The Study

[Beleg]

Palarran : Palarran *far Wanderer* was the Name of Aldarion’s ship. The origin of the name is given below.

Pallando, despite the spelling, perhaps contains palan "afar", as in palantir and in Pallaran "Far Wanderer," the name of Aldarion's ship*

The ship was supposedly the greatest ship, (great probably in the meaning of big/huge) ever made.

He spoke no more to his father of such matters, but passed his days upon the ship Eämbar in the company of the Venturers, and in the building of a vessel greater than any made before: that ship he named Palarran, the Far-Wanderer*

The first voyage of Palarran covered four years from 816-820 S.A. However, it is said that even then Aldarion shortened his journey for a love of Erendis was stirred in his heart and it yearned for him to return to land.

Palarran also has an importance in regard of Aldarion’s relationship with Erendis. For when Erendis brought The Green Bough of Return to be places at Palarran’s prow was the time when Aldarion first looked at Erendis with love.

Guild of Venturers With regard to the Ship-Building of the Numenoreans.

Aldarion formed a Guild of Venturers, a guild of Mariners who liked to travel far and wide in the sea and often went to long journeys in the Captaincy of Aldarion. They for their adobe build a huge ship Eämbar where they lived instead of Land. The Guild of Venturers was founded in 750 S.A; 10 years after Aldarion’s father became the King.

Therefore he formed the Guild of Venturers, that afterwards was renowned; to that brotherhood were joined all the hardiest and most eager mariners, and young men sought admission to it even from the inland regions of Númenor, and Aldarion they called the Great Captain. At that time he, having no mind to live upon land in Armenelos, had a ship built that should serve as his dwelling-place; he named it therefore Eämbar, and at times he would sail in it from haven to haven of Númenor, but for the most part it lay at anchor off Tol Uinen: and that was a little isle in the bay of Rómenna that was set there by Uinen the Lady of the Seas. 7 Upon Eämbar was the Guildhouse of the Venturers, and there were kept the records of their great voyages; 8 for Tar-Meneldur looked coldly on the enterprises of his son, and cared not to hear the tale of his journeys, believing that he sowed the seeds of restlessness and the desire of other lands to hold

The Guild of Venturers grew in status and Repsect as more and more people joined their ranks to satisfy the fire of Adventure that was kindled in them.

Meneldor, Aldarion’s father was against his son frequent voyages and he often asked his son to quit them. But upon the refusal of Aldarion he caused the Guild of Venturers to be shut for about 15 years.

It is stated that the Guildhouse of the Venturers"was confiscated by the Kings, and removed to the western haven of Andúnië; all its records perished" (i.e. in the Downfall), including all the accurate charts of Númenor. But it is not said when this confiscation of Eämbar took place

Footnotes of Tale of Erendis and Aldarion

Eämbar

:Was the name of the Ship built as the guildhouse for the Guild of Venturers and was the place where pioneers of Guild Dwelt.

Armenelos: Armenelos, the city of the King was placed in Arandor; Kingsland, the most populous region of Numenor.

The quote below gives a detailed description of Armenelos’s geography.

The land of Númenor resembled in outline a five-pointed star,or pentangle, with a central portion some two hundred and fifty miles across, north and south, and east and west, from which extended five large peninsular promontories. These promontories were regarded as separate regions, and they were named Forostar (Northlands), Andustar (Westlands), Hyarnustar (Southwestlands), Hyarrostar (Southeastlands), and Orrostar (Eastlands). The central portion was called Mittalmar (Inlands), and it had no coast, except the land about Rómenna and the head of its firth. A small part of the Mittalmar was however, separated from the rest, and called Arandor, the Kingsland. In Arandor were the haven of Rómenna, the Meneltarma, and Armenelos, the City of the Kings; and it was at all times the most populous region of Númenor.

In Armenelos was found the great House of King. Armenelos was fofounded in about 528-30 F.A and was 90 years old when Elros asseded the throne. This means that the Kings house was oldest building on the Island and was build with the glace of Vala and the hardwork of Maiar.

*The Realm of Númenor is held to have begun in the thirty-second second year of the Second Age, when Elros son of Eärendil ascended the throne in the City of Armenelos, being then ninety years of age.*

Armenelos was the place of feasting and ceremonies and the greatest feast was held there at the marriage of Aldarion and Erendis. The great road passed through Armenelos to the peak of Meneltarma

. (I have added Guild of Venturers because I feel that they were an important element concerning Aldarion’s ship-building activities.)


I have also researched on the shipbuilding activities of Numenor and just have to re-arrange my notes.

[Beleg]

Here are the swords..

