Carnen
| Carnen | |
|---|---|
| River | |
| General Information | |
| Other names | Redwater |
| Location | North-west of Middle-earth |
| Type | River |
| Regions | Iron Hills |
Carnen — Sindarin for Redwater — was a river in the north-west of Middle-earth.
Course[edit]
The Carnen flowed from its source in the Iron Hills about 250 Númenórean miles to the south until it flowed into the Celduin, which flowed into the Sea of Rhûn.[1]
It roughly formed the border between the "The North" (the northwestern region of Middle-earth) and the vast "East" (the area called Rhûn).[2]
History[edit]
Between the time when Thráin I founded the dwarf-kingdom in the Lonely Mountain (in T.A. 1999) and the arrival of Smaug (in 2770)[3] the Northmen living between the Celduin and Carnen grew strong and repelled all enemies from the East. It is possible that this military success was the result of the acquisition of weapons and armour from the Dwarves of Erebor.[4] The area became depopulated after the arrival of the dragon but again filled with Northmen after Smaug's demise.
For a long time Easterlings, which were allied with Sauron threatened the borders of the Kingdom of Dale. On 14 March T.A. 3019,[5] during the War of the Ring an army of these Easterlings host of Sauron crossed the Carnen and drove the forces of King Brand back to Dale. A great battle between the army of the Easterlings and the army of King Brand and their allies the Dwarves of Erebor lasted for three days at the feet of the Erebor. On 17 March T.A. 3019,[6] the Easterlings defeated their opponents and killed King Brand and King Dáin Ironfoot. The surviving men of Dale and Dwarves retreated into the Lonely Mountain and were besieged by the Easterlings. The Easterlings were distressed when they received news that Sauron's army had been defeated in the south. On 27 March T.A. 3019,[7] the defenders of the Lonely Mountain attacked and defeated the Easterlings. The surviving Easterlings feld back to the East and did no longer trouble Dale.[8]
Etymology[edit]
Carnen is a Sindarin name,[9] which means "Redwater".[4][10] Paul Strack suggests that it is a combination of caran ("red") and nen ("water").[9]
It is possible that the river received its name, because the riverbed consisted of sediments, which contained iron from the Iron hills which gave the river a rusty reddish colour.
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The West of Middle-earth at the End of the Third Age" [map]
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The Istari"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Third Age", entry for the year 1999, p. 1087 and entry for the year 2770, p. 1088
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "Durin's Folk", p. 1072
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Great Years", entry for the year 3019, March 14, p. 1093
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Great Years", entry for the year 3019, March 17, p. 1094
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Chief Days from the Fall of Barad-dûr to the End of the Third Age", entry for the year 3019, March 27, p. 1095
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Great Years", third paragraph after the Downfall of Barad-dûr, p. 1095
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Paul Strack, "S. Carnen loc.", Eldamo - An Elvish Lexicon (accessed 8 December 2022)
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, Index, entry Carnen
