Beleriand: Difference between revisions

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{{expansion}}
{{location infobox
[[Image:John Howe - Beleriand and the North.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[John Howe]] - ''Beleriand and the North'']]
| name=Beleriand
{{quote|Beleriand, Beleriand / borders of the faëry land.|[[Lay of Leithian]]}}
| image=[[File:Christopher Tolkien - Map of Beleriand (colored by H.E. Riddett).jpg|250px]]
{{Pronounce|Beleriand.mp3|Ardamir}}
| caption="[[Map of Beleriand and the Lands to the North]]" drawn by [[Christopher Tolkien]] and coloured by [[H.E. Riddett]]
'''Beleriand''' ([[Sindarin|S]], pron. {{IPA|[beˈlerjand]}}) was the region of north-western [[Middle-earth]] during the [[First Age]]. Originally, the name belonged only to the area around the [[Bay of Balar]], but in time the name was applied to the entire land.  
| pronun=[[Sindarin|S]], {{IPA|[beˈlerjand]}}
| othernames=''Valariandë'' ([[Quenya|Q]])
| location=[[Arda]], east of [[Belegaer]]
| type=Continent
| description=
| regions=[[West Beleriand]], [[East Beleriand]]
| towns=
| inhabitants=[[Men]], [[Elves]], [[Dwarves]], [[Orcs]], others
| created=
| destroyed={{FA|587}}
| events=[[Wars of Beleriand]]
}}
{{quote|Beleriand, Beleriand / borders of the faëry land.|''[[Lay of Leithian]]'', [[Lay of Leithian Canto II|Canto II]], vv. 399-400}}
'''Beleriand''' was the region of north-western [[Middle-earth]] during the [[First Age]]. Originally, the name belonged only to the area around the [[Bay of Balar]], but in time the name was applied to the entire land.  


==Geography==
==Geography==
To the west and south it had a long shore with the Great Sea [[Belegaer]], to the north were the highland regions of [[Hithlum]], [[Dorthonion]] and the hills of [[Himring]], to the east the [[Ered Luin]] (Blue Mountains) reached nearly to the sea.  The land of [[Nevrast]] in the north-west was sometimes considered part of Beleriand.
[[Image:John Howe - Beleriand and the North.jpg|thumb|right|250px|''Beleriand and the North'' by [[John Howe]]]]
In the First Age, Beleriand was among the westernmost lands of Middle-earth.<ref name=western>{{S|3}}, p. 44</ref> Beleriand had a long western shoreline with the Great Sea [[Belegaer]], including the [[Bay of Balar]] in its south-west. The Ered Luin ([[Blue Mountains]]) formed the eastern border of Beleriand, separating it from [[Eriador]].<ref name=western /> To the south, Beleriand was bound by the [[Great Gulf]].<ref>{{SM|5}}, p. 306</ref> North of Beleriand were the highland regions of [[Hithlum]],<ref name=hithlum>{{S|14}}, p. 112</ref> [[Dorthonion]], and [[Lothlann]].<ref>{{S|18}}, p. 147</ref> Some people considered the land of [[Nevrast]] to be part of Beleriand, while others considered it part of Hithlum.<ref name=hithlum />


The River [[Sirion]], the chief river of Beleriand, running north to south, divided it into '''[[West Beleriand]]''' and '''[[East Beleriand]]'''. Crossing it east to west was a series of hills and a sudden drop in elevation known as [[Andram]], the Long Wall. (The river sank into the ground at the ''Fens of Sirion'', and re-emerged below the Andram at the ''Gates of Sirion''.) To the east of the Long Wall, was the River [[Gelion]] and its six tributaries draining the Ered Luin, in [[Ossiriand]] or the Land of Seven Rivers. The River [[Brithon]] and the River [[Nenning]] were the two lesser rivers of the western land of [[Falas]].
The River [[Sirion]], the chief river of Beleriand, running north to south, divided it into '''[[West Beleriand]]''' and '''[[East Beleriand]]'''. Crossing it east to west was a series of hills and a sudden drop in elevation known as [[Andram]], the Long Wall. (The river sank into the ground at the ''Fens of Sirion'', and re-emerged below the Andram at the ''Gates of Sirion''.) To the east of the Long Wall, was the River [[Gelion]] and its six tributaries draining the Ered Luin, in [[Ossiriand]] or the Land of Seven Rivers. The River [[Brithon]] and the River [[Nenning]] were the two lesser rivers of the western land of [[Falas]].