1. Andúril

2. Anglachel Averdui

3. Anguirel

4. Aranrúth

5. Glamdring

6. Gurthang Lhun

7. Gúthwinë

8. Herugrim

11. Narsil - Eol

9. Orcrist

10. Ringil

Edit: I'll do that Lhun And that "*" sign was just because I copy and pasted from Word, where i had highlighted them.

[Eöl]

Narsil

Narsil was originally forged for Elendil, by Telchar the Dwarf. It was born by Elendil in the Last Alliance and broken under him as he fell, slain by Sauron. Isildur recoverd the shards of the sword after the battle. The shards were taken to Rivendell and not disturbed for some time after the disaster of the Gladden Fields. Apparently...

Death shall come to any man that draws Elendil's sword save Elendil's heir.- Aragorn

A Brief Chronology:
Year 3441 Second Age: Sauron is overthrown and Isildur becomes king, the shards of Narsil are carried home with him.
Year 2 Third Age: Disaster of the Gladden Fields, Isildur and his three eldest sons are slain. Shards of Narsil taken by Ohtar, Isildur's esquire.
Year 3 Third Age: Ohtar brings the Shards to Rivendell. They rest there for a long period of time.
Year 2931 Third Age: Aragorn is born.
Year 2933 Third Age: Aragorn taken to Rivendell. Named "Estel" and his heritage is concealed.
Year 2951 Third Age: "Estel" is told his heritage, and given the Shards Of Narsil.
Year 3018 Third Age-October 25th-December 25th: Narsil is reforged and renamed Anduril, "Flame Of The West."
Year 3019 Third Age-January 13th: Attack by Wargs in Hollin, Aragorn wields Anduril for the first time in battle.
Year 3019 Third Age-February 26th: Battle at Amon Hen.
Year 3019 Third Age-March 3-4: Battle at Helm's Deep.
Year 3019 Third Age-March 12-13: Aragorn captures the Corsair fleet.
Year 3019 Third Age-March 15th: Battle Of The Pelennor Fields.
Year 3019 Third Age-March 25th: Battle on the Slag Hills, downfall and passing of Sauron.

Battles In Which Narsil/Anduril Was Used:
The Last Alliance
The Warg Attack On The Fellowship
Battle At Amon Hen
Helm's Deep
Capture Of The Corsair Fleet
Pelennor Fields
Slag Hills

EDIT: I also included Anduril, I am not sure if there is much to be said about Narsil before the Last Alliance.

[Arvedui]

Anglachel, meaning 'Iron of the Flaming Star'.
Anglachel was a sword of great worth, being made from Iron that fell from heaven as a blazing star.
The sword was made by Eöl the Dark Elf, and was given as fee for leave to dwell in Nan Elmoth, allthough begrudgingly.
Given to Beleg Cúthalion as a gift after Beleg had found Túrin in the wooded land south of Teiglin. When Beleg choose Anglachel as his reward, Melian gave the following prophecy:
" There is malice in this sword. The dark heart of the smith still dwells in it. It will not love the hand it serves, neither will it abide with you long."
Beleg used this sword when the orcs were driven out of Dimbar, and Anglachel rejoiced to be unsheathed.
After having freed Túrin from the orcs in Taur-nu-fuin, Beleg used Anglachel to cut the fetters that bound Túrin, but the blade slipped and cut Túrin in the foot. Túrin awoke from the pain and in rage and fear he seized Anglachel and slew Beleg with it, believing him to be a foe.
After having buried Beleg, Gwindor brought Anglachel with him.
Gwindor gave Anglachel to Túrin at Eithel Ivrin.
Túrin brought the sword with him as they went to Gwindor's folk in Nargothrond.
The cunning smiths of Nargothrond forged Anglachel anew, and it was named Gurthang.

[Beleg]

Here is an Overview of some of the most famous Swords that are mentioned by Tolkien in his books. Swords were an essential part of the armour of a Standard Tolkien chieftain or Warrior and were often given names induced upon them by the qualities of the weilder or due to their own special personal attributes. (Later as in the Case of Gurthang.)

Anglachel:

The appendix in Published Silmarillion has the following to say about Anglachel,

The sword made from meteoric iron that Thingol received from Eöl and which he gave to Beleg, after its reforging for Turin named Gurthang

The name Anglachel is formed of the following constituents of elvish language(s).

anga 'iron', Sindarin ang,

lhach 'leaping flame”

Which gives it the literal meaning of Iron of the Leaping Flame.

This is one of the pair of swords which Eol formed and gave to Thingol as a gift.

