rhovanion (Wilderland)
Rhovanion was the ancient name of the lands which lay east of the Hithaeglir and west of the
Carnen (Red River) and the inland Sea of Rhun. Later the name was taken by a kingdom of the
Northmen which lasted from circa. Third Age 1200 - 1850.
The two great rivers of Rhovanion were the Celduin, which flowed south from Erebor (the
Lonely Mountain) and was joined by Carnen and the Anduin (Great River), which flowed south
from the Grey Mountains. Anduin lay between the Hithaeglir and the mighty forest known as
Greenwood the Great, Mirkwood, and finally Eryn Lasgalen (Wood of Green Leaves).
Although the Eldar passed through the region during the Great Journey, some of the Teleri
turned south and followed Anduin to other lands. Later, a portion of these Teleri (the Nandor)
migrated north along the river, settling in two groups. They were joined by some Avari and Eldar
over the ages and became the Silvan Elves.
The Kingdom of Lorien was the most ancient Elvish kingdom to survive in Middle-earth after
the fall of Gil-galad at the end of the Second Age. It lay in a small forest near the Hithaeglir. The
Silvan Elves of Greenwood the Great had gradually moved northward during the Second and
Third Ages until they finally established the Kingdom of Northern Mirkwood, which in time
became the last of the great Elven Realms (and yet did not rival the ancient Eldarin civilizations).
The Men of the Vales of Anduin, related to the Edain who settled in Elenna, spread throughout
southern Greenwood and in the vales of the Anduin and Celduin. They established many tribes
and kingdoms, but by the end of the Third Age there were only three major groups left: the
Beornings, the Woodmen, and the Men of Dale (and Esgaroth).
Southern Mirkwood was also used as a base by Sauron, who established a fortress on the hill
Amon Lanc, which had originally been a Silvan Elf city. From this base Sauron was able to
menace Gondor, Lorien, and Northern Mirkwood.
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Gondor (Land of Stone)
Gondor was properly the name of a kingdom and not a region, but the heartlands of Gondor lay
along the coasts of Middle-earth and along the southern course of the Anduin, surrounding the
Ered Nimrais (White Mountains).
Gondor, too, included an Elvish land, but it also encompassed the homelands of many other
peoples: Druedain in both Druwaith Iaur (in the west, near the cape of Andrast) and Druadan
Forest (on the eastern side of the Ered Nimrais); Men of the Vales of Ered Nimrais (from whom
came the Dunlendings and Men of Bree in Eriador); fisherfolk; and perhaps some Edainic
peoples.
The Kingdom of Gondor was established at the same time as Arnor by Dunedain of Numenor.
There were already many Dunedain and mixed peoples living in the region.
The Elvish port of Edhellond was eventually absorbed into Gondor though the manner of the
absorption was not described by Tolkien. Edhellond was situated near the mouth of the river
Morthond (Blackroot), which was Gondor's second largest river.
Gondor for a time extended its sway north to the border of Cardolan, east to the Sea of Rhun, and
south into the lands of Harad. It even governed Mordor for many centuries, though the Dunedain
claimed no ownership over Sauron's domain.
Near Harad (Near South)
The Near Harad lay beyond the river Harnen, which marked the southernmost boundary of
Gondor's "core kingdom". The lands have been described as desolate by several commentators
but this interpretation of the white areas of Tolkien's maps is not consistent with the assertion
that many peoples lived there.
Near Harad was in fact a region which contained several kingdoms or tribes, and probably had
its share of rivers, plains, forests, and hills. The lands controlled by the City of the Corsairs in the
Cape of Umbar, a Numenorean haven, probably were part of Near Harad.
Far Harad (Far South)
The Far Harad was, like Near Harad, poorly described by Tolkien in his works. It lay beyond
Umbar and apparently was quite hot.
We know from early maps that a chain of mountains existed in the western regions of Far Harad.
These mountains were named the Grey Mountains (but were not connected to the Grey
Mountains of northern Endor).
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In the Second Age the Numenoreans established havens and fortresses in the lands that later
were called Far Harad. They conquered many peoples along the coast lands and came into
conflict with Sauron's allies who dwelt further inland. Some of these dominions apparently
survived into the Third Age to become enemies of Gondor.
The eastern coasts of Far Harad were dominated by the Yellow Mountains, a feature which is
only named in a couple of sources and about which we know nothing.
Mordor (Black Land)
Mordor, like Gondor, was really a single land that was synonymous with the region called by the
same name. It lay wholly within the arms of the Ered Lithui (Ash Mountains) and Ephel Duath
(Fences of Shadow); both ranges appear to be part of the same extensive chain of mountains.
The region was open on the eastern side to lands in Rhun which were controlled by Sauron.
Inside its boundaries Mordor was divided into three areas: Udun, Gorgoroth, and Nurn.
Udun was a huge valley in the northeastern corner of Mordor. The area was rocky and bowlshaped
but probably not completely inhospitable to plant and animal life.
