Lhûn: Difference between revisions

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Revision as of 21:08, 6 August 2014

Lhûn
River
General Information
Other namesLune
LocationWestern Eriador, east of the Ered Luin
TypeRiver
DescriptionA great river in northwest Middle-Earth
RegionsArnor, Lindon
GalleryImages of Lhûn

The river Lhûn (S, pron. [ˈɬuːːn]) or Westronized Lune was a river of north-western Eriador. It gave its name to the Gulf of Lune and the Mountains of Lune.

History

Of old, the Lhûn had been a line of defense: first against Sauron, and later against the Witch-king.

Following the forging of the One Ring and the Sack of Eregion, Sauron ruled most of Eriador. Gil-galad and Elendil were desperately protecting the Grey Havens, and managed to hold the Lhûn.[1]

In the Third Age, the Lhûn formed the border between Mithlond and Arnor.[2] During the War with Angmar, it formed the end of the Witch-king's influence: many of the Dúnedain fled across it. When Eärnil II came, passage was won back over it. With their defeat imminent, many of the Witch-king's minions drowned in the river Lhûn.[3]

Course

The river Lhûn found its origin in the First Age or before, but following the War of Wrath, its course was severely altered. Its original course is no longer recorded in history, but after the breaking of the Blue Mountains, it flowed in the Gulf of Lhûn.[4] The river had its origin in the north of the Blue Mountains, and had two tributaries: the Little Lune and an unnamed river that had its origin in the Emyn Uial.

Etymology

The meaning of Lhûn is not known. In connection with its first appearance, in a manuscript dating from ca. 1940, the translation "Blue River" is given.[5][6] Apparently, Tolkien originally envisioned it as Noldorin for "blue" (cf. Sindarin luin).[7] Lhûn, and especially the initial /lh/, may have been valid in Noldorin, it was not so in Sindarin, so Tolkien had to rewrite the etymology. He considered the following:[6][8]

  • CE Slōna, "floody"
  • CE Slōnā, "in flood, full of water" (during melting season)
  • CE Slounā, "flow freely"
  • CE Slōno, "deep of water, applied originally to the Gulf!"
  • A renaming to Sîr Luin, "Blue River"
  • CE Slōn, "sound"
  • A Khuzdul origin, salôn or sulûn, "fall, descend swiftly"

References

  1. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn", "Concerning Galadriel and Celeborn"
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "Eriador, Arnor and the Heirs of Isildur"
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "Gondor and the Heirs of Anarion"
  4. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age"
  5. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Treason of Isengard, "VI. The Council of Elrond (1): The Third Version, (iii)", p. 124
  6. 6.0 6.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, "Eldarin Hands, Fingers & Numerals and Related Writings — Part Two: The Problem of Lhûn" (edited by Patrick H. Wynne), in Vinyar Tengwar, Number 48, December 2005
  7. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Three: "The Etymologies" (entry for LUG2-)
  8. J.R.R. Tolkien, "Words, Phrases and Passages in Various Tongues in The Lord of the Rings", in Parma Eldalamberon XVII (edited by Christopher Gilson), pp. 136-7