Then Beleg chose Anglachel; and that was a sword of great worth, and it was so named because it was made of iron that fell from heaven as a blazing star; it would cleave all earth-delved iron. One other sword only in Middle-earth was like to it. That sword does not enter into this tale, though it was made of the same ore by the same smith; and that smith was Eöl the Dark Elf, who took Aredhel Turgon's sister to wife. He gave Anglachel to Thingol as fee, which he begrudged, for leave to dwell in Nan Elmoth; but its mate Anguirel he kept, until it was stolen from him by Maeglin, his son.

Quenta Silmarillion)


The sword played a major rule in the future events of Middle Earth. It was wielded by many great warriors and hunters including Beleg Cúthalion, Túrin Tumabar. Túrin accidently killed Beleg by this sword and this was the Sword that Mim the Petty Dwarf treid to use in order to kill Beleg. However once Túrin reached the safeness of Nargothrond he ordered it to be reforged.

The sword Anglachel was forged anew for him by cunning smiths of Nargothrond, and though ever black its edges shone with pale fire; and he named it Gurthang, Iron of Death

(Quenta Silmarillion)

Since then its history is recorded by a seprate name and more of its history will be discussed under the fell name of Gurthang; Iron of Death.

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Angruiel: Anga means Iron, while the meaning of Rueil is unknown.
The mate of the sword Anglachel, made by the same metal yet less reknowned then its mate. This one was kept by Eol and was stolen by his son Magelin when he went away to Gondolin with his mother. Later Magelin probably used it to fight against Tuor in the fall of Gondolin.

That sword does not enter into this tale, though it was made of the same ore by the same smith; and that smith was Eöl the Dark Elf, whotook Aredhel Turgon's sister to wife. He gave Anglachel to Thingol as fee, which he begrudged, for leave to dwell in Nan Elmoth; but its mate Anguirel he kept, until it was stolen from him by Maeglin, his son.

Quenta Silmarillion.)

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Aranrúth: The personal sword of Thingol.

Aranrúth 'King's Ire', the name of Thingol's sword. Aranrúth survived the ruin of Doriath andwas possessed by the Kings of Númenor.

Appendix of Quenta Silmarillion.)
Choose from all that I have,' said Thingol, 'save only Aranrúth, my own.'

An interesting footnote can be found in Unfinished Tales, Of the Line of Elros which tells us more about the fate of the sword.

from Unfinished Tales

The King's sword was indeed Aranrúth, the sword of Elu Thingol of Doriath in Beleriand, that had descended to Elros from Elwing his mother

What happened to it afterwards is not known. But since the mention of its wielding by Numeneor Kings is done in Plural, we may assume that all the Kings till Erendis (The first Ruling Queen) wielded it. What happened afterwards is not known.


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Ringil: Ringil The sword of Fingolfin. The illsutarious sword that was so sharp that it was able to deliver several stinging cuts onto even Morgoth.
“Ring” means “cold, Chill” which clarifies the meaning since it is known to glitter like Ice, which probably means that the blade was white and shiny

But Fingolfin gleamed beneath it as a star; for his mail was overlaid with silver, and his blue shield was set with crystals; and he drew his sword Ringil, that glittered like ice.

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Gurthang:

The appendixes in Published Silmarillion has something to say about this sword,

Gurthang 'Iron of Death', name of Beleg's sword Anglachel after it was reforged for Túrin in Nargothrond, and from which he was named Mormegil.

Gurthang was made of the same Meoteric Iron that once in Sword form was Named Anglachel. So it possessed the same qualities as that of its predecessor. It was also the sword that was the cause of death of Glaurung father of Dragon, Brandir Slain Unjustly and many other Orcs, creatures of the Dark Side and finally its weilder Túrin. It was the Sword to whom Túrin delivered his infamous allegorical address just before his death. The sword was greatly feared by the Orcs and due to its black color Túrin was names Mormegil: The weilder of the Black Sword or more publically Black Sword.

Gurth mean “Death” while Anga means Iron. The anga is the same in Anglachel, Angband, Agenor etc,

The sword Anglachel was forged anew for him by cunning smiths of Nargothrond, and though ever black its edges shone with pale fire; and he named it Gurthang, Iron of Death.

(Quenta Silmarillion)



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Herugrim: The sword of Theoden, King of Rohan. One of the many artefacts stolen by Wormtongue from the house of King. Upon his revival from the charms of Wormtongue Theoden called for it and wielded it in the battle of Hornborg and would have used it to great effect on the field of Pelenor if not for his death by the Witch King.

'Here, lord, is Herugrim, your ancient blade (TTT)

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Gúthwinë: The sword of Eómer.
The sword of Éomer, borne by him at Aragorn's side in the Battle of the Hornburg, and presumably also at the later Battle of the Pelennor Fields. Its name means 'battle-friend'.
(Encyclopedia of Arda Website)

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Orcrist: The famous sword of Thorin Oakenshield, mate of Glamdring sword of Turgon and later Gandalf. It was also called the biter and was forged in the first age in the smitheries of Gondolin. Somehow it survived the War of Warth (Dagor Dagorath) and was found In the Troll hoard of three trolls in the hobbit.
Orcrist was also called Goblin-Cleaver, although the goblin name of it was Biter.

