View source for Lond Daer

{{merge|Vinyalondë}}

{{location infobox
| name=Lond Daer Enedh
| image=Pete Fenlon - Lond Daer.jpg
| caption=Lond Daer shown on [[Pete Fenlon]]'s map of [[Middle-earth]] produced for [[Middle-earth Role Playing]]
| pronun=
| othernames=
| location=[[Eriador]], in [[Enedwaith]], at the estuary of the [[Gwathló]] river
| type=Harbour
| description=
| regions=
| towns=
| inhabitants=[[Men]]
| created=Between {{SA|750}} and {{SA|800}}
| destroyed=
| events=
}}
'''Lond Daer Enedh''' (also spelt '''Ened''') was a great harbour in [[Eriador]] founded by the [[Númenóreans]].

==History==
Originally, the harbour, under the name '''''[[Vinyalondë]]''''', or "New Haven", was founded by [[Númenor]]'s crown prince [[Tar-Aldarion|Aldarion]] on the estuary of the river [[Gwathló]], between {{SA|750}} and {{SA|800|n}}.<ref>{{UT|4a}}, ''Chronology''</ref><ref>{{UT|Map}}</ref>

The Númenórean hunger for ever more wealth shifted focus to the establishment of newer havens to the south, [[Pelargir]] and [[Umbar]]. Following this, the haven was one of several major ports in Middle-earth, and was known as Lond Daer Enedh, or "Great Middle Haven", between the [[Grey Havens]] and Pelargir.<ref group="note">[[Christopher Tolkien]] identifies Vinyalonde with  Lond Daer, the different names appearing in different texts. He considers that the new name refers to a much later time, after the building of Pelargir, so this article concentrates on the later history of the location.</ref> Despite this, Númenor still maintained traffic on the [[Gwathló]] as far as the fortified town of [[Tharbad]], and Lond Daer was expanded and fortified.<ref name="6d">{{UT|6d}}</ref>{{rp|p. 264}}

After the [[Downfall of Númenor]], [[Elendil]] founded the realm of [[Arnor]] in the lands north of Lond Daer, which was still part of the safest and most efficient route between the [[Realms in Exile]] by sea, in conjunction with [[Tharbad]] and the [[Great Road]]; but as Lond Daer fell into ruin,<ref group="note">It is not explained why "The ancient sea-port and its great quays were ruinous", but the cataclysm of the Downfall could have been the cause.</ref> Tharbad succeeded it in importance.<ref name="6d" />{{rp|p. 264}}

==Etymology==
''Lond Daer Enedh'' is [[Sindarin]] for "Great Middle Haven",<ref name="6d">{{UT|6d}}</ref>{{rp|264}} clearly composed of ''[[lond]]'' ("haven"), ''[[daer]]'' ("great, large") and ''[[enedh]]'' ("middle").

{{references|n}}
==External links==
*[http://middle-earth.xenite.org/2013/09/17/when-was-lond-daer-enedh-abandoned/ When Was Lond Daer Enedh Abandoned?] by [[Michael Martinez]]
[[Category:Cities, towns and villages]]
[[Category:Eriador]]
[[Category:Harbours]]
[[Category:Sindarin locations]]