Eryn Vorn
| Eryn Vorn | |
|---|---|
| Forest | |
.png) | |
| General Information | |
| Location | Southwestern Eriador, in Minhiriath |
| Type | Forest |
| Regions | Arnor Cardolan Reunited Kingdom |
| Inhabitants | Men |
| Gallery | Images of Eryn Vorn |
Eryn Vorn (Sindarin for Blackwood[1]) was a wooded cape in Eriador[2], and a region of dark pine trees.[3]
History
Located in western Minhiriath, Eryn Vorn was originally part of the vast ancient treescape that covered most of north-western Middle-earth. The wood was likely named by the Númenóreans during the Second Age.
During the Second Age, however, these forests were decimated by the Númenóreans in their greed for ship-building timber, before being almost completely burnt down by the forces of Sauron during the ensuing war in Eriador.[2]
By the latter half of the Second Age, the surviving natives of Minhiriath had retreated either north to Bree, or hidden themselves in Eryn Vorn which was probably all that remained of the vast forests in Minhiriath for long years thereafter.
From T.A. 861, Eryn Vorn nominally formed a part of Cardolan and by the end of the Third Age, scattered woodlands had reappeared in much of the rest of Minhiriath.
It is probable that people remained hidden in Eryn Vorn by the Third Age, for although it is clearly recorded that no permanent settlements of Men existed anywhere west of Bree by the late Third Age,[4] it is also said that "a few secretive hunter-folk lived in the woods" of Minhiriath at the time of the War of the Ring. These people we are told were afraid to cross the river Baranduin because the Elves dwelt beyond it.[2][note 1]
Etymology
Eryn Vorn is Sindarin and has been given the translation "Blackwood". The name consists of eryn ("wood") and vorn ("dark"),[1] the latter being the lenited form of morn.[5]
The name Eryn Vorn first appeared on Pauline Baynes's Map of Middle-earth (1970), for which Tolkien had supplied notes on additional names. The first printing of the map wrongly has Erin Voru.[1]
Portrayal in adaptations
1982-97: Middle-earth Role Playing:
- Eryn Vorn, the Black Wood (called Choil Borba in the local tongue), covers the promontory of Rast Vorn (the Dark Cape). The large wood is a wild land, inhabited by Woses and evil creatures.[6][7]
Notes
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull (eds), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, p. lxv
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn", "Appendix D: The Port of Lond Daer"
- ↑ Handwritten annotations provided by J.R.R. Tolkien to Pauline Baynes on a copy of the published map, as later found loose in her own copy of the books, see The Guardian, 23 October 2015, "Tolkien's annotated map of Middle-earth discovered inside copy of Lord of the Rings". An analysis of the map may also be found in "Découverte d'une carte de la Terre du Milieu annotée par Tolkien pour Pauline Baynes" (in French, with deciphered annotations also being provided in English). The somehow uncertain reading "pine" was also confirmed by Blackwell Rare Books on November 9, 2015 ("Tolkien’s annotated map of Middle-earth transcribed"). Mrs Baynes apparently followed Tolkien's indications, as she represented the forest with pine-like trees on her illustrated poster map.
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King
- ↑ Helge Fauskanger, "Sindarin - the Noble Tongue: I. Soft Mutation" at Ardalambion (accessed 8 June 2011)
- ↑ Jeff McKeage (1987), Woses of the Black Wood (#8107)
- ↑ Jessica Ney (ed.; 1990), Angus McBride's Characters of Middle-earth (#8007), pp. 42-43