They had called it Orcrist, Goblin-cleaver, but the goblins called it simply Biter. They hated it and hated worse any one that carried it.

(The Hobbit)

Orcrist gleamed ever in Dark if foes approached, (A quality possessed by its mate Glamdring and Sting). After the death of Thorin Okaenshield, it was laid aside him and it gleamed whenever any foes approached it so Erebor could never be taken with surprise.

It is said in songs that it gleamed ever in the dark if foes Approached, and the fortress of the dwarves could not be taken by surprise.

(The Hobbit)


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[Lhunithiliel]

Hobbits! ?
All right, then...

here is sth. to start the project of the Study Team.
It is a joint research done by Walter and me some time ago. I did some research on Hobbits and added it to what Walter had already found and arranged in a page.

And Eol and Samjor, boys, THANK YOU for being around so actively supporting the activities in the Guild!
Now this Hobbit-thing seems to be a large double-sided project! Marvellous!

[Eöl]

An Overview of Hobbits

Hobbits are a very old race, and they love peace and quiet. They do not like machines or humans, and can easily escape one of us if we are near. Hobbits tend to be fat, and are usually between two and four feet tall. Hobbits dress in bright colors and rarely wear shoes because of the thick skin on the bottoms of their feet. Their feet are covered in a furlike hair, usually brown. They are a merry people, often found eating and drinking (up to 6 meals a day) or giving away presents. They live in the Shire, which occupies 40 leagues between the Far Downs and the Brandywine Bridge and 50 leagues from the northern moors to the south marshes. Hobbits were never warlike, and few battles were ever fought by their kind. However, most Hobbits, even in the late 3rd Age could still handle a bow. Hobbits lived in holes on the ground, called smials, which could be very decadent, or very primitive. Hobbits possessed a very curious weed known as pipeweed. It is smoked in a pipe, and was also used by the Dunedain. However, it was the Hobbits who first thought to put it in pipes, probably around 1070 S.R. The best weeds are agreed to be Old Toby, Longbottom Leaf and Southern Star. Hobbits entered very infrequently into the great tales, in this Frodo and Bilbo are remarkable. Certain families, like the Tooks, had an adventurous side to them, this is what is believed to have started the Quest to Erebor.

[Lhunithiliel]

I would like to add sth. more to this wonderful overview - sth. that has always amused me very much - the mathom.

********
Anything that Hobbits had no immediate use for, but were unwilling to throw away, they called a mathom.

Hobbits were obviously not fond of having too many things piled in their houses...or holes, if you wish, and preferred to get rid of the useless in the most appropriate way, especially when their dwellings were "apt to become rather crowded with mathoms". However, a Hobbit seems to be not willing to just easily throw away something, simply for the reason that he needed it not. This is why they "invented" the gifts giving - on a certain occasion they gave presents to other Hobbits, picking them up from their mathoms. The problem, however, was that in the rather closed community of he Hobbits of the Shire those "presents" simply passed from hand to hand. So, imagine you being a Hobbit - you give away a present=mathom but receive soon enough another one in return and the pile of them in your dwelling never vanishes. Besides, the opportunity of getting back the "present" you once gave to someone else is 100% sure!

I therefore think that this could be the reason why the Hobbits, practical as they were, established the Mathom-house - a "museum" they used to call it for storing there mostly trophies, such as weapons from old and forgotten days and lots of other stuff too. In fact, that seems to be the right place to store mathoms!
*********

Another small addition, though I will not quote - about the Hobbits' dwellings.
Normally the Hobbits preferred to live in holes in the ground.
But in the already established and developed community of the Shire, only the poorest and the most well-to-do Hobbits preserved this tradition. The poor lived in modest holes often with only one small window, while the "rich" Hobbits (like the Baggins) had large underhill halls (corridors in fact) with lots of rooms and quite "de-luxe" setting. But on the other hand, there were a lot of Hobbit-families, who have followed the example of the "big folk" and have constructed houses of brick above the ground.
********
I'd love to see some research too about the economy and the community arrangement in the Shire and Bree.
Who'll be in charge?

