SEQUENCE OF EVENTS BEFORE THE FIRST AGE

This compilation of the sequence of events before the counting of years is taken from Rolozo Tolkein's A chronology of the first age, which is based on Robert Foster's 'The Complete Guide to Middle-earth.' Ballantine, 1974, 1979 (ISBN 0-345-32436-6) (paper).

The Time Before Days

1. The Creation of Ea. The Valar, the Maiar enter Ea. Among them Melkor is the greatest.
2. The First War and the marring of Arda. Tulkas enters Ea; Melkor retreats. The completion of Arda.
3. The Spring of Arda begins. The Valar create the lamps Illuin and Ormal, and settle at Almaren in the midst of Middle Earth.
4. Melkor secretly returns to Arda, builds his first great fortress of Utumno and the Ered Engrin (the Iron Mountains) around it, and he partly blights the Spring.
5. Melkor overthrows the Lamps and Almaren is destroyed. End of the Spring of Arda; beginning of the Sleep of Yavanna in which the many things that had arisen in the Spring should not age, but should wait the coming of the Sun and Moon and of Men.
6. The Valar raise the Pelori and settle in Aman across the sea from Middle-earth.
7. The Valar create the Two Trees, which begin to shine on the First Day, thus beginning of the Count of Time.
8. Varda kindles new stars; the Elves awake in Cuivienen. They are harassed by Melkor; the first breeding of Orcs.

Years of The Two Trees

1. Orome discovers the Elves. The Battle of the Powers and the Chaining of Melkor. The Great Journey of the Elves begins. Thingol and Melian wed.
2. The first age of the Chaining of Melkor. The Sundering of the Elves. Some of the Eldar arrive in Aman; the Noontide of Valinor begins. The Sindar flourish in Beleriand. At the end of the age, Luthien is born.
3. The second age of the Chaining. Dwarves enter Beleriand and settle the Ered Luin. At the end of this age, Thingol builds Menegroth.
4. The third age of the Chaining. Evil things begin to stir in Middle-earth. The Laiquendi come to Beleriand. Daeron invents the Cirth, the first runes of the Children of Eru.
5. Melkor is unchained. He raises dissension among the sons of Finwe. Feanor is banished for twelve years and Melkor vanishes from Valinor.
6. The Darkening of Valinor; end of the Noontide of Valinor. Melkor and Ungoliant poison the Two Trees, kill Finwe, and steal the Silmarils.
7. The Long Night. Melkor and Ungoliant flee across the Helcaraxe and quarrel at Lammoth. Melkor rebuilds Angband. The revolt of the Noldor, the Kinslaying, and the utterance of the Doom of Mandos. Melkor invades Beleriand; the first battle of the Wars of Beleriand. The Girdle of Melian is raised.
8. The Long Night continues. Feanor burns his ships at Losgar. Dagor-nuin-Giliath; Feanor slain and Maedhros captured. Fingolfin marches to the Helcaraxe. The Valar prepare the Moon and Sun.
9. The Moon Rises. End of the Long Night (?) and the Sleep of Yavanna; the Second Spring of Arda. Fingolfin enters Middle-earth. The Moon crosses the sky seven times.
10. The Years of the Sun begin: the Sun rises in the West. Men awaken. Fingolfin enters Mithrim. The Orcs flee into Angband. Fingon rescues Maedhros. Fingolfin is named High King of the Noldor. Varda causes the Sun to change direction.