Concerning Hobbits | Calendars & Chronologies | Shire Library | Shire Geography | Mathom House (Misc) | Home

Before the First Age, the Elves and other beings lived under the light of other sources of light, such as the Two Lamps and the Two Trees of Valinor. At one time there were two giant lamps that lit the world. Illuin was in the north in the Sea of Helcar and Ormal was in the south in the Sea of Ringil. The Valar lived in the middle of this idyllic world on the Isle of Almaren. Meanwhile, Melkor founded Utumno and gathered evil Maiar in the north. In time the Lamps were destroyed by Melkor. After the destruction of the Lamps, the Valar fled the Isle of Almaren for Aman. Middle Earth became the domain of Melkor.

The Ages of the Trees in Aman

10th Valarian Age or 10,000 years after the creation of Arda - The Valar founded Valinor in Aman at the beginning of the Ages of the Trees. The Ages of the Trees were named for Laurelin the Golden and Telperion the White. The Ages of Trees began in the 10th Valarian Age or 10,000 years after the creation of Arda. During this time, Manwë created the Eagles, Yavanna created the Ents, and Aulë the Dwarves. Later, Varda rekindled the stars. The creatures of Melkor were so unused to light that the rekindling of the stars bothered them. The Elves awoke with starlight in their eyes. The Dwarves and Ents also awoke at this time. Khazad-Dûm was the ancestral home of Durin the Deathless, the first of the Seven Fathers of the Dwarves. Melkor created the Orcs from Elves he encountered and Trolls from Ents. Ultimately the Valar destroyed Utumno and Melkor was bound in chains in Valinor. The Elves were summoned to Aman and the Great Journey of the Eldar (the migrations of the Elves) began under the stars. The Vanyar, Noldor, and Teleri who reached Aman were given homes in Eldamar or "Elven-home". The Vanyar and Noldor lived in Tirion. The Teleri lived in Alqualondë on the coast of Eldamar and Avallónë on the Isle of Tol Eressëa.

The Ages of Stars in Middle Earth

Meanwhile, the Sindarin Elves who never went to Aman founded Doriath during the Ages of the Stars. The Sindarin or Grey Elves were Teleri Elves who followed Thingol and Melian the Maia. Melian counselled Thingol that peace would not last forever and that they should build a strong dwelling. So they built Menegroth of the Thousand Caves in Doriath, which was filled with silver fountains, stone birds, animals, and trees, and crytal lamps. Menegroth was cut into the cliffs of the Esgalduin, a tributary of the Sirion River. Both Elves and Dwarves worked on Menegroth. Daeron, the Minstrel and Loremaster of Thingol, created the Runes.

The Elves of Doriath were allies with the other Elves of Beleriand, such as the coastal Elves of the Falas. A fragment of Ossiriand survived the later sinking of Beleriand and became known as Lindon. Círdan was the lord of the Falas, the coastal kingdom in West Beleriand. The chief ports were Brithombar and Eglarest. Also during this time Denethor, the son of Lenwe, heard of the peace and strength of Menegroth and brought his scattered people across the Blue Mountains and into Beleriand. Thingol welcomed them as kin and invited them to settle in Ossiriand. The people of Denethor were Nandorin Elves who had turned back from the Great Journey at the Misty Mountains. They became the Laiquendi or Green Elves of Ossiriand. Denethor died before the First Age began. He was killed on the hill of Amon Ereb in the First Battle of Beleriand, when the Orcs of Morgoth marched on Menegroth and Thingol called for Denethor's aid.