[Lhunithiliel]

In continuation to the "Hobbits"-subjects, please view this:

http://www.thetolkienwiki.org/wiki.c...ces/Fallohides

http://www.thetolkienwiki.org/wiki.c...Races/Harfoots

and

http://www.thetolkienwiki.org/wiki.c...s-Races/Stoors

concerning the races of the Hobbits.
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I would very much wish to read about some new and fresh ideas for research of the StudyTeam

[Finduilas]

Yeah and I'd like to add some more familytrees I found:

For the Hobbits' different races, just click on the left on the different races:
http://www.annalsofarda.dk/annals-of...les/Hobbit.htm

I'm now working on my part of the study.
-----------------------
As for suggestions, Lhun, here's one:
Why don't we make a research called: 'Source of Inspiration' ?
Now, the idea will be to trace and compare Tolkien's personal life with the views, characters and ...things he creates in his works. For example, we can compare the ents and the big 'alive' trees in the forest of Tom Bambadil to one of his favourite trees Pinus Nigra in the Botanic Gardens in Oxford.
And that's it:
-Plants and flowers:
...........Ents
-Animals:
...........Balrogs
-Races:
...........Elves
-Realms:
...........Lotlorien
-Spots:
...........Rivers, valleys,etc.

This is a kind of shcedule and some examples to make things clear. We can devide the work in 5 parts( as written above) and give this work to 5 different members to make the research.
Just an idea.

[Arvedui]

Menegroth was delwed by the Dwarves of Belegost for King Thingol and Melian the Maia, early in the third age of the captivity of Melkor. It was situated in the Forest of Region in northern Beleriand, on the southern banks of the River Esgalduin.
It is uncertain whether the caves were hewn from the solid rock of the hill on the south bank, or whethet there already existed passages that were simply widened. It is assumed that these were not large natural caverns but were primarily hand-cut. There are two main reasons for this assumption:
a): It would take the correct type of bedrock to develop an already preexisting cavern system as ws the case with Nargothrond, but Menegroth was far north of Andram.
b): The Dwarves had the skill to accomplish this, as can be seen in Khazad-dûm.

The gates to Menegroth could only be reached by crossing the Esgalduin by a stone-bridge. This implies that the stone-hill must have run to the edge of the Esgalduin..
Near the gates stood a great beech tree whose roots roofed the thronehall: Hírilorn. In this tree a house was buildt to prevent Lúthien from escaping to help Beren with the Quest for the Silmaril.
Little specific is given on the exact organization of rooms and halls. It may however be assumed that they were delwed at several levels. Only three specific locations are ever mentioned:
1): The Great Hall of Thingol, where Beren came before the throne.
2): The deep smithies where Thingol was slain by the Naugrim.
3): The guarded treasury, where Mablung fell when the Dwarves returned to take the Nauglamír.

There were two battles within the caves of Menegroth, and both battles were attempts to take the Nauglamír with its Silmaril.
The first battle took place around 505 (F.A.), when the Dwarves returned to avenge the deaths of their kin who fell when Thingol was slain. They succeeded in stealing the necklace, but Beren later regained it.
The second battle took place some four years later (509 F.A.) when the Seven Sons of Fëanor, still holding to the accursed oath, initiated the Second Kinslaying when they fought and killed Dior. But Elwing fled from Menegroth with the remaining Elves, and with her went the Silmaril.


Sources:
Karen Wynn-Fonstad: The Atlas of Tolkien's Middle-earth.
Encyclopedia of Arda
The TolkienWiki
JRR Tolkien: The Silmarillion

[Arvedui]

In a dream Ulmo came to Turgon and Finrod, and he spoke to them and advised that each should build a hidden fortress.
Shortly after, Finrod visited Thingol and got inspired by the design of Menegroth. He learned of the caverns of Narog and initiated the construction of his stronghold there beneath Taur-en-Faroth in west Beleriand on the western borders of Doriath. This was south and west of the confluence of the Ringwil and Narog where those rivers cut through the Andram.
The Long Wall was made from what was evidently soluble rock, possibly limestone. the cavernswere found and widened by the Petty-Dwarves before the return of the Noldor, and was shaped to fit Finrod's search for a stronghold where he and his followers could lay hidden in secrecy, hidden from Morgoth.
Finrod employed Dwarves from the Blue Mountains to continue the work. So great was the task that the dwarves named Finrod "Felagund" which means Hewer of Caves. It was founded c. F.A. 100.

Nargothrond concisted of a complex system of caves that were sufficiently extensive to completely hide a large population, and several of the hallways were large enough to allow the passaga of a Dragon.
Of the organization of Nargothrond, we know that its halls included the following:
- Several rooms used as armouries.
- A series of great halls where Finrod, celegorm, and Curufin adressed the inhabitants.
- A small deep chamber in which Lúthien was placed.
- A secret exit through which she escaped (with Huan the Hound).
- A great inner hall where Glaurung made his golden bed.

