Aredhel Ar-Feiniel in the woods of Nan Elmoth, by Filat
Nan Elmoth was a forest in the East Beleriand east of Doriath and south of the River Celon.[1]
The trees grew here to be the tallest and darkest in the Beleriand, blocking the Sun entirely from the forest floor.[2]
History
It was in Nan Elmoth that Melian enchanted the Teleri Elf-lord Elwë (Thingol) in Nan Elmoth, before they both founded the realm of Doriath. Long the couple spent here as their love grew and young trees grew tall before they spoke.[3] When Melian and Elwë left for Doriath, Nan Elmoth was held to be part of the kingdom of Doriath. Eöl, the Dark Elf paid Thingol with the sword Anglachel to dwell there on his own. Here, he lived apparently for hundreds of years alone save for a few servants under the shadows of the tall trees. In FA 400, the Gondolin princess Aredhel Ar-Feiniel came there, and it was here that he first met her and married her and had a son named Maeglin born under the shadows of Nan Elmoth.[2]
After the death of Eöl, no known Man or Elf lived in there ever again and after the end of First Age it went down with the rest of the Beleriand.
Portrayal in Adaptations
Translations around the World
| Foreign Language | Translated name |
|---|---|
| Chinese (Hong Kong) | 艾莫斯谷 |
Etymology
Nan[4] Elmoth is a Sindarin word meaning 'Stardust valley'.[5]
References
- ↑ The Silmarillion (inside cover), "Map of Beleriand and the Lands to the North"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter XVI: "Of Maeglin"
- ↑ The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter IV: "Of Thingol and Melian"
- ↑ The Silmarillion, Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin names
- ↑ The Complete Guide to Middle-earth
