Tolkien Forums - The Mythical world of J.R.R Tolkien
Website Header Image

“And thou, Melkor, shalt see that no theme may be played that hath not its uttermost source in me, nor can any alter the music in my despite. For he that attempteth this shall prove but mine instrument in the devising of things more wonderful, which he himself hath not imagined.” ~ The Silmarillion

For quick messages with other online members, use the chatroom!

Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
 

Topic: Where in Beleriand does Morgoth reside???

Post Info
Being lies with Eru - Rank 1
Status: Offline
Posts: 2
Date: Apr 15, 2012
Where in Beleriand does Morgoth reside???

The Sil contains an excellent map of the Beleriand,however the locations of Angband/Thangorodrim are not mentioned there. It appears to be somewhere to the north of Anfauglith obviously,but i am confused regarding the exact location. Could someone please help me out?? Also,why did Tolkien not mark the locations of Morgoth's strongholds,unlike those of Sauron's in the 2nd and 3rd Ages(i.e. Mordor)??



__________________
Fundin, Lord of Moria - Rank 5
Status: Offline
Posts: 564
Date: Apr 15, 2012

Hello Gothmog. The geography of the North is a bit tricky! For example, on Tolkien's second Silmarillion map the distance between Menegroth and Thangorodrim is 218.75 miles (just under 73 leagues). Yet in The Grey Annals (written by JRRT in the 1950s) however, we have a distance of 150 leagues (450 miles) from Angband's gate to Menegroth. Christopher Tolkien notes that this... 

'... seems to imply a great extension of the northern plain. The geography of the far North is discussed in V. 270-2, but since it is impossible to say how my father came to conceive it I discreetly omitted all indication of the Iron Mountains and Thangorodrim from the map drawn for the published Silmarillion.' Christopher Tolkien

 

However that hasn't stopped others, using such details as exist, from trying to make maps of the far North -- like KW Fonstad for example, who published a book of maps about Tolkien's World.

 

If you want to see what Tolkien himself indicated however, I would point you to The History of Middle-Earth volumes, especially The War of the Jewels and The Lost Road And other Writings (the latter being volume five, as Christopher mentions above). Tolkin's own map as reproduced in The War of the Jewels shows more of the North than Christopher Tolkien dared to for the 1977 Silmarillion (given the confusions noted).

 

Another example of the unfinished state of the work I'm afraid.



__________________
Tower Guard of Minas Tirith - Rank 4
Status: Offline
Posts: 377
Date: Apr 15, 2012
I think another usefull book is Karen Wynn Fonstad's the atlas of middle-earth. Has many many great maps in it that I myself found very helpful.

__________________
But no wizardry nor spell, neither fang nor venom,nor devil's art nor beast-strength, could overthrow Huan of Valinor;
Being lies with Eru - Rank 1
Status: Offline
Posts: 383
Date: Jul 7, 2013
Indeed in The War of the Jewels there is a map that shows Thangorodrim in plain sight. I believe it is in the section "Of Maeglin" and also in some earlier section, that is, repeated in the same book for convenience.

__________________

Lórellinë

Guard of Armenelos - Rank 4
Status: Offline
Posts: 763
Date: Jul 7, 2013
I believe Glorfindel's numbers check out (See post #2 in this thread). 218.75 miles North by north east of Gondolin.

In my opinion disturbingly close...but then so was Mordor in respect to The Tower of Guard.

Then again; it is 270 miles from Los Angeles to Las Vegas (typically) a 4 hour drive. That's far....but in lieu of Thangorodrim not far enough.

__________________
 
Page 1 of 1  sorted by
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.

Chatbox

Please log in to join the chat!

©2005 Tolkien Forums All Rights Reserved. Any content is the property of webmaster or it's respective owners. Music from Memories of Middle Earth (2003) by the Brobdingnagian Bards. This site was built in 2005 using now defunct web editor services. Recently, the coding has been upgraded, if you encounter any bugs or errors, please report via the Contact Us page. Tolkien Forums is a fan-created website and has no affiliation or connection to the official Tolkien or Middle-earth related book, film or game creations or companies.