Originally the only access to Nargothrond meant fording the river some twenty-five miles to the north, and then continue along a narrow path alongside the river south to Nargothrond's three-door entrance. this suited well Finrod's policy of staying hidden.
When Túrin came to Nargothrond (c. F.A. )487, he persuaded Orodreth, brother of Finrod and his successor after he fell in the Quest for the Silmaril, to abandon their policy of secrecy and from Nargothrond was sent raiding-parties to openly attack the servants of Morgoth. A bridge was then buildt across the Narog so that the Elves could venture to and forth from Nargothrond more easily.
Through the attacks on his servants, Morgoth at last discovered the location of Nargothrond and in F.A. 495, an army led by Glaurung sacked and destroyed it, killing or imprisoning all of its inhabitants. The bridge then proved to be a great help for Morgoth, as it could not be lifted to prevent the passage of Glaurung, who than came unhindered to the Three Doors of Nargothrond.


Sources:
Karen Wynn-Fonstad: The Atlas of Tolkien's Middle-earth
JRR Tolkien: The Silmarillion
Encyclopedia of Arda.

[Helcaraxë]

Alright, here's the stuff for Fornost:

Fornost means "northern fortress." Its full name, "Fornost Ethrain," means "Norbury of Kings." (Norbury would apparently mean "Northern fortress” as well). It was the seat of the kings of Arthedain, and its capital, after Annuminas was abandoned. Arnor did not have a crown, but the King at Fornost wore the "Elendilmir," a gem that was apparently set on the head. After the War of the Last Alliance, Isildur took the Elendilmir and proclaimed himself king of Arnor. Oddly, this would have to have happened before he actually reached Fornost, as he was ambushed and killed on the way.

The first king of Arthedain at Fornost was Amlaith. Under his heir Beleg, the halflings crossed into Eriador from over the Hithaeglir, though this was not thought particularly important at the time. Much later, Sauron had sent the Witchking north to assault Arnor (this was during the reign of Arvedui). Sweeping west, he overran all of Arnor (which was divided into three parts then), and captured Fornost in III 1975. Eärnur, then the king of Gondor, sailed North to Mithlond. Receiving aid from the elves there and an army of Dunedain under Arvedui’s son Aranarth (Chieftain of the Dunedain), he marched west. After meeting up with a force from Rivendell lead by Glorfindel, he assaulted the Witch King. The Battle did not actually take place in Fornost, but rather westward on the plains of Lake Evendim. Angmar was sent into a rout, and he fled westward, then back south to Mordor.

Though it is unclear exactly when Fornost was abandoned, after the city was taken under King Arvedui by Angmar, neither Fornost nor the Kingdom of Arthedain was rebuilt, even after the defeat of the Witch-King.

More later.

~Helcaraxë

[Arvedui]

In a dream Ulmo came to Turgon and Finrod, and he spoke to them and advised that each should build a hidden fortress.
Turgon sought long for a place to build his fortress, but with the aid of Ulmo, he came by secret ways to the Hidden Vale of Tumladen. It was a round valley within the Encircling Mountains, the Crissaegrim. It had originally been a lake, and in its centre stood a mountain that had originally been an island, Amon Gwareth, reaching 400 feet above the Vale.
When Turgon saw it, he knew that he had found the place of his desire, and he resolved to build there a fair city, a memorial of Tirion upon Túna.
After the Dagor Aglareb, Turgon started the work that would take fifty-two years to finish: the building of Gondolin. Turgon appointed its name to be Ondolindë in the speech of the Elves of Valinor: The Rock of the Music of Water, for there were fountains upon the hill. The name was changed in Sindarin to Gondolin: The Hidden Rock. Turgon's people moved there from Nevrast in c F.A. 126.

In the vale of Tumladen, behind the circle of the mountains the people of Turgon lived concealed from friend and foe alike. The power of Ulmo that ran in Sirion protected the entrance, and in the mountains the Eagles of Thorondor maintained a steady vigilance.
The Gondolindrim grew and throve, and they put forth their skill in labour unceasing, so that Gondolin upon Amon Gwareth became indeed fair and fit to compare even with Tirion beyond the Sea. High and white were its walls, and smooth its stairs, and tall and strong was the Tower of the King, the centre of the City, reaching another 400 feet into the air, surrounded by the King's Square. There stood images of the Trees of old, wrought by Turgon himself. Glingal he made of gold, and the flowers of Belthil was made from silver. Shining fountains surrounded the Trees.
The city could only be entered from two points: the Main Gate in the west, and the North Gate. From the Main Gate, the King's Way went straight east, passing the King's Square after some 1500 feet and continuing on to the Great Market in the East.
The King's Square was approximately 450 x 450 feet large. In the eastern part was the Palace.
On the north side of the hill of Gondolin was the Caragdûr, a precipice of black rock. This is where Eöl was cast down after murdering Aredhel, Turgon's sister, and his own wife, mother of their son Maeglin.


