Araman

From Tolkien Gateway
Araman
Region
Lourdes Velez - The Curse of Mandos.jpg
"The Curse of Mandos" by Lourdes Velez
General Information
LocationNorthern Aman, east of the Pelóri and adjacent to the Helcaraxë
TypeRegion
DescriptionCold mountainous wasteland
RegionsOiomúrë, Haerast
History
EventsDoom of Mandos
GalleryImages of Araman

Araman was the northern coastland of Aman, north of Valinor, that lay outside the mountain-fence of the Pelóri. It was deserted, mountainous and frozen because of its neighbouring with Helcaraxë which joined it with Beleriand.

The coastland that was visible from Nevrast in Beleriand, was known as Haerast in Sindarin.[1]

History[edit | edit source]

This was the way Melkor (passing through Oiomúrë), and later the Noldor took into Exile. In Araman the host of the Noldor heard the Doom of Mandos, delivered by a dark figure standing upon a high rock. Upon hearing the prophecy the host divided, with the followers of Fëanor pressing onward while those of Finarfin turned back. Later, when Fëanor and his kin burnt their ships at Losgar, Fingolfin in Araman knew that he had been betrayed and that their only course was to march across the Helcaraxë.[2]

Etymology[edit | edit source]

Araman is Quenya for "outside Aman", consisting of ar + Aman.[3][4]

Other versions of the legendarium[edit | edit source]

In The Book of Lost Tales Qenya forms Eruman and Erumání from root ERE "outside" appear. Gnomish Edhofon. Compare Harwalin or Arvalin "close to Valinor".[5]

References

  1. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Index of Names"
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Flight of the Noldor"
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names", entries ar- and mān-
  4. Helge Fauskanger, "Quenya Corpus Wordlist", Ardalambion (accessed 16 February 2013)
  5. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, Appendix: Names in the Lost Tales – Part I, entry "Eruman"