The wise will stay here and hope to rebuild our town...
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| People | |
| Nandor | |
|---|---|
| General Information | |
| Pronunciation | Q, [ˈnandor] |
| Origins | Teleri who turned aside from the Great Journey east of the Misty Mountains |
| Locations | Ossiriand, Lindon, Eriador, Lothlórien, Greenwood the Great, Belfalas, Ithilien, Mouths of Anduin |
| Languages | Nandorin, Silvan Elvish, Sindarin, Westron |
| Members | Lenwë, Denethor, Nimrodel, Haldir |
| Physical Description | |
| Lifespan | Immortal |
| Distinctions | Secretive, lovers of the forests and animals |
| Average Height | Tall |
| Hair | Usually dark |
| Skin | White |
| Gallery | Images of Nandor |
They became a people apart, unlike their kin, save that they loved water, and dwelt most beside falls and running streams. Greater knowledge they had of living things, tree and herb, bird and beast, than all other Elves.
The Nandor (sg. Nando), who included the Silvan Elves and Green-elves, were one group of the Teleri. Like the Sindar, they consisted mainly of Úmanyar (Teleri who began the Great Journey but did not complete it). Some later came into Beleriand and dwelt in Ossiriand, while those that remained founded realms of their own in the Vales of Anduin. The Elves of Lórien were of this kind, as were the Wood-elves of Mirkwood.
Like others of the Teleri, they loved water and dwelt most beside falls and running streams. But living wild in nature, they had greater knowledge of trees, plants, animals and birds, than all other Elves.[1]
History
Origins
Those who would later become the Nandor were Elves of the hosts of the Teleri under Elwë and Olwë. They stayed long in Atyamar at the Vales of Anduin upon the east bank of the river while they waited for Oromë, but while the Vanyar and the Noldor crossed the Hithaeglir, part of the Teleri were afraid, as they looked at the high and shadowy peaks. Then Lenwë, from the host of Olwë, decided to forsake the march, as he was content to remain in the wide forested lands of the Vales of Anduin; others broke from the host and followed him southwards along the Great River. These Teleri became the Nandor.[2]
Gradually, the Nandor spread out. While some remained in the woodlands of the Vales of Anduin, others traveled to and dwelt at the Mouths of Anduin, and many also passed by the White Mountains into the wilderness of Eriador.[3]
Laiquendi
Very quickly, however, the evils that dwelt in the north discovered the Nandor and began to bring harm to their people, for they were a simple woodland folk, with no weapons of steel. Hearing of the great realm of their kinsman, the King Elwë Thingol and the might of the Sindar of Doriath, Denethor, Lenwë's son, gathered as much of his scattered people as he could and crossed over the Ered Luin into Beleriand. There, they were welcomed warmly by Thingol as long-lost kin, and were allowed to settle in the green land of many-rivered Ossiriand. There, they were called the Laegrim.[3]
The Laegrim took little part in the Wars of Beleriand; in the First Battle against Morgoth, they took heavy losses including their king Denethor. Afterwards, they became reclusive, pulling away from the many troubles of Beleriand, and fighting no longer against Morgoth.[3]
Even after the Elder Days passed, after they were joined by other Elves of Beleriand, the Laiquendi remained west of the Blue Mountains; some of them removed to Eriador (where many of their kin still wandered)[4] and others went east to live among the Silvan Elves in the Greenwood and in the land that would become Lothlórien.[5]
Silvan Elves
The Silvan Elves were descendants of the Nandor who had lingered in the Vales of Anduin during the Great Journey of the Eldar in the Elder Days. They hid themselves in the woodlands beyond the Misty Mountains and became a scattered folk hardly distinguishable from Avari.[6]
In the early Second Age, many Teleri, survivors of Doriath and Ossiriand, left Lindon to establish realms among these Silvan Elves.[5] Among them were the Sindar Oropher, and his son Thranduil, of Doriath who established the Woodland Realm in S.A. 750.[7][8]
Etymology
Nandor is a Quenya name, meaning "Those who go back",[9] apparently containing the element nan-.
In early Qenya, nandor meant "farmer"[10] containing the Elvish element nan "field, valley".
Other names
The Nandor were also known by many other names: the Host of Dân, the Wood-elves, the Wanderers, the Axe-elves, the Green Elves, the Brown Elves, and the Hidden People.[11]
Other versions of the legendarium
In The Later Annals of Valinor, in a note made by Pengolodh, the Nandor are told to be of Noldorin origin who forsook the host of Finwë early upon the westward march, and turned south. But they found the lands barren and dark, and turned again north, and marched west once more with much wandering and grief. Of these some, under "Denithor", came at last over Ered Lindon and dwelt in Ossiriand being allies of Thingol.[12]:91
At one point, Tolkien considered that the Danians (Nandor) were of Lindarin (Vanyarin) origin, though he emended this to the Noldor.[13]
In the 1930's Quenta Silmarillion they continue to be Noldor, specifically the hindmost of Finwë's host. After repenting of the march they became a people apart, unlike their kin and were not counted among the Eldar, nor yet among the Avari. Pereldar they were called in the tongue of the Elves of Valinor, which signifies "Half-eldar", but in their own tongue they were called Danas, after their first leader "Dân". His son was Denethor, who led them into Beleriand ere the rising of the Moon.[14]:§28
| Elves (Quendi · People of the Stars · Firstborn · Elder Kindred) | |
| Three Kindreds: (Eldar · Eldalië · Edhil) |
Vanyar (Fair-elves · Minyar) · Noldor (Deep-elves · Tatyar) · Teleri (Lindar · Nelyar) |
|---|---|
| Calaquendi: (High-elves · Amanyar) |
Vanyar · Noldor · Falmari |
| Úmanyar: | Sindar (Grey-elves · Eglath · Falathrim) · Nandor (Green-elves · Silvan Elves) |
| Moriquendi: | Úmanyar · Avari (Cuind · Hwenti · Kindi · Kinn-lai · Penni · Windan) |
| Generations: | Eru-begotten · First-begotten · Third Elves · Younger Elves · further Generations |
| See also: | Awakening of the Elves · Finding by Oromë · Sundering of the Elves · Embassy · Great Journey · Dark Years of the Avari |
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, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Ruin of Doriath"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of the Sindar"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn", "Concerning Galadriel and Celeborn"
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn", "Appendix A: The Silvan Elves and their Speech"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Peoples of Middle-earth, "VI. The Tale of Years of the Second Age", p. 174
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn", "Appendix B: The Sindarin Princes of the Silvan Elves"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part Four. Quendi and Eldar: C. The Clan-names, with notes on other names for divisions of the Eldar", p. 384
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Book of Lost Tales Part One, Appendix: Names in the Lost Tales – Part I, p. 261
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Morgoth's Ring, "Part Three. The Later Quenta Silmarillion: (I) The First Phase: 3. Of the Coming of the Elves", p. 164
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, "Part Two: Valinor and Middle-earth before The Lord of the Rings, II. The Later Annals of Valinor"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, "Part Two: Valinor and Middle-earth before The Lord of the Rings, V. The Lhammas"
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, "Part Two: Valinor and Middle-earth before The Lord of the Rings, VI. Quenta Silmarillion"