In {{FA|587}}, Beleriand was mostly destroyed and submerged by the [[War of Wrath]] of the [[Valar]] against [[Morgoth]]. Only a small section of East Beleriand remained, and was known as [[Lindon]].
By {{FA|587}}, Beleriand was mostly destroyed and submerged under the sea from the [[War of Wrath]] of the [[Valar]] against [[Morgoth]]. Only a small section of East Beleriand remained, and was known as [[Lindon]].


In addition, fulfilling a prophecy, the graves of [[Túrin|Túrin Turambar]] and [[Morwen]] survived as the island Tol Morwen. Likewise part of [[Dorthonion]] became Tol Fuin, and the [[Hill of Himring]] became the island of Himling.  All of these together were known as the Western Isles.
In addition, fulfilling a prophecy, the graves of [[Túrin|Túrin Turambar]] and [[Morwen]] survived as the island [[Tol Morwen]]. Likewise part of [[Dorthonion]] became [[Tol Fuin]], and the [[Hill of Himring]] became the island of Himling.  All of these together were also mentioned as the Western Isles.<ref name=Quenta>{{LR|P2VI}}</ref>{{rp|332}}


Regions and kingdoms of Beleriand:
Regions and kingdoms of Beleriand:
Line 41: Line 55:


==Etymology==
==Etymology==
Beleriand translates to "The Country of [[Ossë|Balar]]" with the ending ''[[-ian|-ian(d)]]'' for places and countries. The [[OS]] form could have been *''Balariande'' (''a'' [[i-affection|slid]] to ''e'' because of the following ''i''). The element ''Beler''/''Balar'' is believed to refer to the [[Maiar|Maia]] [[Ossë]], who often dwelt at the shores of the island.
{{Pronounce|Beleriand.mp3|Ardamir}}
''Beleriand'' translates to "The Country of [[Ossë|Balar]]" with the ending ''[[-ian|-ian(d)]]'' for places and countries. The [[OS]] form could have been *''Balariandë'' (''a'' [[i-affection|slid]] to ''e'' because of the following ''i'').  
 
The element ''Balar'' refers to [[Ossë]], who often dwelt at the shores (although this refers to the earlier [[legendarium]] when Ossë and [[Uinen]] were [[Valar]] of the sea, not [[Maiar]] of Ulmo).<ref name=ety>{{LR|Etymologies}}, entry BAL</ref><ref>{{GA|2}}</ref> It was from Balar that the Teleri expanded and "colonised" the region of Beleriand, hence the name.<ref name=ety/>
 
The Middle [[Quenya]] name '''''Valariandë''''' is also given.<ref name=Quenta></ref>{{rp|202}}


In the ''[[The Book of Lost Tales Part One]]'', there is also the [[Quenya]] name "'''Valariandë'''".
===Nomenclature===
===Nomenclature===
The name Beleriand originally applied only to the region around the [[Bay of Balar]] whence the name, before expanded to refer to the wider region. Properly Beleriand does not refer to the [[Northlands]] such as [[Anfauglith]], or the eastern lands of [[Thargelion]]; [[Nevrast]] and [[Dorthonion]] are "grey areas"<ref>[[Robert Foster]], ''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]'', p. 41</ref>. However the term "Beleriand" is sometimes used collectivelly in [[fandom]] to include all those submerged lands.
The name ''Beleriand'' originally applied only to the region around the [[Bay of Balar]] whence the name, before expanded to refer to the wider region. Properly ''Beleriand'' does not refer to the [[Northlands]] such as [[Anfauglith]], or the eastern lands of [[Thargelion]]; [[Nevrast]] and [[Dorthonion]] are "grey areas"<ref>{{HM|Guide}}, p. 41</ref>. However the term ''Beleriand'' is sometimes used collectivelly in [[fandom]] to include all those submerged lands.


==Location==
==Location==
[[File:Didier Willis - Beleriand and Eriador.png|thumb|left|Reconstructed location of Beleriand at the appropriate scale and position]]
[[File:Didier Willis - Beleriand and Eriador.png|thumb|left|Reconstructed location of Beleriand at the appropriate scale and position relative to [[Eriador]], as drawn by [[Didier Willis]]]]
The [[Map of Beleriand and the Lands to the North|map of Beleriand as has been published in the ''Silmarillion'']] (1977), shows only a portion of the region, with no common points to the better-known [[Third Age]] [[Westlands]] maps of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''; the only common references were the [[Blue Mountains]], and the information that [[Lindon]] is a part of former Ossiriand.
 
