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Amon Anwar

The name Holy Mountain refers to more than one character, item or concept. For a list of other meanings, see Holy Mountain (disambiguation).
This article is about the mountain. For the fan film, see Halifirien: The Hallowed Mountain‎.
Amon Anwar
Physical Description
TypeMountain
Locationin the eastern central White Mountains
DescriptionA great mountain, overlooking Gondor and Rohan
General Information
Other namesEilenaer, the Halfirien
EtymologyS. amon "hill" + anwar "awe"
Amon Anwar, originally known as Eilenaer and later known as the Halifirien, was the hallowed mountain that stood over the border of Calenardhon (later Rohan) and Anórien. It was the highest and westernmost of the seven Warning beacons of Gondor. It appeared to stand alone out of the Firien Wood due to a deep cleft that separated it from a spur of the Ered Nimrais. On the cleft side it was a sheer wall, but its outer slopes (especially to the north) were long and nowhere steep. Trees grew densely at its base, becoming thinner up to the summit, which was bare. When Isildur visited, the summit was leveled and a memorial mound was raised on the eastward side, with a stairway and then a pathway marked by standing stones descending to the great West Road. After the hallowing by Isildur the hill and the surrounding woods were known for their profound silence.[1]

Besides the trees on the slopes and the green grass at the summit (which was surrounded by a belt of white birches) the memorial mound was covered with white flowers of alfirin.[1]

[edit] History

After the end of the War of the Last Alliance (S.A. 3441) and before he departed for Arnor (T.A. 2), Isildur journeyed with his nephew Meneldil and a party of trusted friends about the borders of all the lands claimed by Gondor. Near the center of these lands they came to a hill then called Eilenaer. The party made a path to the treeless summit, created a level space, and raised a mound at its eastern end. Within the mound Isildur laid a casket and hallowed it as the Tomb of Elendil. After that time the hill was renamed Amon Anwar, the “Hill of Awe” and no fort nor beacon was permitted to be set upon it.[1]

Following the victory at the Field of Celebrant, the steward Cirion brought Eorl the Young to summit of Amon Anwar in August, T.A. 2510. There they spoke the Oath by which Calenardhon was ceded to the Éothéod. Cirion also declared that Amon Anwar was now a hallowed place of both peoples and that the Eorlings and the Stewards should henceforward share in its guard and maintenance. After Eorl had returned to the North to bring back all his people, Cirion removed the tomb of Elendil and took the casket to Rath Dínen.[1]

In later days as Gondor declined and the Rohirrim grew in power, the wardens of Anwar were provided entirely by the people of Eastfold. The hill was then renamed the Halifirien and the seventh and westernmost of the warning beacons of Gondor was built. Lodges were constructed for the Beacon-wardens in the trees near the summit.[1]

During the ride of Gandalf and Pippin to Minas Tirith (on March 7, T.A. 3019) they saw the beacons of Gondor, including the Halifirien, being lit.[2]

After King Elessar returned, the bond of Cirion and Eorl was renewed in the same place with Éomer, king of the Rohirrim.[1]

[edit] Extymology

Amon Anwar means "Hill of Awe" in Sindarin.

Halifirien means "Holy Mountain" in the language of Rohan.[3] Tolkien derived the name from Old English.[4]

[edit] References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Cirion and Eorl and the Friendship of Gondor and Rohan"
  2. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, "Minas Tirith"
  3. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor" (edited by Carl F. Hostetter), in Vinyar Tengwar, Number 42, July 2001, p. 20
  4. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "Nomenclature of The Lord of the Rings" in Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull (eds), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, p. 770
Beacons of Gondor
Amon Dîn · Eilenach · Nardol · Erelas · Min-Rimmon · Calenhad · Halifirien
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