Narog

From Tolkien Gateway
Narog
River
Jef Murray - The Bridge Over Narog.jpg
"Bridge over Narog" by Jef Murray
General Information
LocationWest Beleriand
TypeRiver
DescriptionSwift river
GalleryImages of Narog

The River Narog was the chief river of West Beleriand, the largest tributary of River Sirion.

The Narog was eighty leagues in length.[1] It rose from the Pools of Ivrin in the Ered Wethrin, flowed south and then southeast, flowing through a gorge in a series of rapids where it crossed the hills of the Andram or Long Wall, finally meeting Sirion in the Land of Willows Nan-tathren, not far above the Mouths of Sirion. Narog's tributaries were the River Ginglith in the north and the River Ringwil in the Taur-en-Faroth.[2]

Into its western bank, just south of where Ringwil rushed into Narog, was carved the city of Nargothrond, stronghold of Finrod Felagund.[1]

Etymology[edit | edit source]

In The Etymologies, the river's name was stated to mean "rushing, violent".[3] However, in a later writing by Tolkien, the Sindarin name Narog was given two possible Khuzdul origins: Narâg ("black") and naruka (unknown meaning).[4]

In Eriol's Old English translations, Narog is referred as Hlyda ("Loudy"). The Elves of Nargothrond were named Hlydingas.[5]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Quenta Silmarillion: Of Beleriand and its Realms"
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Silmarillion, "Map of Beleriand and the Lands to the North"
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Three: "The Etymologies"
  4. 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), pp. 37, 47
  5. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Shaping of Middle-earth, "III. The Quenta: Appendix 1: Fragments of a translation of The Quenta Noldorinwa into Old English, made by Ælfwine or Eriol; together with Old English equivalents of Elvish names"