The Green Book of the White Downs: July 2023

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Tolkien Trewsday Week 21: Third Age – Tuesday 18th July 2023

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Tuesday, 11 July 2023

Tolkien Trewsday Week 20: Second Age – Tuesday 11th July 2023

Week 20: Second Age – Tuesday 11th July 2023
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Saturday, 8 July 2023

Tolkien Trewsday Week 19: First Age – Tuesday 4th July 2023

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Migrations and monuments: Contents

Migrations and monuments: the story of the First Age in Eriador and Rhovanion

Tim Bolton
(First edition: 08/07/23)

The Barrows outside Edoras in Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings:
The Two Towers" Extended Edition

📗 Contents

Migrations and monuments: Bibliography

Migrations and monuments: the story of the First Age in Eriador and Rhovanion

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📗 Bibliography

Migrations and monuments: Addendum 1

Migrations and monuments: the story of the First Age in Eriador and Rhovanion

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📗 Addendum 1] “red flame” – a volcano crafted by evil

Migrations and monuments: Addendum 2

Migrations and monuments: the story of the First Age in Eriador and Rhovanion

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📗 Addendum 2] “Elf-haven” – Elves in the south

Migrations and monuments: Part 11 - End of the First Age

Migrations and monuments: the story of the First Age in Eriador and Rhovanion

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📗 Part 11] “scattered in the lands” – Population of Eriador and Rhovanion by the end of the First Age

We have seen that during the various migrations of Elves and Men that populations did not reach Beleriand and instead stayed and settled within Eriador and Rhovanion. The destruction of Beleriand at the end of the First Age would also lead to further population in these lands. Across Tolkien’s works we see evidence of the populations who never made it to Beleriand:

“These Atani were the vanguard of far larger hosts of the same kinds moving westwards. When the First Age ended and Beleriand was destroyed, and most of the Atani who survived had passed over sea to Númenor, their laggard kindred were either in Eriador, some settled, some still wandering, or else had never passed the Misty Mountains and were scattered in the lands between the Iron Hills and the Sea of Rhûn eastward and the Great Forest, in the borders of which, northward and eastward, many were already settled.”

-- Christopher Tolkien, The History of Middle-earth, Book 12: The Peoples of Middle-earth (Part Two: Late Writings – X. Of Dwarves and Men: II The Atani and their Languages)

Migrations and monuments: Conclusion

Migrations and monuments: the story of the First Age in Eriador and Rhovanion

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📗 Conclusion

Migrations and monuments: Part 9

Migrations and monuments: the story of the First Age in Eriador and Rhovanion

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📗 Part 9] “Where dead men rest” – Barrow building of the First Age

“They heard of the Great Barrows, and the green mounds, and the stone-rings upon the hills and in the hollows among the hills.”

-- J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Book One Chapter 7: In the House of Tom Bombadil)

Migrations and monuments: Part 10 - Strife

Migrations and monuments: the story of the First Age in Eriador and Rhovanion

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📗 Part 10] “strife among themselves” – returning to Eriador and Rhovanion

“Moreover they had strife among themselves, and Morgoth, now aware of the coming of hostile Men into Beleriand, sent his servants to afflict them.”

-- Christopher Tolkien, The History of Middle-earth, Book 12: The Peoples of Middle-earth (Part Two: Late Writings – X. Of Dwarves and Men: II The Atani and their Languages)

Migrations and monuments: Part 8 - Hobbits

Migrations and monuments: the story of the First Age in Eriador and Rhovanion

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📗 Part 8] “Their Wandering Days” – Pre-Shire Hobbits in Rhovanion

It is important to emphasis again that the Eldar (and Tolkien) see the Hobbits as part of the race of Men:

“It was a mark of all kinds of Men who were descendants of those who had abjured the Shadow of Morgoth and his servants and wandered westward to escape it – and certainly included both the races of small stature, Drûgs and Hobbits.”

-- Christopher Tolkien, The History of Middle-earth, Book 12: The Peoples of Middle-earth (Part Two: Late Writings – X. Of Dwarves and Men: II The Atani and their Languages)

Migrations and monuments: Part 7 - Drúedain

Migrations and monuments: the story of the First Age in Eriador and Rhovanion

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📗 Part 7] In their image: the faithful Drúedain and their watch-stones

Alongside the House of Haleth on the migration is another group of Men, different in looks and nature, but considered close allies. The story of these beings, the Drúedain (Púkel-men), help understand migration routes and we’ll also discover our first monument(s) left by Men within Eriador.

“The Drûgs that are met in the tales of the First Age – cohabiting with the Folk of Haleth, who were a woodland people – were content to live in tents or shelters lightly built round the trunks of large trees, for they were a hardy race. In their former homes, according to their own tales, they had used caves in the mountains, but mainly as store-houses only occupied as dwellings and sleeping-places in severe weather. They had similar refuges in Beleriand to which all but the most hardy retreated in times of storm and bitter weather; but these places were guarded and not even their closest friends among the Folk of Haleth were welcomed there.”