The city was inviolate for almost four hundred years; Turgon did not break his secret leaguer until the time of the Nirnaeth Arnoediad in FA 471, and even after that disastrous battle he was able to return in secret to the city with the aid of Húrin and Huor. He then decided that the Gondolindrim should never come forth to war again, at least not alongside the Sons of Fëanor.



Even when Tuor brought a warning from Ulmo, telling that the Curse of Mandos hastened to its fulfillment, when all the works of the Noldor should perish, and that Turgon and his folk should depart the fair city and abandon it and go down Sirion to the Sea, Turgon did not heed the warning, but trusted still in the secret and impregnetable strength of his own design.



But Idril, Turgon's daughter,

was wise and far-seeing, and foreboding crept upon her spirit as a cloud. She let prepare a secret way, that should let down from the city and passing out beneath the surface of the plain issue far beyond the walls, northward of Amon Gwareth; and she contrived it that the work was known but to few.

Morgoth's servants finally discovered Gondolin through the treachery of Maeglin, and in FA 510, Morgoth

loosed upon Gondolin his Balrogs, and his Orcs, and hos wolves; and with them came dragons of the brood of Glaurung, and they were become now many and terrible. The host of Morgoth came over the northern hills where the height was greatest and the watch least vigilant, and it came at night upon a time of festival, when all the people of Gondolin were upon the walls to await the raising sun.

Turgon was lost in the Fall of the city, but some few (including Tuor and Idril, with their child Eärendil) escaped the destruction and came at last to the Mouths of Sirion.





Sources: Karen Wynn-Fonstad: The Atlas of Tolkien's Middle-earth
JRR Tolkien: The Silmarillion
JRR Tolkien: Unfinished Tales
Encyclopedia of Arda.

[Finduilas]

Khazad-dum

We never get to see Khazad-dum in its heyday. By the time Tolkien brings the reader to the great mansions of the ancient Dwarves, the halls are empty, except for Orcs. Gimli's deep voice must have echoed through the empty tunnels and chambers as he sang for his companions an old Dwarven folk-song:

The world was young, the mountains green,
No stain yet on the Moon was seen,
No words were laid on stream or stone,
When Durin woke and walked alone.
He named the nameless hills and dells;
He drank from yet untasted wells;
He stooped and looked in Mirrormere,
And saw a crown of stars appear,
As gems upon a silver thread,
Above the shadow of his head.

How long ago was this episode? How old was Durin before he found a wife (as he plainly must have, since he originally walked alone)? How long was it before he found the Mirrormere and the entrance to the mighty caverns that he made his home?

We can infer a few points about ancient Dwarven history from what is told of their dealings with the Elves. For instance, we know that the Dwarves first entered Beleriand during the second age of Melkor's captivity in Valinor. According to THE WAR OF THE JEWELS, this was Year of the Trees 1250, which was 200 years after the awakening of the Elves (a period equal in length to about 1900 Years of the Sun).

The Dwarven cities of Nogrod and Belegost, the two cities in the Ered Luin, were not founded by Dwarves of Durin's Line, but instead were the homes of other Dwarves. They were most likely the ancestral homes of the Firebeards and the Broadbeams, the two kindreds of the Dwarves who awoke in the northern Ered Luin.

Khazad-dum engaged in trade with Nogrod and Belegost. Tales of Khazad-dum reached Beleriand, though it is only briefly mentioned in THE SILMARILLION as being the greatest of Dwarven cities. The ancient Dwarf-road that passed through the forest of Greenwood (later
Mirkwood) and through Eriador apparently carried traffic from Khazad-dum to other Dwarven cities in the east.

And yet Khazad-dum was far to the south of the High Pass where the ancient road crossed the mountains. This seems a little strange. One can only imagine the Dwarves had built a road north along the foot-hills of the Misty Mountains to reach the high pass. Or perhaps they followed the
Silverlode down to Anduin and crossed the river by raft or boat. And wondering this, one cannot fail to ask whether Durin's folk were friendly with the Nandorin Elves who lived in the Vales of Anduin.

We know something of the life the Dwarves led in the First Age. They were, of course, miners and stone-masons of exquisite and almost unrivaled skill. They smelted metals such as gold, silver, iron, and probably copper and tin. They worked with crystal, unearthed gems of many types, and even learned to make instruments such as trumpets and harps.