The [[Map of Beleriand and the Lands to the North|map of Beleriand as published in ''The Silmarillion'']] (1977) shows only a portion of the region, with few common points to the better-known [[Third Age]] [[Westlands]] maps of ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''; the only explicit common references are the [[Blue Mountains]], which formed the boundary between Beleriand and [[Eriador]], and the information that in the Third Age, [[Lindon]] was part of Ossiriand that survived Beleriand's destruction at the end of the First Age.
 
[[File:Sage - Beleriand and Eriador collage.png|thumb|How [[Karen Wynn Fonstad]] envisioned Beleriand relative to Eriador. The rectangle marks the region shown in the ''The Silmarillion'' map (canon); the rest, including the [[Thangorodrim]], are Fonstad's extrapolations.]]


[[File:Sage - Beleriand and Eriador collage.png|thumb|How Fonstad envisioned Beleriand relative to [[Lindon]]/[[Eriador]]. The rectangle marks the region shown in the ''Silmarillion'' map (canon); the rest, including the [[Thangorodrim]], are Fonstad's extrapolations]]
In 1979, [[Charles Noad]]<ref>[[Charles Noad]], "A Note on the Geography of the First Age" in ''[[Amon_Hen_(journal)|Amon Hen]]'' no. [[Amon_Hen_38|38]], April 1979, reprinted in ''[[Mallorn_(journal)|Mallorn]]'' no. [[Mallorn_27|27]], September 1990, p. 40.</ref> made an attempt to reconstruct a general map of Beleriand and Eriador. Using only the few distance indications from the text of ''The Silmarillion'', Noad's very early attempt is remarkable as it proves very accurate despite being published before ''[[Unfinished Tales]]'' (where the island of Himling was first depicted, with Tol Fuin mentioned westwards) and ''[[The History of Middle-earth]]''.
In 1979, [[Charles Noad]]<ref>[[Charles Noad]], "A Note on the Geography of the First Age" in ''[[Amon_Hen_(journal)|Amon Hen]]'' no. [[Amon_Hen_38|38]], April 1979, reprinted in ''[[Mallorn_(journal)|Mallorn]]'' no. [[Mallorn_27|27]], September 1990, p. 40.</ref> made an attempt to reconstruct a general map of Beleriand and Eriador. Using only the few distance indications from the ''Silmarillion'', Noad's very early attempt is quite remarkable as it was published before ''[[Unfinished Tales]]'' (where the island of Himling was first depicted, with Tol Fuin mentioned westwards), and yet it proves very accurate even by todays standards.  


Ten years later, [[Ronald Kyrmse|Ronald E. Kyrmse]]<ref>[[Ronald Kyrmse]], "The Geographical Relation between Beleriand and Eriador" in ''[[Mallorn_(journal)|Mallorn]]'' no. [[Mallorn_26|26]], September 1989, pp. 25–27.</ref> independently proposed his own map reconstruction, aligning the isle of [[Himling]] with the hill of [[Himring]].  
Ten years later, [[Ronald Kyrmse|Ronald E. Kyrmse]]<ref>[[Ronald Kyrmse]], "The Geographical Relation between Beleriand and Eriador" in ''[[Mallorn_(journal)|Mallorn]]'' no. [[Mallorn_26|26]], September 1989, pp. 25–27.</ref> independently proposed his own map reconstruction, aligning the isle of [[Himling]] with the hill of [[Himring]]. Kyrmse also identified [[Dolmed]] on the early map of Beleriand as being the same as a mountain on the ''[[Unfinished Tales]]'' map (depicted slightly apart of the mountain range and north of the wooden area in [[Forlindon]]), proving that Dolmed still existed in the Third Age (being too far north from the Gulf of Lune to have been destroyed). He might therefore have been the first to discover that Dolmed survived the destruction of Beleriand at the end of the First Age.
Kyrmse also identified [[Dolmed]] on the early map of Beleriand as being the same as a mountain on the ''[[Unfinished Tales]]'' map (depicted slightly apart of the mountain range and north of the wooden area in [[Forlindon]]), proving that Dolmed still existed in the Third Age (being way too far north from the Gulf to be destroyed). He might therefore be the first to have discovered that Dolmed survived the destruction of Beleriand at the end of the First Age.