Gorgoroth was divided into two areas. The northwest corner was virtually lifeless, dominated by
Amon Amarth, the huge volcano Sauron used to forge the One Ring and to launch a sunblocking
cloud in his attack on Gondor at the end of the Third Age. The lands around the
volcano were ashy and barren.
The rest of Gorgoroth was probably not much better off but perhaps supported some plant and
animal life. It was a large plateau that extended across the northern third of Mordor, almost to the
end of the Ered Lithui.
Nurn lay to the south of Gorgoroth. The western part of Nurn was called Lithlad (an indication of
the extent to which Sauron had poisoned his own lands). The southern and eastern regions of
Nurn were dominated by a small sea, Nurnen, and the rivers which fed it. The lands in this area
were quite fertile and Sauron kept many slaves there to raise food for his armies.
Rhun (the East)
Rhun was the birthplace of peoples in Middle-earth. Even the Elves had awoken there in their
ancient land of Cuiviënen, which lay on the northeastern shore of the sea of Helcar, between the
sea and the mountains. Cuiviënen was actually situated around a small bay or lake into which
flowed a great waterfall fed by a river from the mountains.
The dominant feature of Rhun was the chain of mountains called the Orocarni (Red Mountains).
These mountains stretched along the eastern coasts of Middle-earth from the north to the middle
regions.
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After the War of Wrath even Rhun was affected by the changes inflicted upon Middle-earth and
Helcar was drained so that only the Sea of Rhun survived its destruction. Cuiviënen itself was
apparently destroyed, and it may be that the Orocarni suffered some damage similar to that
which the Ered Luin experienced (they were broken by the Lhun).
Men awoke in Hildorien, a land which lay southeast of Cuiviënen and beyond the southern peaks
of the Orocarni. There is mention of a small range of mountains on one map called the
Mountains of the Wind which may have been the western border of Hildorien. Like Cuiviënen,
Hildorien was eventually destroyed, but Men had started leaving it long before the end of the
First Age.
The only other land in Rhun which was named by Tolkien was Khand, which lay just to the east
of Mordor. The Variags of Khand were similar in culture to the Wainriders who had dwelt in the
lands to the north and had traditionally passed between the Ered Lithui and Sea of Rhun in their
invasions.
Other Easterlings dwelt farther north. These engaged in wars with the Northmen (and,
presumably, the Dwarves) living between the Carnen Celduin rivers. Although Rhun was said to
contain great plains from whence the Wainriders and other peoples emerged, the northern lands
may have been well-forested.
Hyarmenor (The Dark Lands)
Tolkien wrote virtually nothing about this continent. It lay to the east of Endor (Middle-earth)
and mostly in the southern regions of Arda. Its northern tip created a narrows in the East Sea
with the promontory of Hildorien. Although the continent was explored by the Numenoreans,
Tolkien does not say whether they found Men, Elves, Dwarves, or other creatures dwelling there,
but they do not appear to have established any havens or kingdoms in the eastern lands.
Romenor (The Eastern Lands)
All that we know of this land-mass is that a mountain range known as the Walls of the Sun was
raised up there, and the highest peak was called Kalormë. Like Hyarmenor, Romenor was
explored but apparently never settled by the Numenoreans, and probably was not settled by any
Men. When Arda was changed Romenor may have been destroyed or removed from the circles
of the world.
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Chapter 2:
A Brief History of Arda
The Ainur
J.R.R. Tolkien's mythology about Arda (The Realm, Earth) begins with Ainulindalë (The Music
Of The Ainur), a story which speaks of Iluvatar, God, and the Ainur (Holy Ones). The Ainur
were the first children of Iluvatar's thought and they sang for him, at first singly and then
together in small groups, gradually merging into a great chorus.
Melkor (He Who Arises In Might), greatest of the Ainur, began to sow dissension among them
by raising a great discord in the Music. This occurred during the First Theme, and Iluvatar
responded to the discord by raising a Second Theme, in which Manwë brother of Melkor sang
the chief part.
But Melkor fought against the Second Theme, leading the rebellious Ainur in their own brash
Music, clashing with the beauty of the Themes. To this Iluvatar responded with a Third Theme
that the Ainur could not fathom, for they were not its source.
And Iluvatar caused the Ainur to cease their Music, and he showed them a vision which gave
new meaning and symbology to their Music. Many of the Ainur were fascinated with the Vision
of Iluvatar and some of the greatest Ainur desired to bring the Vision into being.
To this Iluvatar consented, and he created Ea (The World That Is). Then the greatest Ainur
entered Ea, and these were known thereafter as the Valar (the Powers) who shaped the universe
and the world. Chief among the Valar was Manwë, who was most closely aligned with the airs.
Ulmo and Aulë worked with him, and they were most closely aligned with Water and the fabric
of the Earth.
But Melkor also entered into Ea, and though he labored with the others for uncounted ages in
bringing the universe to fruition, when in time the dwelling of the Children of Iluvatar (Elves and
Men) was made, Melkor rebelled against the purpose he had undertaken and claimed Arda for
his own.
