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{{disambig-two|the Dwarf-road through Mirkwood|Dwarf-road of the First Age|[[Dwarf-road of Beleriand]]}}
{{disambig-two|the Dwarf-road through Mirkwood|Dwarf-road of the First Age|[[Dwarf-road of Beleriand]]}}
The '''Old Forest Road''' was the main route through the great forest originally known as [[Mirkwood|Greenwood the Great]] and latterly as [[Mirkwood]].  
{{location infobox
| name=Old Forest Road
| image=
| caption=
| pronun=
| othernames=Way of the Dwarves (translation), Men-i-Naugrim, Forest Road
| location=Running from the [[Misty Mountains]] through central [[Mirkwood]] to the [[River Running|Celduin]]
| type=
| description=
| regions=
| towns=
| inhabitants=Used by [[Dwarves]]
| created=
| destroyed=
| events=
}}
The '''Old Forest Road''', also called the '''Men-i-Naugrim''', or just the '''Forest Road''',<ref name=UT>{{UT|7a}}, Note 14</ref> was the main route through the great forest originally known as [[Mirkwood|Greenwood the Great]] and later as [[Mirkwood]].


Of the origins of the Road we know little for certain. We can be sure that it existed before the end of the [[Second Age]], because a record exists of the stone bridge being specially strengthened to carry the armies of the [[Last Alliance of Elves and Men|Last Alliance]]. A strong clue to its origins is presented in its Sindarin name, ''[[Men-i-Naugrim]]'', meaning "Dwarf-road". The Dwarves had a tradition of road-building dating back to before the [[First Age]], and it seems that they must have built the Forest Road to carry traffic between their western and eastern clans. It's particularly notable that the old bridge over the [[Anduin]] at the Road's western end lay almost exactly halfway between the ancient [[Dwarvish]] meeting-place at [[Mount Gundabad]] to the north, and [[Durin]]'s mansions of [[Khazad-dûm]] to the south.
== Route ==
The road ran from the [[Great Gates|east gate]] of the underground dwarven city originally known as [[Moria|Khazad-dûm]] and later as Moria north along the eastern side of the [[Misty Mountains]] over the upper course of the river [[Gladden]] to the lowest point where a bridge over the [[Anduin]] could be built and then straight east across the vale of the Anduin and through Mirkwood forest to a bridge across the [[River Running]] and then north-east over open land to the iron mines<ref name=NM>{{NM|P3xx}}</ref> in the [[Iron Hills]]<ref name=note>{{PM|XNotes}}, note 30</ref>. A road that descended from the [[Pass of Imladris]] was also part of the Dwarf Road.<ref>{{UT|Index}}, entry ''Roads'' (2) (v)</ref> The latitude of the eastern part of the road was halfway between the ancient Dwarven meeting-place at [[Gundabad|Mount Gundabad]] to the north, and [[Moria]] to the south.<ref>{{FR|Map}}</ref>


Where the Road crossed the [[Anduin|Great River]], there was originally a stone bridge, but the later years of the [[Third Age]] the bridge had been lost and the river was crossed by the [[Old Ford]]. From there, a traveller following the Road east would cross some miles of open country before plunging into the depths of the forest. The Road then ran directly east from one side of the forest to the other, covering more than two hundred miles beneath the canopy of trees before it emerged by the banks of the River [[River Running|Running]]. [[Beorn]] warned [[Thorin and Company]] that it was often used by [[Orcs|goblins]] and inside the forest, the road was overgrown and disused; at the eastern end it led to impassable marshes where the paths had long been lost.<ref>{{H|Queer}}</ref>
== History ==
The stone-bridge over the Anduin and the first miles of the road through Greenwood were built by the [[Longbeards|Longbeard]] [[dwarves of Moria]] and the bridge over the River Running was built by [[Dwarves of the Iron Hills|their kin]] from the Iron Hills in the [[First Age]]. The road was completed during the early [[Second Age]] when [[Dwarves of the Blue Mountains|many dwarves]] emigrated from the [[Blue Mountains]] to Moria and to the Iron Hills.<ref name=NM/>


==External links==
The road enjoyed a large amount of traffic until the [[War of the Elves and Sauron]],<ref name=NM/> which began in {{SA|1693}}.<ref>{{App|SA}}, entry for the year 1693, p. 1083</ref>


*[http://middle-earth.xenite.org/2012/06/27/where-did-the-old-forest-road-in-mirkwood-lead-to/ Where Did the Old Forest Road in Mirkwood Lead To?] by [[Michael Martinez]]
Near the end of the [[Second Age]], probably between {{SA|3431}} and {{SA|3434|n}},<ref>{{App|SA}}, entries for the years 3431 and 3434, p. 1084</ref> the stone bridge across the Anduin was specially enlarged and strengthened to carry the armies of the [[Last Alliance of Elves and Men|Last Alliance]].<ref name=UT/>
 
By the time of the [[Quest of Erebor]] in {{TA|2941}}<ref>{{App|TA}}, entry for the year 2941, p. 1089</ref> the stone bridge over the Anduin had been lost and the river was crossed at the [[Old Ford]]. [[Thorin and Company]] intended to use the Old Forest Road to travel through Mirkwood, but [[Beorn]] warned them that the road from the Pass of Imladris to the entrance of the Old Forest Road at the western edge of Mirkwood was often used by [[Orcs|Goblins]] and that he had heard that the road was overgrown and disused at the eastern end and led to impassable [[Long Marshes|marshes]] near the River Running where the paths had long been lost.<ref name=lodg>{{H|Queer}}</ref>
 
