Crissaegrim
| Crissaegrim | |
|---|---|
| Mountain range | |
 | |
| "Thorondor's Realm" by Jef Murray | |
| General Information | |
| Pronunciation | kris-seye-grim |
| Location | Southern part of Echoriad, south of Gondolin and north of Dimbar |
| Type | Mountain range |
| Description | Unclimbable peaks protecting Gondolin from the south |
| Major towns | Eagles |
| History | |
| Events | The flight of Húrin and Huor into Gondolin |
The Crissaegrim were a mountain range, forming a part of the southern Echoriath, the Encircling Mountains of Gondolin, and were inaccessible from the ground. However they were home to the great Eagles,[1] and from here Thorondor, Lord of the Eagles, watched for spies in the vale of the River Sirion. Indeed, the Eagles were the chief source of information to Turgon and the Gondolindrim.
It was from the Crissaegrim that Thorondor espied Húrin and Huor when they were lost in Dimbar. The Lord of the Eagles sent two great birds to carry the men above the Crissaegrim into Tumladen, when King Turgon of Gondolin welcomed them.[2]
Etymology[edit | edit source]
Crissaegrim is a Sindarin name that includes the root kris-.[3] meaning "Cleft Mountain Peaks". It is usually referred to as the "Abode of Eagles".[1]
Other versions of the legendarium[edit | edit source]
In early versions of the Quenta Silmarillion, Tolkien used the name Gochressiel, which he amended to Crisaegrim (later spelt Crissaegrim). Christopher Tolkien has noted that the name Gochressiel might not have referred exclusively to this southern section of the mountains, but rather to the whole of Echoriath.[4]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of Beleriand and its Realms"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Children of Húrin, "The Childhood of Túrin", p. 35
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names"
- ↑ 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", pp. 285, 290-1