In 1991, [[Karen Wynn Fonstad]] faced the same problems when she attempted to make a world-map of [[Arda]]. She found a solution by combining an early map for ''The Lord of the Rings''<ref>{{TI|MI}}, p. 302</ref> and an early map for the Silmarillion,<ref>{{LR|Quenta}}, "Second 'Silmarillion' Map" pp. 408-411</ref> both being prototypes for the published maps by [[Christopher Tolkien]]. She aligned [[Tol Fuin]] with [[Taur-nu-Fuin]] and [[Himling]] with [[Himring]] and filled the rest of the outline with some inspiration from the [[:File:J.R.R. Tolkien - Ambarkanta Map V.png|only world-map]] by Tolkien.<ref>{{SM|Ambar}}</ref> She brought the coast near that of [[Belfalas]], continued the course of [[Gelion]] to the south-west, extended the south-western tip to emphasize the Bay of Balar, and assumed that area as forested, a continuation of [[Taur-im-Duinath]].<ref>[[Karen Wynn Fonstad]], ''[[The Atlas of Middle-earth]]'', p. 3</ref>
In 1991, [[Karen Wynn Fonstad]] faced the same problems when she attempted to make a world-map of [[Arda]]. She found a solution by combining an early map for ''The Lord of the Rings'' (published in ''[[The Treason of Isengard]]'')<ref>{{TI|MI}}, p. 302</ref> and an early map for the Silmarillion (published in ''[[The Lost Road and Other Writings]]''),<ref>{{LR|A3}}, pp. 408-411</ref> both being prototypes for the published maps by [[Christopher Tolkien]]. She aligned [[Tol Fuin]] with [[Taur-nu-Fuin]] and [[Himling]] with [[Himring]] and filled the rest of the outline with some inspiration from the [[:File:J.R.R. Tolkien - Ambarkanta Map V.png|only world-map]] by Tolkien.<ref>{{SM|Ambar}}</ref> She brought the coast near that of [[Belfalas]], continued the course of [[Gelion]] to the south-west, extended the south-western tip to emphasize the Bay of Balar, and assumed that area as forested, a continuation of [[Taur-im-Duinath]].<ref name=Atlas>[[Karen Wynn Fonstad]], ''[[The Atlas of Middle-earth]]''</ref>{{rp|3}} While the [[Iron Mountains]] do not appear in the canonical map, Fonstad drew them as a continuation to her imagined range of [[Iron Hills]]—[[Grey Mountains]]—[[Mountains of Angmar]].
While the [[Iron Mountains]] do not appear in the canonical map, Fonstad drew them as a continuation to the imagined range of [[Iron Hills]]—[[Grey Mountains]]—[[Mountains of Angmar]].


In the early 90s, [[Didier Willis]] independently made the same attempt, also using the map from ''[[Unfinished Tales]]'' which shows Himling and also indicates distances, like the second map of Beleriand.<ref>{{HM|WJ}}, pp. 182-185</ref>  
In the early 1990s, [[Didier Willis]] independently made the same attempt using the map from ''[[Unfinished Tales]]'' that shows Himling; the second map of Beleriand, which was published in ''[[The War of the Jewels]]'' and indicates distances;<ref>{{HM|WJ}}, pp. 182-185</ref> and the draft map of the lands east of the Blue Mountains published in ''The Treason of Isengard'', which also indicates distances. Quite similar to Noad and Kymrse's earlier attempts, Willis' interpretation shows a slightly smaller Beleriand than Fonstad's and places the First Age [[Bay of Balar]] closer to the Third Age [[Gulf of Lune]].<ref>''Hiswelóce'' (fanzine, French), special issue no. 1, La Faculté des Etudes Elfiques, 1994; [http://www.jrrvf.com/hisweloke/site3/articles.php?lng=en&pg=41 Mont Dolmed & cités naines — « Lhúndirien » ou le recollage du Beleriand et de l'Eriador], revised and improved version in Willis, Didier (editor), ''[[Tolkien, le façonnement d'un monde]]'' (2014), vol. 2, pp. 197-230.</ref> Not knowing Kyrmse's earlier interpretation, Willis also independently recognized [[Dolmed]] on the early map of Beleriand and criticized Fonstad and [[Robert Foster]] who suggested the opposite.<ref name=Atlas></ref>{{rp|34}}<ref>[[Robert Foster]], ''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]'', entry "Dolmed"</ref>
Quite similar to Noad and Kymrse's attempts, Willis' interpretation shows a slightly smaller Beleriand than Fonstad's, and the First Age [[Bay of Balar]] closer to the Third Age [[Gulf of Lune]].<ref>''Hiswelóce'' (fanzine, French), special issue no. 1, La Faculté des Etudes Elfiques, 1994; [http://www.jrrvf.com/hisweloke/site3/articles.php?lng=en&pg=41 Mont Dolmed & cités naines — « Lhúndirien » ou le recollage du Beleriand et de l'Eriador], revised and improved version in Willis, Didier (editor), ''[[Tolkien, le façonnement d'un monde]]'' (2014), vol. 2, pp. 197-230.</ref>
Not knowing Kyrmse's earlier interpretation, Willis also independently recognized [[Dolmed]] on the early map of Beleriand and criticized Fonstad and [[Robert Foster]] who suggested the opposite.<ref>[[Karen Wynn Fonstad]], ''[[The Atlas of Middle-earth]]'' p. 34</ref><ref>[[Robert Foster]], ''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]'', entry ''Dolmed''</ref>


