Ered Wethrin
| Ered Wethrin | |
|---|---|
| Mountain range | |
 | |
| "Fingon's Horseriders" by Marya Filatova | |
| General Information | |
| Other names | Mountains of Shadow |
| Location | Northern Beleriand |
| Type | Mountain range |
| Inhabitants | Noldor, Sindar, Edain |
The Ered Wethrin, or the Mountains of Shadow, was a mountain range in the north of Beleriand in the First Age.
Geography[edit | edit source]
A line of hills to the southwest formed the southern boundary of Nevrast. In the south, it was an east-west range that divided Dor-lómin and Mithrim to the north from Beleriand to the south, then in the east it curved around to the northwest, forming the boundary of Hithlum and separating it from Anfauglith. The Mountains of Mithrim were a northwesterly spur that separated Dor-lómin from Mithrim.
Several rivers arose in the Ered Wethrin, including Narog, Taeglin, and Sirion with its source.[1]
History[edit | edit source]
They were among the mountains raised about Hithlum during the Battle of the Powers.[2]
When the Noldor followers of Fëanor arrived to Middle-earth, they were first attacked by Orcs in Lake Mithrim. The Dagor-nuin-Giliath began there, but the Noldor pursued the Orcs among the Mountains of Shadow to Ard-galen. However, Fëanor did not stop there and was mortally wounded before reaching Angband. He was saved by his sons and brought back to the slopes of the Ered Wethrin, and while going upward the path in Eithel Sirion, he died there while watching Thangorodrim in the distance.[3]
After the coming of the host of Fingolfin and the rising of the Sun, Morgoth's armies ran back to Angband, but Fingolfin chose to withdraw to Mithrim, having the Ered Wethrin as a shield.[3]
Later, Nevrast, Dor-lómin, Mithrim, and Hithlum were given to Fingolfin and his sons, so all the mountain range became under the protection of the House of Fingolfin. Their main fortress (Barad Eithel) was at Eithel Sirion, from which they watched Ard-galen and their cavaldry came upon the plain.[4]
The Ered Wethrin disappeared beneath the waves at the end of the First Age.
Etymology[edit | edit source]
Ered Wethrin is Sindarin for "Shadowy Mountains".[5] It consists of ered ("mountains") and gwethrin ("shadowy").[6]
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Map of Beleriand and the Lands to the North"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Return of the Noldor"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of Beleriand and its Realms"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, "Words, Phrases and Passages in Various Tongues in The Lord of the Rings", in Parma Eldalamberon XVII (edited by Christopher Gilson), p. 43
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names", entries orod, gwath