-- Christopher Tolkien, The History of Middle-earth, Book 12: The Peoples of Middle-earth (Part Two: Late Writings – X. Of Dwarves and Men: II The Atani and their Languages)

Migrations and monuments: Part 6 - Men

Migrations and monuments: the story of the First Age in Eriador and Rhovanion

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📗 Part 6] “A Darkness lies behind us”: the westward migrations of Men

“At the first rising of the Sun the Younger Children of Ilúvatar awoke in the land of Hildórien in the eastward regions of Middle-earth; but the first Sun arose in the West, and the opening eyes of Men were turned towards it, and their feet as they wandered over the Earth for the most part strayed that way. The Atani they were named by the Eldar, the Second People; but they called them also Hildor, the Followers, and many other names: Apanónar, the After-born, Engwar, the Sickly, and Fírimar, the Mortals; and they named them the Usurpers, the Strangers, and the Inscrutable, the Self-cursed, the Heavy-handed, the Night-fearers, the Children of the Sun.”

-- J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion (Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter 12: Of Men)

Migrations and monuments: Part 5 - Dwarves

Migrations and monuments: the story of the First Age in Eriador and Rhovanion

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📗 Part 5] Dwarf-roads to the fortress delvings: the Dwarves in Eriador

Dwarves were not part of the Children of Ilúvatar having been created in secret by the Vala Aulë. When it was discovered what he had done, in repentance Aulë almost destroyed them but his hand was stayed by Eru Ilúvatar. The Seven Fathers of the Dwarves were put to sleep and hidden under mountains, to be awakened after the Elves.

Migrations and monuments: Part 4 - Ents

Migrations and monuments: the story of the First Age in Eriador and Rhovanion

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📗 Part 4] Awakening the Shepherds of the Forests

When the Maia Yavanna saw that the Dwarves of Aulë would walk the land, she was fearful for the trees that she loved. Through Manwë she appealed to Eru Ilúvatar to give the trees life (or be inhabited by spirits): thus awoke the Shepherds of the Forests:

‘Nay,’ he said, ‘only the trees of Aulë will be tall enough. In the mountains the Eagles shall house, and hear the voices of those who call upon us. But in the forests shall walk the Shepherds of the Trees.’
-- J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion (Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter 2: Of Aulë and Yavanna)

Migrations and monuments: Part 3 - Elves

Migrations and monuments: the story of the First Age in Eriador and Rhovanion

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📗 Part 3] Of starlight and the wide spaces of Middle-earth: The Unwilling Elves and those lost or turned aside on the long road

The first sundering of the Elves

“Thus it was that the Valar found at last, as it were by chance, those whom they had so long awaited. And Oromë looking upon the Elves was filled with wonder, as though they were beings sudden and marvellous and unforeseen; for so it shall ever be with the Valar.”
-- J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion (Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter 3: Of the Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor)

Migrations and monuments: Part 2 - Tom Bombadil

Migrations and monuments: the story of the First Age in Eriador and Rhovanion

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📗 Part 2] Middle-earth’s first dweller: Tom Bombadil

Tom was here before the river and the trees; Tom remembers the first raindrop and the first acorn. He made paths before the Big People, and saw the little People arriving. He was here before the Kings and the graves and the Barrow-wights. When the Elves passed westward, Tom was here already, before the seas were bent. He knew the dark under the stars when it was fearless – before the Dark Lord came from Outside.’

-- J.R.R. Tolkien The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Book One Chapter 7: In the House of Tom Bombadil)

Migrations and monuments: Part 1 - Awakenings

Migrations and monuments: the story of the First Age in Eriador and Rhovanion

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📗 Part 1] The Years of the Trees and Years of the Sun: Awakenings

“The First Age begins with the Awaking and ends with the Downfall of Angband.”
-- J.R.R. Tolkien, The Nature of Middle-earth (Part One: Time and Ageing)

Migrations and monuments: Introduction

Migrations and monuments: the story of the First Age in Eriador and Rhovanion

Tim Bolton
(First edition: 08/07/23)

[Note 1: I use Tolkien Gateway as points of reference due to it being the best online J.R.R. Tolkien encyclopaedia and is accessible to all readers. Other online options include the Encyclopaedia of Arda.]

[Note 2: Tolkien uses specific names for races (Elves, Dwarves, Hobbits, etc) and “Men” for humanity. I recognise that it is not ideal nor gender-neutral, but to avoid confusion when quoting/discussing, I’ll follow Tolkien’s usage.]

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📗 Introduction

Blog index

Monday, 17 July 2023

Tuesday, 11 July 2023

Saturday, 8 July 2023