==Other versions of the legendarium==
==Other versions of the legendarium==
Beleriand had many different names in Tolkien's early writings, as found in ''[[The History of Middle-earth]]'': '''Broseliand/Broceliand''', '''[[Golodhinand]]''', '''[[Noldórinan]]''', '''[[Geleriand]]''', '''[[Bladorinand]]''', '''Belaurien''', '''[[Arsiriand]]''', '''[[Lassiriand]]''', '''[[Ossiriand]]''' (the latter was later used as a name for another realm).
The earliest name in the [[legendarium]] was '''''Broseliand''''' (emmended from ''Broceliand'').<ref name=Broseliand>{{LB|C1}}, p. 160</ref> The name is not glossed, but in the [[The First 'Silmarillion' Map|First 'Silmarillion' Map]] it is said that it is the English name for "all the lands watered by Sirion south of [[Gondolin]]".<ref>{{SM|4c}}, p. 226</ref> While writing [[The Lay of Leithian]], [[Tolkien]] considered several names to replace ''Broseliand'', which also remain unglossed but [[Christopher Tolkien]] tried to explain:<ref name=Broseliand></ref>
 
*''Golodhinand'' and ''Noldórinan'', both related to the [[Gnomes]] in the stems ''[[Golodh]]'' and ''[[Noldo]]''.
*''Bladorinand'', related to ''Bladorwen'', the name for [[Palúrien]] as "the wide earth, Mother Earth".
*''Belaurien'', related to ''Belaurin'', the [[Gnomish]] form of ''Palúrien''.
*''Geleriand'', ''Arsiriand'', ''Lassiriand'' and ''[[Ossiriand]]'', Christopher is not able to explain.


==Inspiration==
==Inspiration==
The early names ''Broceliand/Broseliand'' affirms that Tolkien was inspired by the legendary forest of ''[[Wikipedia:Brocéliande|Brocéliande]]''.
The early names ''Broceliand''/''Broseliand'' affirms that Tolkien was inspired by the legendary forest of ''[[Wikipedia:Brocéliande|Brocéliande]]''.<ref name=Broseliand>{{LB|C1}}, p. 160</ref>
 
==See also==
* [[:Category:Images of Beleriand]]


==External links==
==External links==
Line 78: Line 96:
{{references}}
{{references}}
[[Category:Beleriand| ]]
[[Category:Beleriand| ]]
[[Category:Noldorin locations]]
[[Category:Pronounced articles]]
[[Category:Pronounced articles]]
[[Category:Regions]]
[[Category:Regions]]

Revision as of 22:35, 14 May 2021

Beleriand
Continent
Christopher Tolkien - Map of Beleriand (colored by H.E. Riddett).jpg
"Map of Beleriand and the Lands to the North" drawn by Christopher Tolkien and coloured by H.E. Riddett
General Information
PronunciationS, [beˈlerjand]
Other namesValariandë (Q)
LocationArda, east of Belegaer
TypeContinent
RegionsWest Beleriand, East Beleriand
People and History
InhabitantsMen, Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, others
DestroyedF.A. 587
EventsWars of Beleriand
GalleryImages of Beleriand
"Beleriand, Beleriand / borders of the faëry land."
Lay of Leithian, Canto II, vv. 399-400

Beleriand was the region of north-western Middle-earth during the First Age. Originally, the name belonged only to the area around the Bay of Balar, but in time the name was applied to the entire land.

