Ethir Anduin

From Tolkien Gateway
Revision as of 11:57, 17 January 2021 by Akhorahil (talk | contribs) (Provided a more precise reference, that says that it is from the essay The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor by J.R.R. Tolkien)
Ethir Anduin
River delta
The Return of the King (1980 film) - Ethir Anduin.jpg
A map showing Ethir Anduin from The Return of the King (1980 film)
General Information
Other namesMouths of Anduin
LocationSouth of Lebennin in Gondor, leading into the Bay of Belfalas
TypeRiver delta
People and History
InhabitantsNandor, later Men
EventsWar of the Ring

The Ethir Anduin, also known as the Mouths of Anduin and Anduin's Mouths[1], was the delta of the river Anduin, south of Pelargir in Gondor.

History

The delta's first settlers were probably Nandor. Some of the Nandor who had lived upstream, in the Vales of Anduin under the Misty Mountains, passed to its Mouths southward.[2] After they were gone, the "lesser men" settled there,[3] though they were likely in conflict with Haradrim. After the coming of the Númenóreans, the confluence of cultures in the Ethir and Pelargir formed one of the earliest forms of Westron.[4]

During the Drowning of Númenor, the shores of the Bay of Belfalas had retreated a great distance, putting Pelargir much farther inland than it had been in its beginning. Afterwards, the Anduin carved a new path by many mouths to the Bay.[5] The Númenoreans also made a sea-way passage in its midst, taken by the ships making for Pelargir.[6]

The delta was populated mostly by fishermen and other sea-crafty folk,[7] and became an important part of Gondor in the days of Tarannon, the first Ship-king.[3]

During the War of the Ring, some hundred fishermen that could be spared from the boats were sent to the defense of Minas Tirith.[8] This left the Mouths themselves open to Umbarian conquest,[9] but the occupation did not last very long; Aragorn and the Grey Company liberated it several days later.[7]

Etymology

The Ethir Anduin was also known as the "Mouths of Anduin". Ethir is a Sindarin word meaning "Mouth of a river".[10] Anduin simply means "Long river".[11]

Portrayal in adaptations

1980: The Return of the King (1980 film):

Gandalf mentions the Ethir (wrongly pronounced Ee-thur) as he explains the coming of the Black ships to the audience.

References