Arda was only a small part of Ea, and Manwë summoned many Ainur to help him drive Melkor
away from Arda. But Melkor only watched as Arda was shaped by the Valar Maiar, and he grew
jealous of all they did. So he descended upon Arda again and strove with the Valar, corrupting
some of the Maiar to his service. But Tulkas, hearing there was war in Ea, entered the universe
and lent his great strength to Manwë's cause. And then Melkor fled again.
So in time the Valar and Maiar finished shaping Arda, and they brought forth living plants and
creatures, and to give them light they created two Lamps, Illuin (in the north) and Ormal (in the
south).
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In the midst of the land they made a great lake, and in the lake they set an isle, Almaren, where
they could enjoy the mingling of the light of the Two Lamps.
But while the Valar rested from their labor Melkor returned to Arda, calling into Ea many of the
Ainur who had sung with him in the Music, and these he led to the northernmost regions of Arda
where they constructed the mighty fortress Utumno.
When Melkor felt he was ready he struck down the Two Lamps and destroyed much that the
Valar had built through the ages. The Valar were dismayed but they could not overtake Melkor
before he returned to Utumno. There he settled with many corrupted Ainur, of whom the greatest
were Sauron, Gothmog Lord of Balrogs, Draugluin father of Were-wolves, Thuringwethil, and
other beings of power. But not all whom he had corrupted followed Melkor faithfully. Of these,
Ungoliant fled to the western regions of Arda.
There the Valar settled in a land they named Aman (Blessed), which they hallowed. They raised
up a new chain of mountains, the Pelori, and fortified their land (Valinor) against Melkor. They
were reluctant to engage in another war with him because they feared they might do harm to
whatever place Iluvatar had chosen for the Children.
In Valinor the Valar created two new lights, Telperion the Silver and Laurelin the Golden, the
Two Trees which gave light to much of Aman. But outside Valinor, in the shadows beneath the
southern Pelori, Ungoliant spun her webs, creating a region within Avathar where no one dared
venture.
In time the patience of the Valar was rewarded and they discovered the Quendi singing under the
stars in the land of Cuiviënen, which lay far to the east in Endor amid the foothills of the
Orocarni, the mountains of the eastern lands. But to their dismay the Valar learned that the
Quendi had already been discovered by Melkor, and they resolved to put an end to his great
realm in Middle-earth. So began the War of the Powers, and the world was changed in the
mighty tumults which resulted. But Melkor was defeated and Utumno was destroyed, except for
a small outpost in the west, Angband, and perhaps one or two other enclaves. Melkor was taken
to Valinor where he was judged and placed in confinement in Mandos, from which halls even
Melkor could not escape. There for long ages Melkor languished in prison until he was released
on parole, and he discovered that the Quendi had been brought to Valinor where they flourished
and created a civilization which astounded him.
So Melkor decided to seek revenge upon the Quendi for the humiliation of his imprisonment. To
that end he strove to win their confidences, but the Vanyar and Teleri would not listen to him.
Only the Noldor succumbed to Melkor's deceits, and in time their greatest princes, Fëanor and
Fingolfin, were drawn into strife which when investigated by the Valar led to the discovery of
Melkor's designs.
But he fled from Valinor and eluded pursuit. And in time he visited Avathar where he recruited
Ungoliant to his service, and led her back to Valinor. There they slew the Two Trees and Finwë,
King of the Noldor, stealing many treasures of Finwë's house and the Three Silmarils, in which
alone the Light of the Two Trees still burned.
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Then Melkor and Ungoliant fled to Middle-earth, where they quarreled over the Silmarils, and
Melkor had to call upon the Balrogs to aid him against her. And Ungoliant fled away to dwell in
the southern reaches of Dorthonion, there to breed with other creatures and bring forth the Great
Spiders which troubled Middle-earth for many ages afterward.
Melkor settled in Angband, building it up and re-establishing his kingdom in Middle-earth. And
he made war upon those Quendi who were living there. But soon the Noldor followed him to
Middle-earth, and for many years they and their allies (the Sindar and Atani) fought against
Melkor in a vain attempt to recover the Silmarils.
In time Melkor was victorious, but he grew too confident and he did not crush the small
remnants of Elves and Men who escaped his wrath. From these came Ëarendil, half-Elven
mariner, who with the power of one Silmaril (which had been recovered by Beren and Luthien)
sailed to Valinor and there won pardon for the Noldor and aid for the Sindar and Men.
Then the Valar sent forth a great army and they waged the War of Wrath against Melkor and his
servants. The world was hurt again, and many lands were destroyed and other lands raised up.
But Melkor was taken at last and thrust out from Arda into the darkness of Ea. Then because he
was greatly weakened he could not return, though it was foretold that in time he would recover
his strength and assail Arda at the End.