Geography

Beleriand and the North by John Howe

In the First Age, Beleriand was among the westernmost lands of Middle-earth.[1] Beleriand had a long western shoreline with the Great Sea Belegaer, including the Bay of Balar in its south-west. The Ered Luin (Blue Mountains) formed the eastern border of Beleriand, separating it from Eriador.[1] To the south, Beleriand was bound by the Great Gulf.[2] North of Beleriand were the highland regions of Hithlum,[3] Dorthonion, and Lothlann.[4] Some people considered the land of Nevrast to be part of Beleriand, while others considered it part of Hithlum.[3]

The River Sirion, the chief river of Beleriand, running north to south, divided it into West Beleriand and East Beleriand. Crossing it east to west was a series of hills and a sudden drop in elevation known as Andram, the Long Wall. (The river sank into the ground at the Fens of Sirion, and re-emerged below the Andram at the Gates of Sirion.) To the east of the Long Wall, was the River Gelion and its six tributaries draining the Ered Luin, in Ossiriand or the Land of Seven Rivers. The River Brithon and the River Nenning were the two lesser rivers of the western land of Falas.

By F.A. 587, Beleriand was mostly destroyed and submerged under the sea from the War of Wrath of the Valar against Morgoth. Only a small section of East Beleriand remained, and was known as Lindon.

In addition, fulfilling a prophecy, the graves of Túrin Turambar and Morwen survived as the island Tol Morwen. Likewise part of Dorthonion became Tol Fuin, and the Hill of Himring became the island of Himling. All of these together were also mentioned as the Western Isles.[5]:332

Regions and kingdoms of Beleriand:

Cities of Beleriand:

Etymology

Beleriand translates to "The Country of Balar" with the ending -ian(d) for places and countries. The OS form could have been *Balariandë (a slid to e because of the following i).

The element Balar refers to Ossë, who often dwelt at the shores (although this refers to the earlier legendarium when Ossë and Uinen were Valar of the sea, not Maiar of Ulmo).[6][7] It was from Balar that the Teleri expanded and "colonised" the region of Beleriand, hence the name.[6]

The Middle Quenya name Valariandë is also given.[5]:202

Nomenclature

The name Beleriand originally applied only to the region around the Bay of Balar whence the name, before expanded to refer to the wider region. Properly Beleriand does not refer to the Northlands such as Anfauglith, or the eastern lands of Thargelion; Nevrast and Dorthonion are "grey areas"[8]. However the term Beleriand is sometimes used collectivelly in fandom to include all those submerged lands.

Location

Reconstructed location of Beleriand at the appropriate scale and position relative to Eriador, as drawn by Didier Willis

The map of Beleriand as published in The Silmarillion (1977) shows only a portion of the region, with few common points to the better-known Third Age Westlands maps of The Lord of the Rings; the only explicit common references are the Blue Mountains, which formed the boundary between Beleriand and Eriador, and the information that in the Third Age, Lindon was part of Ossiriand that survived Beleriand's destruction at the end of the First Age.

How Karen Wynn Fonstad envisioned Beleriand relative to Eriador. The rectangle marks the region shown in the The Silmarillion map (canon); the rest, including the Thangorodrim, are Fonstad's extrapolations.

In 1979, Charles Noad[9] made an attempt to reconstruct a general map of Beleriand and Eriador. Using only the few distance indications from the text of The Silmarillion, Noad's very early attempt is remarkable as it proves very accurate despite being published before Unfinished Tales (where the island of Himling was first depicted, with Tol Fuin mentioned westwards) and The History of Middle-earth.

Ten years later, Ronald E. Kyrmse[10] independently proposed his own map reconstruction, aligning the isle of Himling with the hill of Himring. Kyrmse also identified Dolmed on the early map of Beleriand as being the same as a mountain on the Unfinished Tales map (depicted slightly apart of the mountain range and north of the wooden area in Forlindon), proving that Dolmed still existed in the Third Age (being too far north from the Gulf of Lune to have been destroyed). He might therefore have been the first to discover that Dolmed survived the destruction of Beleriand at the end of the First Age.

