Valacirca
Valacirca (Q. "Sickle of the Valar") was one of the constellations set in the heavens by Varda to enlighten the awakening of the Elves and gathered by Varda from among the ancient stars. It was seven stars set in the north as a challenge to Melkor.[1]
In T.A. 2941[2] when Bilbo Baggins came to the Long Lake (on the Wood-elves' raft) he noticed the Valacirca twinkling in the north above the entry of the River Running into the lake.[3]
On 29 September T.A. 3018[4] Frodo Baggins looked out of the window in the hobbits' room in Bree and saw the Valacirca bright above the shoulder of Bree-hill.[5]
Other namesEdit
Hobbits called it the Burning Briar (it was also referred to as the Wain in The Hobbit[3] and the Sickle in The Fellowship of the Ring[5]). The constellation is also known as the Plough, a name used in British English to refer to the seven brightest stars in Ursa Major,[6] known in American English as Big Dipper. It is unclear whether the Dwarvish constellation Durin's Crown, seen in the reflection of Mirrormere,[7] is the Valacirca.
Other versions of the legendariumEdit
This constellation is the first to appear in the mythology that J.R.R. Tolkien began to develop in the 1910s, giving it the name Telpea Kalka ("Silvern Sickle").[8]
It is referred to as the "Silver Bear" in the 1915 poem Kortirion among the Trees[9] but was later amended to "Silver Wain" in a revision submitted to Rayner Unwin in 1962.[10]
In The Etymologies, the Q(u)enya names for the constellation were Valakirka ("Sickle of the Gods") and Otselen ("Seven Stars"), with the Noldorin cognates Cerch iMbelain and Edegil respectively.[11]
In the earliest map that Tolkien made for The Hobbit (referred to as Fimbulfambi's map by John D. Rateliff in The History of The Hobbit) the compass rose used a tiny diagram of the Valacirca to indicate "North".[12]
InspirationEdit
Valacirca is identified as the Big Dipper.[13]
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Third Age"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, "A Warm Welcome"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Great Years"
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "Strider"
- ↑ Ursa Major at Wikipedia
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "A Journey in the Dark"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "Qenyaqetsa: The Qenya Phonology and Lexicon", in Parma Eldalamberon XII (edited by Carl F. Hostetter, Christopher Gilson, Arden R. Smith, and Patrick H. Wynne), p. 47
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, "I. The Cottage of Lost Play", Kortirion among the Trees (pre-1937)
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, "I. The Cottage of Lost Play", The Trees of Kortirion
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Three: "The Etymologies", entries "OT", "KIRIK"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, John D. Rateliff (ed.), The History of The Hobbit, Mr. Baggins, The First Phase, "The Pryftan Fragment", p. 21
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Index of Names"
| Middle-earth Cosmology | |
| Constellations | Anarríma · Durin's Crown · Menelmacar · Remmirath · Soronúmë · Telumendil · Valacirca · Wilwarin |
|---|---|
| Stars | Alcarinquë · Borgil · Carnil · Elemmírë · Helluin · Luinil · Lumbar · Morwinyon · Nénar · Star of Eärendil · Til |
| The Airs | Aiwenórë · Fanyamar · Ilmen · Menel · Vaiya · Veil of Arda · Vista |
| Narsilion | Arien · Moon (Isil, Ithil, Rána) · Sun (Anar, Anor, Vása) · Tilion |
| See also | Abyss · Arda · Circles of the World · Eä · Timeless Halls · Two Lamps · Two Trees · Void |