Tumladen

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This article is about the valley of Gondolin. For the valley in Gondor, see Tumladen (Gondor).

Tumladen, the "Valley of Smoothness", was the name for the hidden valley within the Encircling Mountains where the Elven city of Gondolin was built during the First Age.[1]

Turgon, a king of the Noldor, discovered Tumladen under the divine guidance of the Vala Ulmo, Lord of Waters.

"...Then Tuor and his companion fared over the plain that was of a marvellous level, broken but here and there by boulders round and smooth which lay amid a sward, or by pools in rocky beds. Many fair pathways lay across that plain..."
The Fall of Gondolin

Etymology

The name comes from the Sindarin elements tum "deep valley"[2] and laden "open, cleared".[3]

References

  1. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, , p. 163
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names", entry tum
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Three: "The Etymologies"p. 368, entry LAT-