The Valar then rewarded the Atani for their great labors against Melkor, but in doing so they laid
the seeds for yet a further change in the world. For they gave to the Atani long life within Arda,
but it was not the fate of Men to live in Arda until the End, as it was the fate of the Quendi to do
so.
The Atani were given the island of Elenna in which to dwell, and they named it Numenor, and
became the Dunedain, Kings of Men. They for a time left the cares of Middle-earth behind them
and lived in a peaceful and near-blessed land. But they eventually came to envy the longer lives
and fate of the Quendi.
In Middle-earth Sauron and other creatures of Melkor eluded the Host of Valinor, and he
established a new kingdom of darkness in the southern land of Mordor. Thinking the Valar
would pay no heed to him, Sauron strove with the Quendi for mastery of Middle-earth, but the
Dunedain returned in strength to Middle-earth and lent the Quendi their aid.
Then Sauron turned his attention to Numenor, and he perceived a shadow growing among them.
Thus, in time, despite the persuasions of the Valar, the Dunedain of Numenor rebelled against
their fate, and seduced by Sauron they assembled a great armada and assaulted Aman itself.
In response the Valar laid down their guardianship over Arda and Iluvatar gave them the strength
to change the world forever. Numenor was cast down into the sea and Aman and its nearby
islands were taken away from the circles of the world so that Men could not find them again.
Yet the Valar did not forsake Arda, and when Sauron arose again in the Third Age they sent
emissaries to aid the peoples of Middle-earth in their struggles against the Enemy. The ventures
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of the Istari were perhaps the last direct intervention of the Valar in the affairs of the Children of
Iluvatar. But in the end one of five proved victorious, and he vanquished the last Balrog and
aided the Free Peoples in overthrowing Sauron.
The Quendi (Speakers, or Elves)
The first speaking people to awake in Middle-earth were the Quendi, the Elves, and they are
called the Elder Children of Iluvatar (whereas Men are the Younger Children, and Dwarves are
the Adopted Children). The Quendi were fated to dwell within Arda until the End, and their
spirits cannot leave Ea. So they may, if their bodies perish, in time be re-embodied by the grace
of Iluvatar and the Valar.
The Quendi were divided into three kindreds: Minyar (firsts), Tatyar (seconds), and the Nelyar
(thirds). At the first sundering of the Quendi they were divided into two nations: Eldar and Avari.
Of the Eldar there were in origin three kindreds. All of the Minyar eventually became the
Vanyar, about half the Tatyar became the Noldor, and two-thirds of the Nelyar became the
Lindar. The remaining Tatyar and Nelyar eventually became known as the Avari (Unwilling).
The Vanyar were the fewest in number and they were perhaps the wisest of the Quendi. They
loved the woods and open lands, and most if not all had golden hair.
The Tatyar and Noldor were the craftsmen of the Quendi, makers of things and seekers of lore.
They dwelt most in the hills and mountains, and were miners and smiths.
The Nelyar were the most gifted singers of the Quendi, and they loved water most. Those Nelyar
who joined the Eldar called themselves Lindar (singers), but in time they acquired other names.
When Oromë the Vala discovered the Quendi in Cuiviënen, he learned that they had been
troubled by a Dark Hunter, whom he perceived was Melkor or one of his servants. At Oromë's
bidding the Valar held a great council where they chose to wage war upon Melkor and to
summon the Quendi to live in Aman.
When the war was finished Oromë returned to the Quendi to deliver the summons of the Valar,
but the Elves were afraid and refused to go. So Oromë chose three ambassadors from among
their leaders to visit Aman and report to their peoples what they found there. These three were
Ingwë (of the Minyar), Finwë (of the Tatyar), and Elwë (of the Nelyar). Of the three, only Ingwë
found peace in Aman.
Ingwë persuaded all the Minyar to follow him to Aman, and they undertook the Great Journey,
leading the way for others to follow. Finwë persuaded half the Tatyar to follow him to Aman,
and they took the road after the Vanyar. Elwë, aided by his brother Olwë, persuaded more than
half the Nelyar to undertake the Great Journey, but they were the most reluctant of the Quendi to
leave their homeland, and so they became known to the other Eldar as the Teleri, the Lastcomers.
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The three groups of Quendi who undertook the Great Journey were ever after known as the
Eldar, the people of the Stars, even though this name Oromë had originally given to all their race.
Those who remained in Cuiviënen became known as the Avari, the Unwilling, for they refused
the summons of the Valar.
The Teleri became divided on their long road. The first division arose when Lenwë, one of their
chieftains, turned aside at the Anduin. He led away perhaps a third of the Teleri, and these
became known as the Nandor. Again, in Beleriand, while waiting for passage to Aman, the
Teleri were divided, for Elwë was lost to the enchantments of the Maia known as Melian in the
forest of Nan Elmoth, and many of his friends and kinsmen searched for him.