In 1991, Karen Wynn Fonstad faced the same problems when she attempted to make a world-map of Arda. She found a solution by combining an early map for The Lord of the Rings (published in The Treason of Isengard)[11] and an early map for the Silmarillion (published in The Lost Road and Other Writings),[12] both being prototypes for the published maps by Christopher Tolkien. She aligned Tol Fuin with Taur-nu-Fuin and Himling with Himring and filled the rest of the outline with some inspiration from the only world-map by Tolkien.[13] She brought the coast near that of Belfalas, continued the course of Gelion to the south-west, extended the south-western tip to emphasize the Bay of Balar, and assumed that area as forested, a continuation of Taur-im-Duinath.[14]:3 While the Iron Mountains do not appear in the canonical map, Fonstad drew them as a continuation to her imagined range of Iron HillsGrey MountainsMountains of Angmar.

In the early 1990s, Didier Willis independently made the same attempt using the map from Unfinished Tales that shows Himling; the second map of Beleriand, which was published in The War of the Jewels and indicates distances;[15] and the draft map of the lands east of the Blue Mountains published in The Treason of Isengard, which also indicates distances. Quite similar to Noad and Kymrse's earlier attempts, Willis' interpretation shows a slightly smaller Beleriand than Fonstad's and places the First Age Bay of Balar closer to the Third Age Gulf of Lune.[16] Not knowing Kyrmse's earlier interpretation, Willis also independently recognized Dolmed on the early map of Beleriand and criticized Fonstad and Robert Foster who suggested the opposite.[14]:34[17]

Other versions of the legendarium

The earliest name in the legendarium was Broseliand (emmended from Broceliand).[18] The name is not glossed, but in the First 'Silmarillion' Map it is said that it is the English name for "all the lands watered by Sirion south of Gondolin".[19] While writing The Lay of Leithian, Tolkien considered several names to replace Broseliand, which also remain unglossed but Christopher Tolkien tried to explain:[18]

  • Golodhinand and Noldórinan, both related to the Gnomes in the stems Golodh and Noldo.
  • Bladorinand, related to Bladorwen, the name for Palúrien as "the wide earth, Mother Earth".
  • Belaurien, related to Belaurin, the Gnomish form of Palúrien.
  • Geleriand, Arsiriand, Lassiriand and Ossiriand, Christopher is not able to explain.

Inspiration

The early names Broceliand/Broseliand affirms that Tolkien was inspired by the legendary forest of Brocéliande.[18]

External links

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor", p. 44
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Shaping of Middle-earth, "V. The Ambarkanta", p. 306
  3. 3.0 3.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of Beleriand and its Realms", p. 112
  4. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin", p. 147
  5. 5.0 5.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, "Part Two: Valinor and Middle-earth before The Lord of the Rings, VI. Quenta Silmarillion"
  6. 6.0 6.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Three: "The Etymologies", entry BAL
  7. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "The Grey Annals": §2
  8. Robert Foster, The Complete Guide to Middle-earth, p. 41
  9. Charles Noad, "A Note on the Geography of the First Age" in Amon Hen no. 38, April 1979, reprinted in Mallorn no. 27, September 1990, p. 40.
  10. Ronald Kyrmse, "The Geographical Relation between Beleriand and Eriador" in Mallorn no. 26, September 1989, pp. 25–27.
  11. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Treason of Isengard, "XV. The First Map of The Lord of the Rings", "Maps I and IA", p. 302
  12. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, "Appendix: III. The Second 'Silmarillion' Map", pp. 408-411
  13. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Shaping of Middle-earth, "V. The Ambarkanta"
  14. 14.0 14.1 Karen Wynn Fonstad, The Atlas of Middle-earth
  15. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, pp. 182-185
  16. Hiswelóce (fanzine, French), special issue no. 1, La Faculté des Etudes Elfiques, 1994; Mont Dolmed & cités naines — « Lhúndirien » ou le recollage du Beleriand et de l'Eriador, revised and improved version in Willis, Didier (editor), Tolkien, le façonnement d'un monde (2014), vol. 2, pp. 197-230.
  17. Robert Foster, The Complete Guide to Middle-earth, entry "Dolmed"
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lays of Beleriand, "III. The Lay of Leithian: Canto I (Of Thingol)", p. 160
  19. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Shaping of Middle-earth, "IV. The First 'Silmarillion' Map: The Southern Half of the Map", p. 226