The Elves of Doriath were also allies of the great Dwarvish kingdoms of Belegost and Nogrod, which were in the Blue Mountains. The Dwarves were master carvers who carved Menegroth's caverns. The Dwarves of Nogrod forged the finest steel swords and spears. A dwarf of Nogrod named Telchar forged Narsil, the sword Elendil used to cut the One Ring from the hand of Sauron. Telchar also forged Angrist, which Beren used to cut off a Silmaril from Morgoth's crown. Meanwhile, the Dwarves of Belegost were the first to make chain-mail and dragon-proof armor. The dragon-proof armor meant they were the only ones who could stand up to the dragons later on in the Battle of Unnumbered Tears. Nogrod and Belegost were the Elvish names for these cities. Nogrod meant "Dwarf-dwelling" or "Hollowbold" and Belegost meant "mighty fortress". The Dwarvish name of Nogrod was Tumunzahar and Belegost was Gabilgathol or Mickleburg. Further east was the greatest of the Dwarvish mansions, Khazad-Dûm. Khazad-Dûm was the ancestral home of Durin the Deathless. Its Elvish name was Hadhodrond. Few Elves learned the Dwarvish tongue or traveled to their mansions but the Dwarves learned the Elvish tongue and travelled to their cities. Meanwhile, Ents lived in the primeval forests of Eriador.

End of the Ages of the Trees of Aman

29,980 years after the creation of Arda - Then Melkor struck the Trees with a spear and the spider, Ungoliant, sucked the life out of the Trees so that they died. Morgoth stole the Silmarils, which led to the events of the Silmarillion. The Ages of the Trees ended 29,980 years after the creation of Arda. Yavanna and Nienna managed to grow the silver flower Ithil and the golden fruit called Anor out of the remains of the Trees of Valinor. Aulë the Smith created vessels for Ithil and Anor and they were put in the heavens as the Moon and the Sun. Thus began the Ages of the Sun.

Note: in a later version of Tolkien's mythology, Teleporno of the Teleri (Celeborn) was Galadriel's intended but they did not marry until they came to Beleriand. Celeborn was a Telerin prince who was the grandson of Olwë of Alqualondë. Galadriel and Celeborn met in Alqualondë. Manwë knew that Galadriel wished to go to Middle Earth to exercise her talents but he had not yet given his permission for her to go. Galadriel had no part in the rebellion. Galadriel and Celeborn fought to defend the Teleri of Alqualondë during the Kinslaying and Celeborn's ship was spared. Galadriel despaired of what was going on and she set sail with Celeborn after the Kinslaying and before getting approval from Manwë. Thus they came under the Ban. They arrived in Círdan's harbor before Fëanor arrived in Middle Earth. Fingolfin came even later. Círdan welcomed Galadriel and Celeborn since they were kin of Elwë (Thingol). Galadriel and Celeborn did not take part in the battles against Angband because they judged them hopeless without the help of the Valar. Instead they thought the Elves should head east of the Ered Luin and reach out to the Dark Elves and Men east of Beleriand before Morgoth built a base there. This policy awas not acceptable to the Elves of Beleriand. So Galadriel and Celeborn headed east of the Ered Lindon before the end of the First Age. Tolkien could think about making these changes because the Silmarillion was not yet published. But he did not have time to make these changes in the text so when Christopher Tolkien published the Silmarillion, the changes were not incorporated into the text.

So at the end of the Ages of Starlight the following realms were already in existence: the Sindarin kingdom of Doriath, the Dwarvish kingdoms of Khazâd-Dûm (Moria), Belegost, and Nogrod, and Melkor's kingdom of Angband. Doriath would fall at the end of the First Age, Belegost and Nogrod would be flooded in Second Age 40 with the sinking of Beleriand, and Angband would survive to the end of the First Age. Before the events of the First Age the Petty-Dwarves carved out the caverns of Nargothrond before Finrod settled in Nargothrond in FA 50. Silvan Elves lived in Greenwood the Great.

- Sources -

Appendices of the Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien.

The Atlas of Middle-Earth, Karen Wynn Fonstad, New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1973, 1991.

The Complete Guide to Middle Earth: Tolkien's World From A to Z, Robert Foster, New York: Ballantine, 1978, 2001.

The Complete Tolkien Companion, by J. E. A. Tyler, New York: Thomas Dunne Books, 1976, 1979, 2004 (3rd edition).

The Silmarillion, J.R.R. Tolkien.

Tolkien: The Illustrated Encyclopedia, David Day, New York: Fireside/Simon and Schuster, 1991.

Unfinished Tales: The Lost Lore of Middle-Earth, JRR and Christopher Tolkien, New York: Ballantine Books, 1980, 1988.

Visit our smial (home)