When the time came for the Teleri to leave Middle-earth, those who continued to seek for Elwë
were left behind, and they named themselves the Eglath, the Forsaken. But another group of
Teleri stayed in Middle-earth as well. These were led by Cirdan, who for the sake of the
friendship of Ossë, Maia of the Belegaer whose charge was the coast lands of Middle-earth,
stayed to become the Falathrim, the People of the Coast.
Those Teleri who reached Aman, nearly half of the original group, were led by Olwë. There he
became their king, but while the Vanyar and Noldor settled in Aman itself the Teleri lived a long
time on Tol Eressëa, until Ossë was sent to them to teach how to build ships (as he taught the
folk of Cirdan to build ships).
Ingwë and Finwë built the city of Tirion upon the hill of Tuna in the Calacirya, the only valley in
the Pelori. But in time Ingwë and his people abandoned the city and they settled in many places
throughout Valinor.
Olwë and his people settled at last on the shores of Aman, and with the aid of Ingwë's people
they built the city of Alqualondë, the Haven of Swans. For many ages the Eldar flourished in
Aman, increasing in number and learning much lore from the Valar and Maiar.
But Finwë took two wives, a thing unheard of among the Eldar. Miriel, his first wife, died soon
after giving birth to Fëanor, their son. And though Finwë was deeply grieved he wished to have
more children, and in time he married Indis, sister of Ingwë. She bore him three daughters and
two sons: Findis, Faniel, Irimë and Nolofinwë and Arafinwë. Nolofinwë was afterwards known
as Fingolfin, greatest of the kings of the Noldor in Middle-earth.
Now, Fëanor was jealous and proud, and he had little to do with the children of Indis. But he in
time married Nerdanel, daughter of Mahtan, one of the greatest smiths of the Noldor, who had
been taught much lore by Aulë the Vala himself. Fëanor was for long content to father his own
children (Nerdanel bore him seven sons) and to study the lore of mining and smith craft.
In time Fëanor became the greatest of the Eldar in arts, and he fashioned the Silmarils,
preserving in them forever the light of the Two Trees. This was his greatest accomplishment, but
he is credited with other works: the reworking of the Tengwar, the alphabet of the Eldar;
fashioning the Palantiri, the stones of far-seeing; and the invention of silima, a substance which
cast its own light; and other things.
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But Fëanor became ensnared in the deceits of Melkor, and he came to think that Fingolfin sought
to replace him in their father's affections. Fëanor drew his sword upon him in their father's tower
before many witnesses. Then the Valar sent Fëanor into exile in a northern region of Valinor, and
Finwë went with his son, and many other Noldor as well. They built the city of Formenos, but
when Fëanor returned to Valimar to be reconciled with his brother at the command of the Valar,
Finwë refused to go with him.
So Finwë was caught by Melkor, who slew the Two Trees while the Valar were distracted by the
matter which lay between Fëanor, and Melkor slew Finwë and took the Silmarils, and the
Noldorin guards could not withstand him, so that others died in Formenos that day as well.
When he learned what had befallen in his absence Fëanor defied the ban of the Valar against his
return to Tirion, and he gathered there his people. Then he persuaded most of the Noldor to
follow him into exile, though the Noldor were not wholly behind him in this matter, and many
wished to have Fingolfin for their king instead of Fëanor.
The Valar at first refused to interfere in the Noldor's decision since they did not wish to force the
wills of others to their own ways. But Fëanor they cast out of Aman because of the oath he and
his sons had sworn to avenge Finwë's death and recover the Silmarils. Then Fëanor exerted his
will over his people and he led them north to Alqualondë, where he hoped to persuade the
Falmari (the Teleri of Aman) to join in his rebellion.
But Olwë refused to leave Aman, for his people were content under the protection and tutelage
of the Valar, and they had not been ensnared in the deceits of Melkor. So Fëanor tried to steal the
swan-ships of the Falmari, and he fought with them in their haven. And when Fingon came upon
the battle he thought the Falmari had attacked the Noldor, so he led a great part of the Noldor
into battle on Fëanor's behalf, and in Alqualondë the Noldor committed the first Kinslaying.
For the sake of the Kinslaying the Valar pronounced a curse upon the Noldor and a doom upon
Fëanor and his House. They would fail in their war, and the House of Fëanor would lose their
heritage, becoming known as The Dispossessed. When he heard this pronouncement, Arafinwë
(known also as Finarfin) returned to Aman and earned the pardon of the Valar. There they made
him King of the Noldor who had not gone into Exile.
Their stolen ships proved to be of little use to the Noldor, for many were destroyed in a great
storm which arose when Uinen, Lady of the Sea, grieved for the slain Falmari. But Fëanor led a
small part of his people across Belegaer to Beleriand, and he burned the ships in his madness.
Fingolfin led the remaining Noldor north until they came to Helcaraxë, the Grinding Ice, and
they crossed that terrible bridge, though many perished, to come at last to Middle-earth.