It is possible that the Old Forest Road was repaired and used again after the [[War of the Ring]] in {{TA|3019}},<ref>{{App|Great}}, entry for the year 3019, March 25, p. 1094</ref> because the host of [[Lórien]] destroyed [[Dol Guldur]], the forest was cleansed and all the wide forest between the [[Mountains of Mirkwood]] in the north and the [[Narrows of the Forest]] in the south was given to the [[Beornings]] and the [[Woodmen]] by [[Thranduil]] and [[Celeborn]].<ref>{{App|Great}}, p. 1094</ref>
 
== Etymology ==
''Men-i-Naugrim'' is a [[Sindarin]] name.<ref name=Eldamo>{{webcite|author=Paul Strack|articleurl=https://www.eldamo.org/content/words/word-729506707.html|articlename=S. ''Men-i-Naugrim'' loc.|website=Eldamo|accessed=09 March 2022}}</ref> It means "Way of the Dwarves" or "Dwarf Road".<ref>{{UT|Index}}, entry ''Men-i-Naugrim''</ref> It is a compound of ''[[men (Elvish)|men]]'' ("road, way"), ''[[i]]'' ("the") and ''[[Naugrim]]'' ("dwarves").<ref name=Eldamo/>
 
== External links ==
* [http://middle-earth.xenite.org/2012/06/27/where-did-the-old-forest-road-in-mirkwood-lead-to/ Where Did the Old Forest Road in Mirkwood Lead To?] by [[Michael Martinez]]


{{references}}
{{references}}

Revision as of 15:48, 24 November 2022

This article is about the Dwarf-road through Mirkwood. For the Dwarf-road of the First Age, see Dwarf-road of Beleriand.
Old Forest Road
General Information
Other namesWay of the Dwarves (translation), Men-i-Naugrim, Forest Road
LocationRunning from the Misty Mountains through central Mirkwood to the Celduin
InhabitantsUsed by Dwarves

The Old Forest Road, also called the Men-i-Naugrim, or just the Forest Road,[1] was the main route through the great forest originally known as Greenwood the Great and later as Mirkwood.

Route

The road ran from the east gate of the underground dwarven city originally known as Khazad-dûm and later as Moria north along the eastern side of the Misty Mountains over the upper course of the river Gladden to the lowest point where a bridge over the Anduin could be built and then straight east across the vale of the Anduin and through Mirkwood forest to a bridge across the River Running and then north-east over open land to the iron mines[2] in the Iron Hills[3]. A road that descended from the Pass of Imladris was also part of the Dwarf Road.[4] The latitude of the eastern part of the road was halfway between the ancient Dwarven meeting-place at Mount Gundabad to the north, and Moria to the south.[5]

History

The stone-bridge over the Anduin and the first miles of the road through Greenwood were built by the Longbeard dwarves of Moria and the bridge over the River Running was built by their kin from the Iron Hills in the First Age. The road was completed during the early Second Age when many dwarves emigrated from the Blue Mountains to Moria and to the Iron Hills.[2]

The road enjoyed a large amount of traffic until the War of the Elves and Sauron,[2] which began in S.A. 1693.[6]

Near the end of the Second Age, probably between S.A. 3431 and 3434,[7] the stone bridge across the Anduin was specially enlarged and strengthened to carry the armies of the Last Alliance.[1]

By the time of the Quest of Erebor in T.A. 2941[8] the stone bridge over the Anduin had been lost and the river was crossed at the Old Ford. Thorin and Company intended to use the Old Forest Road to travel through Mirkwood, but Beorn warned them that the road from the Pass of Imladris to the entrance of the Old Forest Road at the western edge of Mirkwood was often used by Goblins and that he had heard that the road was overgrown and disused at the eastern end and led to impassable marshes near the River Running where the paths had long been lost.[9]

It is possible that the Old Forest Road was repaired and used again after the War of the Ring in T.A. 3019,[10] because the host of Lórien destroyed Dol Guldur, the forest was cleansed and all the wide forest between the Mountains of Mirkwood in the north and the Narrows of the Forest in the south was given to the Beornings and the Woodmen by Thranduil and Celeborn.[11]

Etymology

Men-i-Naugrim is a Sindarin name.[12] It means "Way of the Dwarves" or "Dwarf Road".[13] It is a compound of men ("road, way"), i ("the") and Naugrim ("dwarves").[12]

External links

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The Disaster of the Gladden Fields", "Notes", Note 14
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, Carl F. Hostetter (ed.), The Nature of Middle-earth, "Part Three. The World, its Lands, and its Inhabitants: XX. Note on the Dwarf Road"
  3. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "X. Of Dwarves and Men", "Notes", note 30
  4. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, Index, entry Roads (2) (v)
  5. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, "The West of Middle-earth at the End of the Third Age" [map]
  6. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Second Age", entry for the year 1693, p. 1083
  7. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Second Age", entries for the years 3431 and 3434, p. 1084
  8. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Third Age", entry for the year 2941, p. 1089
  9. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, "Queer Lodgings"
  10. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Great Years", entry for the year 3019, March 25, p. 1094
  11. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Great Years", p. 1094
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Paul Strack, "S. Men-i-Naugrim loc.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon (accessed 9 March 2022)
  13. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, Index, entry Men-i-Naugrim
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