Lake-town

2012-01-10T21:48:04Z

72.53.69.178: /* History */

{{disambig-two|the town in [[Rhovanion]]|[[Middle-earth Role Playing|MERP]] supplement|[[Lake-town (book)]]}}
{{location
| image=[[Image:J.R.R. Tolkien - Lake Town (Colored by H. E. Riddett).jpg|250px]]
| name=Lake-town
| othernames=Esgaroth
| etymology=''Esgar'' "reed-bed"
| type=Town, also described as City
| location=[[Wilderland]]
| inhabitants=[[Lake-men]]
| realms=[[Dale]]
| description=Town built on surface of north-western [[Long Lake]]
| events=Attack of [[Smaug]], [[Battle of Five Armies]]
}}
{{Pronounce|Esgaroth.mp3|Ardamir}}

'''Lake-town''', also known as '''Esgaroth upon the Long Lake''', was the township of the [[Lake-men]] in [[Wilderland]].

==Description==
The town was constructed entirely of wood and stood upon wooden pillars sunk into the bed of the [[Long Lake]], as a protection against the dragon [[Smaug]], who dwelt nearby in the [[Lonely Mountain]].

It was situated on the west side of the lake, north of the mouth of the [[Forest River]] in a calm bay that was formed by the shelter of a rock promontory. A long wooden bridge connected the town to the land, ending in a building, with guards watching over the entrance.

In the middle of Lake-town the central market-place was located, which was a round pool connected to the lake by a tunnel<ref name="fire">{{H|14}}</ref>. The greatest houses of Lake-town were around this market-place, from which ramps descended to the water<ref name="h10">{{H|10}}</ref>. The edge of the town was occupied with quays and, again, ramps, which descended to the water.<ref>The tunnel, the bridge and the ramps are visible in Tolkien's drawing.</ref><ref name="Fonstad"/>

==History==
It is not known when Lake-town was built. The name ''Esgaroth'' is mentioned on the [[Thrór's Map]], and is said to be an older name, known while Smaug was younger<ref>{{H|12}}</ref>. When [[Bilbo]] came to the town, he noticed old pilings of a (possibly older) greater town along the shores when the waters sank in a drought.<ref name="h10"/> It's possible that an original Esgaroth was destroyed sometime in the past, and the later '''Lake-town''' was its remnant.<ref name="Fonstad">[[Karen Wynn Fonstad]] ''[[The Atlas of Middle-earth]]'', The Hobbit - Lake-town</ref>

The Lake-town was occupied by the [[Lake-men]], descendants of the survivors of the former Kingdom of [[Dale]], like [[Bard|Bard the Bowman]], whose ancestor was its last lord, [[Girion]]. However as the years passed, Smaug was forgotten and children even doubted about his existence or the tales of older men who sometimes had seen him flying.<ref name="h10"/>
[[File:Thorin in esgaroth.jpg|thumb|left|Thorin arrives in Lake-town]]
In the autumn of {{TA|2941}} [[Thorin and Company]] escaped from the [[Thranduil]]'s halls and [[Thorin|Thorin]] followed by [[Fíli]], [[Kíli]] and [[Bilbo]] decided to enter the town and speak to the Master. The Dwarves were welcomed warmly, because the Lake-men saw the [[King under the Mountain]] returning. The Dwarves and Bilbo were hosted, rested and pampered before sent with boats to the ruins of [[Dale]] to confront the dragon.
[[File:smaug vs esgaroth.jpg|thumb|Smaug attacks the town]]
Some days later however, the town was attacked by [[Smaug]], but [[Bard|Bard the Bowman]], who had indirectly learned of a weakness in Smaug's armour, slew the dragon with the [[Black Arrow]]. The town was wrecked by the dragon who fell dead on it and sunk in the lake. Survivors managed to sail to the lakeshore with boats and camped there<ref name="fire"/>.

Thorin refused to share Smaug's treasure and declared war on both the Lake-men and the Elves. The conflict eventually exploded because they heard news of approaching wargs and goblins. Thus became the [[Battle of Five Armies]].

The town was afterwards rebuilt to the north of its former location, using some of the treasure. The town's Master ran off with some of the gold. Part of the town's population followed Bard to resettle the Kingdom of [[Dale]].

By the time of the [[War of the Ring]], Lake-town was part of the kingdom of Dale under [[Bard II]]<ref>{{FR|Meetings}}</ref>

It is probable that Esgaroth was attacked by the [[Easterlings]] before the [[Battle of Dale]].

==Culture==
The town's prosperity was built on trade between the [[Men]], [[Elves of Mirkwood]] and [[Dwarves]] of [[Erebor]]. It supplied food and drink to the Elves and the products of Erebor and [[Dale]] were funneled through it.<ref>[[Robert Foster]] ''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]'', pp. 131-2</ref>

The [[Master of Lake-town|Master]] of Lake-town was the elected civic leader who under normal circumstances was chosen from among the old and wise.

As a trading people, the Lake-men knew the Common Speech, [[Westron]]. However, amongst themselves they spoke an ancient form of it, [[Dalian]], loosely related to but distinct from [[Rohirric]], the also-archaic language of the [[Rohirrim]].

==Etymology==

The name ''Esgaroth'' was seemingly not given a clear etymology in any of [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]]'s later writings. A manuscript written after ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' states that ''Esgaroth'' was "not ''Sindarin'' (though perhaps 'Sindarized' in shape)", similarly to the name ''[[Galion#Etymoloy|Galion]]''.<ref>{{PE|17}}, p. 54</ref>

In earlier manuscripts, at least two interpretations of the name ''Esgaroth'' appeared:
#Deriving from the root-word ''[[esgar]]'', meaning "reed-bed" in [[Ilkorin|Ilkorin Elvish]]. The whole name ''Esgaroth'' translates as "…Reedlake, because of reed-banks in west".<ref>{{LR|Etymologies}}, p. 356 (entry [[ESEK]])</ref>
#Translated as "[?][http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/strand#Etymology_1 strand]-[http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/burg burg]", from ''esgar'' "shore" (not given any designated language).<ref>{{VT|46a}}, p. 14</ref>

==Portrayal in adaptations==
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{{references}}
[[Category:Cities, Towns and Villages]]
[[Category:Ilkorin Locations]]
[[Category:Rhovanion]]
[[de:Esgaroth]]
[[fr:encyclo/geographie/villes_tours_et_forteresses/rhovanion/esgaroth]]
[[fi:Esgaroth]]

Tolkien Gateway - User contributions [en]

Lake-town