Though none of the Teleri went into Exile, a few of the Vanyar did, for they were spouses or
children of Noldor. Elenwë, wife of Turgon, son of Fingolfin, was one of these. Yet she perished
in the crossing of the Grinding Ice and she never saw the beauty of Gondolin, her husband's
beloved city, which fell last of the Eldarin realms in Middle-earth.
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In Middle-earth Fëanor soon perished from wounds gained in battle, and though seeing at last the
fruitless nature of his war he laid it upon his sons to fulfill their terrible oath. Yet Maedhros the
eldest was soon captured by Melkor's forces, and the Noldor withdrew into Hithlum,
accomplishing nothing. When Fingolfin led the greater part of their people into Hithlum, the
Noldor saw the sun rise for the first time (after it was created by the Valar from the last leaf of
Laurelin).
In time, to heal the rift between the hosts of the Noldor, Fingon rescued Maedhros from the
peaks of Thangorodrim where Melkor had bound the Noldorin king. But Maedhros ceded the
kingship to Fingolfin, concluding the reconciliation of their people, and fulfilling the Prophecy
which said he and his brethren would be the Dispossessed.
In the centuries which followed the Noldor established several kingdoms, and they befriended
the Sindar, the Grey-Elves of Beleriand, who were Eglath, the Falathrim, and the Laegrim
(Nandor who had fled to Beleriand when Melkor's creatures began to afflict Middle-earth). And
they also had the aid of the Naugrim, the Dwarves. But though they fought valiantly and were
aided by the Atani (the Edain), the Eldar failed utterly, and all their kingdoms save a few small
refuges were destroyed one-by-one. Yet the greatest evils they inflicted upon themselves. For
when Beren, an Adan of the First House, declared his love for Luthien, daughter of Elwë
(Thingol) and Melian, Elwë commanded Beren to retrieve a Silmaril from Melkor's crown as the
bride-price.
Beren Recovers a Silmaril
Copyright © Anke Eissmann. Used by permission.
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Beren's quest led to the death of Finrod, eldest son of Finarfin and King of Nargothrond; and in
time Beren himself was slain by the Wolf of Angband, but the Silmaril was recovered. Then
Beren and Luthien, who had died in body and beseeched Namo for a reprieve, returned to life
and they lived apart from Men and Elves. But she had chosen mortality and alone of all the Eldar
had become joined to Men in fate for the sake of her love for Beren.
But Elwë took up the Silmaril, and he charged the Dwarves with placing it in a necklace which
had originally been fashioned by their people for Finrod. Yet their greed was inflamed by the
Silmaril and they slew Elwë, fighting their way out of his kingdom of Doriath, though most
perished. The Dwarves then sent an army to seek revenge against the Elves and Elwë's kingdom
was destroyed.
Dior, son of Beren and Luthien, tried to restore the kingdom of Elwë, but after the deaths of
Beren and Luthien the Silmaril was brought to him and he chose to wear it openly. Then the sons
of Fëanor sent a demand for the Silmaril, but Dior refused to yield it to them, and they destroyed
the remnant of Doriath.
But though Dior himself perished his daughter Elwing escaped, and the Sindar preserved the
Silmaril with her. In time her people were joined by survivors of Gondolin, Turgon's realm, and
among them was Ëarendil, who married Elwing and began to seek for Valinor to ask forgiveness
and aid for Elves and Men.
The land where Ëarendil and Elwing lived was assailed by the sons of Fëanor again, and again
though they destroyed an Elven realm they failed to recover the Silmaril, because Elwing
escaped and with the aid of Ulmo the Vala joined Ëarendil on his final sea-voyage. With the aid
of the Silmaril they passed over Sea to Valinor and persuaded the Valar to launch the War of
Wrath.
The Quest Fulfilled
Copyright © Anke Eissmann. Used by permission.
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The Noldor of Aman and the Vanyar marched to war beside the Valar and Maiar, and their army
was larger than any before that time or after. They defeated Melkor and briefly recovered the
other two Silmarils, but Maedhros and his brother Maglor stole the jewels. Yet they had lost their
heritage and neither could hold the Silmaril he had taken. Maedhros cast himself into a fiery
chasm with his Silmaril and Maglor threw his into the sea.
This marked the end of the First Age of the Sun, and most of the surviving Noldor and Sindar of
Beleriand returned to Aman to dwell in Tol Eressëa. But a few stayed in Middle-earth under Gilgalad,
son of Fingon, who established a new kingdom in the last remnant of Beleriand.
The Eldar of Aman befriended the Dunedain of Numenor, and for many centuries they sailed
east to visit the Men of the Sea. But when the Dunedain fell under the Shadow the Eldar visited
their friends less and less and then usually in secrecy. But in time when Sauron came to
Numenor the Eldar could not even visit the land in secret, but they gave a parting gift to
Amandil, Lord of Andunië: the Palantiri, the stones of far-seeing.
In Middle-earth Gil-galad opposed Sauron, but the Eldar of Lindon were too weak to confront
the servant of Melkor alone. They had to call upon the Dunedain to help them in the War of the
Elves and Sauron. That war was fought because Sauron had failed to gain control over the Elves
with the Rings of Power, which he had helped forge in Eregion, the easternmost Elven realm of
Eriador.