The city itself conducted trade mostly with the east. There was no West-gate until around the year 750 of the Second Age. Dwarven merchants must also have trekked into the distant north. The road passing through the forest ran to the Celduin and probably crossed the river by a bridge just as it crossed Anduin by a bridge. From the crossing point on Celduin the road turned northeast and ran toward the Emyn Engrin, and from there ran eastwards to the other Dwarven realms of the Ironfists, Stiffbeards, Blacklocks, and Stonefoots.

THE PEOPLES OF MIDDLE-EARTH tells us that Dwarves did indeed live well to the east of Celduin, and that there was a city or gathering place for all the Dwarves at Mount Gundabad, where they held enclaves. The lands of Durin's folk were selected for this honor because he was the eldest of the Dwarves and Gundabad was the place where he awoke.

How numerous could Durin's folk have been in the First Age? We can only guess. But the time from the awakening of the Elves in Cuiviënen to the end of the First Age of the Sun was equivalent to approximately 4900 Years of the Sun. Yet there was no mention of the Elves encountering the Dwarves during the Great Journey. On the other hand, the Noegyth Nibin (the Petty-Dwarves) claimed to have settled in Beleriand before the Elves arrived.

The Dwarves must have awoken soon after the Elves did, but their numbers were few and increased only slowly. When they made contact with Durin some members of each tribe joined him in Khazad-dum. As the years passed a few outcasts wandered west into Beleriand. The Vanyar and Noldor entered Beleriand in Year of the Trees 1115, about 622 Years of the Sun after the awakening of the Elves. The Teleri arrived in Year of the Trees 1128, or about 124 Years of the Sun after the Vanyar and Noldor.

The Noegyth Nibin could have entered Beleriand before the Vanyar and Noldor. But they could also have entered after them and before the Sindar. Nonetheless, it is clear there had to be Dwarves in Beleriand by Year of the Trees 1128, about 747 Years of the Sun after the awakening of the Elves. If the Dwarves awoke within 10 Years of the Trees after the Elves, they would have had the equivalent of a few centuries in Years of the Sun in which to find each other and to cast out the Noegyth Nibin.

Since Nogrod and Belegost were not founded until Year of the Trees 1250 (almost 2,000 Years of the Sun after the awakening of the Elves), it seems evident the Firebeards and Broadbeams must all have wandered east soon after they awoke. Perhaps all the Dwarves came together in
Khazad-dum with Durin first, and there built the first Dwarven city. When their numbers became large enough, the six "younger" kings (descendants of the original fathers) could have led their peoples away from Khazad-dum to establish new ancestral homes for their peoples. This could explain why the Eldar encountered no Dwarves on their journey. The only Dwarves who would have left Khazad-dum by this time would have been the Noegyth Nibin.

So, what does this get us? Room to estimate a maximum probable population for Khazad-dum at the end of the First Age of the Sun (some 3900 Years of the Sun after Durin might have awoken). This would allow 45 - 48 generations for the Dwarves of Durin's Line to increase their numbers. By the time the Second Age started, there could have been upwards of 100,000
Dwarves living in Khazad-dum and more than 120,000 in most of each of the other Dwarven cities (not including Nogrod and Belegost, which had by then suffered grievous losses in the wars with Morgoth and the Elves).

Early in the Second Age Durin's folk were joined by most if not all of the Dwarves of Belegost, and many of the Dwarves of Nogrod. The population of Khazad-dum could have swelled to 500,000 or more by the end of the Second Age (but this estimate presupposes some changes in Dwarven birth rates -- signaling the onset of the decline of the Dwarven race).

Population estimates aside, we know that Khazad-dum grew slowly through the long centuries. The Dwarves added hall after hall and gradually extended their mines northward, especially after the discovery of Mithril sometime in the 7th or 8th centuries of the Second Age. The west-gate was built during this time, after the Noldor of Eregion established their great friendship with the Dwarves of Khazad-dum (who undoubtedly were influenced by tales of the friendship between the Noldor and the Dwarves of Nogrod and Belegost).

Tolkien wrote that Durin was reborn in his descendants six times. We know that Durin III was King of Khazad-dum when the Rings of Power were made, and he led an army against Sauron in the War of the Elves and Sauron. So it must have been Durin II who was king when Narvi and Celebrimbor built the west-gate. The king at the end of the Second Age may have been Durin IV.
He marched with the Host of the Last Alliance of Elves and Men.

Khazad-dum continued to flourish in the Third Age even though the Eldar were in decline. The west-gate may have been re-opened to allow trade with Arnor and, later, the peoples of Dunland. When the realm of Angmar arose in the distant north and Amroth of Lorien sent armies over the mountains to help the Dunedain, it may be the Dwarves gave aid to the Elves, or even permitted Amroth's warriors to pass through Khazad-dum.