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'''Ossiriand''' was a region of eastern [[Beleriand]] bounded by the River [[Gelion]] on the west, the River [[Ascar]] on the north, the [[Ered Luin]] on the east, and the River [[Adurant]] on the south.<ref>{{S|Map}}</ref>  It was a wooded region with many elm trees.<ref>{{TT|III4}}</ref>
'''Ossiriand''' was a region of eastern [[Beleriand]].


==History==
==History==

Revision as of 04:56, 24 April 2013

Ossiriand
File:Ossiriandmap.jpg
General information
LocationEasternmost Beleriand
Capitalnone
People
LanguageNandorin
GalleryImages of Ossiriand

Ossiriand was a region of eastern Beleriand bounded by the River Gelion on the west, the River Ascar on the north, the Ered Luin on the east, and the River Adurant on the south.[1] It was a wooded region with many elm trees.[2]

History

In the Elder Days, a green, forested and little peopled region in easternmost Beleriand[note 1] at the western feet of the Blue Mountains was named Ossiriand ("Land of Seven Rivers") by the Sindar.[3][4][5]

In the early First Age before the rise of the Moon,[6] a part of the Telerin Elven people called Nandor entered Ossiriand under their leader Denethor, and were given permission by Thingol to settle the lands.[5][7] These Nandor became known as the Green-elves.

After their leader Denethor was killed in an Orc-raid, the Green-elves chose no more leaders, and many of them removed to Doriath.[8][9]

In the following centuries of the First Age, Ossiriand suffered little from the Battles of Beleriand. After the return of Beren and Luthien from the dead, they stayed in Dor Firn-i-Guinar on Tol Galen. After the death of Thingol, Dwarves of Nogrod tried to return home with the treasure of Menegroth; but they were waylaid by Beren, leading an army of Laiquendi and Ents. The Dwarves were all slain, and the treasure was cast into the River Ascar.

Ossiriand was the only part of Beleriand that survived the War of Wrath, although it was split in half by the Gulf of Lune. For its later history see Lindon.

Geography

The Land of Seven Rivers lay between the River Gelion and the Blue Mountains. It was so named because Gelion and its tributaries watered the lands.[10][5] The Seven Rivers were, from north to south:[5]

  1. River Gelion
  2. River Ascar or Rathlóriel
  3. River Thalos
  4. River Legolin
  5. River Brilthor
  6. River Duilwen
  7. River Adurant, with Tol Galen

North of Ossiriand lay the land of Thargelion, and south of the river Adurant later lay Dor Firn-i-Guinar. Along the northern shore of the Ascar ran the Dwarf-Road to Nogrod.

Names and Etymology

Ossiriand is Sindarin, meaning "the Land of Seven Rivers"[11] (alternatively "Land of Seven Streams"[12]).

Other Versions of the Legendarium

Early names used by J.R.R. Tolkien for this region were Ossiriande[13], Assariad[14] and Ossiriath[15].

Ossiriand is one of the rejected names for all of Beleriand which J.R.R. Tolkien jotted down "on a page of rough working for the opening of the Lay" (of Leithian) when he was probably searching for a replacement of Broseliand, used so far. All in all there were eight of these names: Golodhinand, Noldórinan, Geleriand, Bladorinand, Belaurien, Arsiriand, Lassiriand, and Ossiriand.[13]

Notes

  1. While Tolkien stated that Ossiriand was a part of Beleriand, he wrote in a manuscript that it "was regarded as a separate country". (J.R.R. Tolkien, "Tengwesta Qenderinwa and Pre-Fëanorian Alphabets Part 2", in Parma Eldalamberon XVIII (edited by Christopher Gilson, Arden R. Smith, and Patrick H. Wynne), p. 79)

References

  1. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Map of Beleriand and the Lands to the North"
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, "Treebeard"
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part Four. Quendi and Eldar: C. The Clan-names, with notes on other names for divisions of the Eldar", p. 385
  4. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part Two. The Later Quenta Silmarillion: Of Beleriand its Realms (Chapter 11)", p. 195
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "The Grey Annals": §1350, p. 13
  6. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Morgoth's Ring, "Part Three. The Later Quenta Silmarillion: (I) The First Phase: 3. Of the Coming of the Elves", p. 164 (§29)
  7. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Morgoth's Ring, "Part Two. The Annals of Aman: Fourth section of the Annals of Aman", p. 93 (§86)
  8. 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", p. 263 (§114)
  9. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Sindar"
  10. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part Two. The Later Quenta Silmarillion: Of Beleriand its Realms (Chapter 11)", p. 195
  11. 11.0 11.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, "Words, Phrases and Passages in Various Tongues in The Lord of the Rings", in Parma Eldalamberon XVII (edited by Christopher Gilson), p. 81
  12. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Shaping of Middle-earth, p. 116
  13. 13.0 13.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lays of Beleriand, "III. The Lay of Leithian: Canto I (Of Thingol)"
  14. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Shaping of Middle-earth, "III. The Quenta: [Section] 14"
  15. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Shaping of Middle-earth, "IV. The First 'Silmarillion' Map: The Eastward Extension"
Ossiriand
Amon Ereb Thargelion Nogrod
Taur-im-Duinath WindRose3.pngEred Luin