Until Sauron was taken to Numenor, Gil-galad was never able to recover his power in Middleearth,
for many Elves had perished in the war, and others continued to flee Middle-earth, sailing
over Sea.
Yet after the fall of Numenor Gil-galad befriended Elendil, son of Amandil and leader of the
Dunedain-in-Exile. With Elendil Gil-galad formed the Last Alliance of Elves and Men, and
together they overthrew Sauron, but their victory was not final for Isildur, the son of Elendil,
refused to destroy the One Ring, into which Sauron had cast much of his power.
In the Third Age the Eldar declined in numbers and power. They produced no more great kings,
though Cirdan still dwelt in Middle-earth. Some of the Eldar had settled among the Silvan Elves
(Nandor and Avari who had merged in the Vale of Anduin) in the Second Age, and these proved
to be the mightiest and most numerous Elves. But they were rustic and little resembled the
ancient Eldar of Beleriand in splendor or power.
Throughout the Third Age the Eldar secretly used the Three Rings of Power they had preserved
from Sauron to preserve portions of Middle-earth and delay the world- weariness which in time
afflicted all Elves. But with Sauron's final overthrow the power of the Three failed and many
Eldar set sail over Sea.
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The Naugrim (Dwarves)
The Naugrim, who called themselves Khazad, were known as the Dwarves among Men. They
claimed to have been fashioned by Aulë the Smith before the Awakening of the Elves, but
because Iluvatar did not wish to have any Incarnates awaken before the Elder Children, he
accepted the Khazad as adopted Children yet commanded that they should sleep until after the
Elves awoke.
There were in origin thirteen Dwarves: seven Fathers and six Spouses. Durin, eldest, had no
spouse at first, and he lived alone for a long time while the other Dwarves established their
houses. But eventually even he found a mate (from one of the other six houses) and he
established a kingdom under the Hithaeglir known as Khazad-dum.
Although there were seven houses of Dwarves, it appears that an eighth group, the Noegyth
Nibin, consisting of outcasts from the seven houses, settled in Beleriand. There they were hunted
for a time by the Sindar, who eventually left them in peace when they learned that the Dwarves
were not evil creatures.
The seven Dwarven peoples were called the Firebeards (of Gabilgathol), the Broadbeams (of
Tumunzahar), the Longbeards (of Khazad-dum), the Ironfists, the Stiffbeards, the Blacklocks,
and the Stonefoots. They awoke in four places: a mountain in Ered Luin (perhaps near where
Gabilgathol was located, if not that place itself), Gundabad, and two other mountains in the
distant east, each separated from the others by at least as much distance as separated Gundabad
from the place of awakening in Ered Luin.
The Dwarves spread throughout Middle-earth, trading with the Avari, Nandor, and Sindar. They
also engaged in some trade among themselves, but also fought occasional wars. Their knowledge
of weapons and armor allowed the Dwarves to teach these skills to the Sindar of Beleriand, and
at least two kindreds of Dwarves fought in the wars against Melkor.
During the Second Age many of the Dwarves gathered in Khazad-dum, making it a multikindred
city. Durin's Line became the most powerful and renowned of the Dwarven Houses, and
they allied themselves with the Eldar in the wars against Sauron. It is possible the easternmost
Dwarves fell into evil and perhaps even served Sauron.
The Third Age saw the decline of the Dwarves, although Durin's Folk endured and flourished for
two thirds of the age until they awoke a Balrog. The Balrog devastated their kingdom, forcing
them to flee into exile. Although the Dwarves of Durin's Line established new homes elsewhere,
they never again realized the greatness of their ancient civilization in Khazad-dum. Legend said
that they would one day inhabit Khazad-dum again, but by that time (sometime in the Fourth
Age) the Dwarven race had dwindled to a remnant of its former numbers.
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The Atani (Men)
There is no part of the history of Arda in which Men play a singular role until the final departure
of the Eldar and decline of the Dwarves. Men fought in the wars of Beleriand on both sides, and
they served Sauron even as the Edain aided the Eldar in the Second Age.
The wars and great kingdoms of the Third Age were the wars and realms of Men, not Elves or
Dwarves. The great migrations of that age were all Mannish. Civilization in Middle-earth was all
but destroyed by Sauron, yet what little survived the tumultuous age was preserved largely by the
Dunedain and their allies.
The Fourth Age was called the Age of Men because its advent heralded the end of the Elder
Days, the passing of the Eldar, and the onset of the domination of Men in the history of Middleearth.
Parma Endorion
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Chapter 3:
The Elven Peoples of Arda
The Avari
An early (and apparently rejected) tradition concerning the Avari states that their leaders were
Morwë and Nurwë. If the Noldor and Lindar who became Avari had leaders, Tolkien might have
revived the names of Morwë and Nurwë.
