Alqualondë, also known as Haven of the Swans,or simply the Haven, was the chief city of the Falmari on the shores of Aman.
Description
The location of Alqualondë
It is said to be north and east of Tirion between the Calacirya and Araman in northern Eldamar.[2]
The city was built in a natural harbor made of rock on the eastern shores of Aman. Other than the great harbor it also housed the Tower of Olwë. The city was decorated with pearls which the Teleri found in the seas, and jewels which they obtained from the Ñoldor. Until the Kinslaying, the city was one of the most peaceful and tranquil places in all of Aman- truly synonymous with elven bliss. It was always alive with song from the fair voices of the Teleri, and after Valinor became silent with the death of the Two Trees, the only good sounds that could still be heard were coming from this fair coastal haven.[3]
The city was walled and the entrance to the harbor had an arch of living stone.[4]
History
The Teleri under Olwë crossed the Sea and initially settled on Tol Eressëa. However, after being drawn by the light, the Teleri abandoned Eressëa. In YT 1161, the construction of Alqualondë began by the Teleri, and the Ñoldor under Finwë assisted them, strengthening their friendship.[1]
In YT 1495, Fëanor son of Finwë rebelled against the Valar and led his household in exile. Accompanied by the the House of Fingolfin and House of Finarfin, they came upon Alqualondë, and Fëanor demanded the swan-ships of the Falmari. Thus, the Kinslaying at Alqualondë commenced, and Fëanor and his seven sons stole the ships and killed many of the Falmari.[5]
In the last years of the First Age, Earendil and Elwing arrived in the Havens, and Elwing was befriended by the Teleri who listened to her tales of griefs in Beleriand.[6]
Etymology
The name Alqualondë means "Haven of the Swans"[7] from the Quenyan alqua ("swan") and londë ("land-locked haven").[8]
Other versions of the legendarium
In other writings, the founding of Alqualondë was written as Valian Year 2111,[9] which is unlikely for the Teleri arrived during the Years of the Trees.
In the earlier versions, Arakáno, youngest son of Fingolfin, died at the first Kinslaying. It was later corrected by Christopher Tolkien and made Arakáno die at the Battle of Lhammoth instead.[10]
Translations around the world
| Foreign Language | Translated name |
|---|---|
| Arabic | الكوالوندي |
| Armenian | Ալqւալոնդը |
| Belarusian Cyrillic | Альквалондэ |
| Bengali | আলকুলদে |
| Bulgarian Cyrillic | Алкуалонде |
| Chinese (Hong Kong) | 澳闊隆迪 |
| Georgian | ალქუალონდე |
| Greek | Άλκουαλόντε |
| Gujarati | અલક્લૉલ્ડે |
| Hebrew | אלקולונדה |
| Hindi | अल्क़ुअलोन्द्ऐ |
| Hungarian | Hattyúk Kikötője |
| Japanese | アルクウァロンデ |
| Kannada | ಆಲ್ಕಲಾಂಡ್ |
| Kazakh | Алқұалонде (Cyrillic) Alqualonde (Latin) |
| Kyrgyz Cyrillic | Алqуалондэ |
| Macedonian Cyrillic | Алqуалонде |
| Marathi | आल्क्लॉंड |
| Mongolian Cyrillic | Алqуалондэ |
| Nepalese | आल्क़ुअलोन्दे |
| Persian | آلکوالونده |
| Punjabi | ਅਲਕਲੋਂਡ |
| Russian | Альквалондэ |
| Sinhalese | ආලැඋඅලොඳෙ ? |
| Serbian | Алкуалонде (Cyrillic) Alqualonde (Latin) |
| Tajik Cyrillic | Алқуалонде |
| Tamil | அழகுஅலண்டே |
| Telugu | అలుక్కుల్లోనుండి |
| Thai | องนครอัลควาลอนเด |
| Ukrainian Cyrillic | Альквалонде |
| Urdu | القولوندی |
| Yiddish | אַלקוואַלאָנדע |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The History of Middle-earth, Vol. X: Morgoth's Ring, The Annals of Aman
- ↑ The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter V: "Of Eldamar and the Princes of the Eldalië"
- ↑ The Atlas of Middle-earth, The First Age, The Elder Days, "The Flight of the Ñoldor"
- ↑ The Atlas of Middle-earth, The First Age, The Elder Days, "Valinor"
- ↑ The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter IX: "Of the Flight of the Ñoldor"
- ↑ The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter XXIV: "Of the Voyage of Eärendil and the War of Wrath"
- ↑ The Silmarillion, Index of Names
- ↑ The Silmarillion, Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin names
- ↑ The History of Middle-earth, Vol. V: The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Two: "Valinor and Middle-earth before The Lord of the Rings"
- ↑ The History of Middle-earth, Vol. XII: The Peoples of Middle-earth, chapter XI: "The Shibboleth of Fëanor", Notes