The Avari lived near Cuiviënen for a long time, but eventually they had to leave that land
because the War of Wrath changed Middle-earth. The inland sea of Helcar (which had been
formed in the destruction of the Northern Lamp, Illuin) was drained, leaving only a small portion
of itself which became the Sea of Rhun. The Nurnen may have been another corner of the
ancient waters which survived the tumults of the War of Wrath.
Yet some of the Avari had left Cuiviënen even before the end of the First Age of the Sun.
Tolkien writes that some Avari reached Beleriand before the Eldarin realms were destroyed. The
Edain had also met and befriended Avari in the eastern lands before they entered Beleriand,
according to the tale of Bëor and Finrod. Of course, there were also Nandor in the east, but their
numbers may at that time have been few, since Denethor had gathered as many of his people as
he could find when he led them to Beleriand.
The Avari mingled with the Nandor in the Vales of Anduin, Eriador, and Ossiriand, but only a
very few settled in Doriath successfully. They don't seem to have gotten on well with the Noldor.
Those of the Avari who were descended from the "second clan" thought their cousins of Aman
were arrogant.
When Oropher and Amdir (Malgalad) established their realms among the Silvan Elves in the
Vales of Anduin early in the Second Age (before the year 1000, when Sauron started building
the Barad-dur), they must have recognized the mixed heritage of the Elven folk they had chosen
to rule (why else select a new name for them?).
The Avari taught the Edain the rudiments of language and music, both skills the Elves had
developed before their great division. But they would have needed to develop or practice other
skills, for they needed to defend themselves in the wild and to feed and clothe themselves as
well.
As the Dwarves traded with the Nandor so they must also have traded with the Avari, and what
wars or adventures they engaged in were not recorded by Tolkien.
Tolkien never mentioned any kingdoms or "countries" which were wholly established by the
Avari, but one must always wonder what he imagined the land known as Dorwinion to be like. It
is mentioned in "Lay of Leithian", and it seems unlikely it could have been anything other than
an Elvish realm at that time.
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The Silvan Elves
The Silvan Elves are generally thought to be descended of a portion of the Nandor who remained
in Greenwood the Great or by the river Anduin. But since some of the Avari eventually settled in
Beleriand we must assume that others settled among the Nandor of the Vales of Anduin. And
when the Elves could no longer live in Cuiviënen they must have turned their minds and hearts
toward the west. Men were increasing in number in the eastern lands and there would have been
little incentive for the Avari to stay close to tribes who were in Morgoth's service or led by Men
who had been in his service.
The Silvan Elves originally lived very close together on both sides of the river, at about the same
latitude as the forest of Lindorinand and southern Greenwood about Amon Lanc. They crossed
the river by boats and rafts and probably hunted in the woods for game, fished the river, and
perhaps traded with the Dwarves of Khazad-dum.
Like the Noldor and Sindar, the Silvan Elves were permitted to sail over Sea to Aman when they
grew weary of Middle-earth. They appear to have been closely associated with the haven of
Edhellond near the Bay of Belfalas, though by the Third Age communication between the
northern Elves and Edhellond seems to have been diminished.
The great migration of the Silvan Elves of Lorien in the year 1981 reduced the population of
Lorien though it did not affect the Elven realm in Northern Mirkwood. But it would seem that
the great influx of Elves fleeing Middle-earth infused the folk of Edhellond with a desire to flee
the mortal lands.
After the death of Amroth and the desertion of Edhellond some Silvan Elves still occasionally set
sail over Sea. The poem "The White Ship" speaks of a group of Elves who sail down the Anduin;
Legolas is said to have built a ship in Ithilien and sailed over Sea. And Mithrellas, the wife of
Imrazôr the Numenorean in one version of the founding of the House of Dol Amroth, was a
Silvan Elf who left her husband after bearing him two children. She was supposedly a handmaid
of Nimrodel, and could not have left Middle-earth before Amroth did. Perhaps she joined a
company of Elves who built a ship near Belfalas some years after Amroth's death.
In the Fourth Age the Silvan Elves of Lorien followed Celeborn across the Anduin to establish
the realm of East Lorien. The "Tale of Aragorn And Arwen" implies that a few Elves remained
in Lorien but not enough to maintain the ancient Elven realm.
Thranduil, King of Northern Mirkwood, permitted his son Legolas to lead some of their folk
south to Ithilien. Gondor thus enjoyed a renewal of Elvish influence for at least a few centuries,
as it is unlikely all of Legolas' people went with him over Sea.
The Silvan Elves were drawn into all the major wars of the Second and Third Ages. They gave
assistance to the Elves of Eregion in the War of the Elves and Sauron, and they marched with
Gil-galad in the War of the Last Alliance of Elves and Men. Elrond called upon the Elves of
Lorien for aid on at least two and possibly three occasions in the wars against Angmar, and
Thranduil fought in the Battle of Five Armies.
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Sauron also launched attacks on Thranduil's realm and
o well..i whored it up earlier 
