Eriador
Encyclopedia
Eriador is a large region in J. R. R. Tolkien
's fictional world of Middle-earth
. In the Second Age
, and possibly much earlier, it was largely forested, but the Dúnedain
felled most of the forests to build ship
s. Much of it was encompassed in the early Third Age
by the kingdom of Arnor
, which later split into the rival kingdoms of Rhudaur, Arthedain and Cardolan. The Shire
occupies part of the former kingdom of Arthedain, while Bree
and its neighbouring villages lie on the border with the former Cardolan. The Barrow-wight
s dwell within ancient burial mounds constructed in the First Age
by the Edain
as they journeyed to Beleriand
. Other important places in Eriador are Rivendell
, the Grey Havens and the abandoned kingdoms of Eregion
and Angmar
. By the time of the War of the Ring
, Eriador was sparsely populated, save for the Shire, Bree-land, Rivendell, the Grey Havens, the Angle south of Rivendell, and villages in western Eriador. Communities of Dwarves
still mined the Ered Lindon, and a small population of former enemies of Númenor
survived in southern Minhiriath. Eriador was protected by the Rangers of the North
.
Its boundaries were:
Eriador extended for some 600 miles north-south and 700 miles west-east. It was traversed by the East-West Road running from Rivendell to the Grey Havens and by the Greenway (former North-South Road connecting the kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor
). Important rivers were the Lune (Elvish Lhûn), the Brandywine (Elvish Baranduin) and the Greyflood.
, Lothlorien and Mirkwood
.
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
's fictional world of Middle-earth
Middle-earth
Middle-earth is the fictional setting of the majority of author J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings take place entirely in Middle-earth, as does much of The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales....
. In the Second Age
Second Age
The Second Age is a time period from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fantasy writings. Tolkien intended for the history of Middle-earth to be considered fictionally as a precursor to the history of the real Earth....
, and possibly much earlier, it was largely forested, but the Dúnedain
Dúnedain
In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, the Dúnedain were a race of Men descended from the Númenóreans who survived the sinking of their island kingdom and came to Eriador in Middle-earth, led by Elendil and his sons, Isildur and Anárion...
felled most of the forests to build ship
Ship
Since the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant marine vessel. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing,...
s. Much of it was encompassed in the early Third Age
Third Age
The Third Age is a time period from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fantasy writings. The history of Middle-earth is to be taken fictionally as a history of the real Earth....
by the kingdom of Arnor
Arnor
Arnor is a fictional kingdom in J. R. R. Tolkien's writings. Arnor, or the Northern Kingdom, was a kingdom of the Dúnedain in the land of Eriador in Middle-earth. The name probably means "Land of the King", from Sindarin Ara- + dor...
, which later split into the rival kingdoms of Rhudaur, Arthedain and Cardolan. The Shire
Shire (Middle-earth)
The Shire is a region of J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Middle-earth, described in The Lord of the Rings and other works. The Shire refers to an area settled exclusively by Hobbits and largely removed from the goings-on in the rest of Middle-earth. It is located in the northwest of the continent, in...
occupies part of the former kingdom of Arthedain, while Bree
Bree (Middle-earth)
Bree is a fictional village in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth, east of the Shire and south of Fornost Erain. It is thought to have been inspired by the Buckinghamshire village of Brill, which Tolkien visited regularly in his early years at Oxford...
and its neighbouring villages lie on the border with the former Cardolan. The Barrow-wight
Barrow-wight
Barrow-wights are wraith-like creatures in J. R. R. Tolkien's world of Middle-earth, based on the Old Norse Draugr. Barrow refers to the burial mounds they inhabited and wight is a Middle English word for "living being" or "creature", especially "human being"...
s dwell within ancient burial mounds constructed in the First Age
First Age
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, the First Age, or First Age of the Children of Ilúvatar is the heroic period in which most of Tolkien's early legends are set...
by the Edain
Edain
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Edain were men who made their way into Beleriand in the First Age, and were friendly to the Elves....
as they journeyed to Beleriand
Beleriand
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional legendarium, Beleriand was a region in northwestern Middle-earth during the First Age. Events in Beleriand are described chiefly in his work The Silmarillion, which tells the story of the early ages of Middle-earth in a style similar to the epic hero tales of Nordic...
. Other important places in Eriador are Rivendell
Rivendell
Rivendell is an Elven outpost in Middle-earth, a fictional realm created by J. R. R. Tolkien. It was established and ruled by Elrond in the Second Age of Middle-earth...
, the Grey Havens and the abandoned kingdoms of Eregion
Eregion
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, Eregion or Hollin was a kingdom of the Noldorin Elves in Eriador during the Second Age, located near the West Gate of Moria under the shadow of the Hithaeglir . Its capital was Ost-in-Edhil...
and Angmar
Angmar
Angmar is a fictional kingdom in J. R. R. Tolkien's continent of Middle-earth.-Synopsis:Angmar was founded in in the far north of the Misty Mountains by the evil Lord of the Ringwraiths, who became known as the "Witch-king of Angmar"...
. By the time of the War of the Ring
War of the Ring
In the fictional high fantasy-world of J. R. R. Tolkien, the War of the Ring was fought between Sauron and the free peoples of Middle-earth for control of the One Ring and dominion over the continent. The War of the Ring took place at the end of the Third Age. Together with the Quest of Mount Doom,...
, Eriador was sparsely populated, save for the Shire, Bree-land, Rivendell, the Grey Havens, the Angle south of Rivendell, and villages in western Eriador. Communities of Dwarves
Dwarf (Middle-earth)
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Dwarves are a race inhabiting the world of Arda, a fictional prehistoric Earth which includes the continent Middle-earth....
still mined the Ered Lindon, and a small population of former enemies of Númenor
Númenor
Númenor is a fictional place in J. R. R. Tolkien's writings. It was a huge island located in the Sundering Seas to the west of Middle-earth, the main setting of Tolkien's writings, and was known to be the greatest realm of Men...
survived in southern Minhiriath. Eriador was protected by the Rangers of the North
Rangers of the North
In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, the Rangers of the North, also known as the Dúnedain of the North, were the descendants of the Dúnedain from the lost kingdom of Arnor...
.
Its boundaries were:
- To the east, the Misty MountainsMisty MountainsIn J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy world of Middle-earth, the Misty Mountains is a mountain range, running for 795 miles from north to south, between Eriador and the valley of the Great River, Anduin, and...
. - To the north, the Ice-bay of Forochel, which flooded part of the lands of MorgothMorgothMorgoth Bauglir is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth legendarium. He is the main antagonist of The Silmarillion, figures in The Children of Húrin, and is mentioned briefly in The Lord of the Rings.Melkor was the most powerful of the Ainur, but turned to darkness and became...
after the War of WrathWar of WrathThe War of Wrath, or the Great Battle, is a key plot development in J.R.R. Tolkien's legendarium, portraying the final war against Morgoth at the end of the First Age....
. - To the west, the mountains of Ered Lindon (also known as Ered Luin or Blue Mountains)
- To the south, the rivers Glanduin and Greyflood and the land of Enedwaith. After the War of Wrath, part of the southwestern border lies along the shores of BelegaerBelegaerIn the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, Belegaer, the Great Sea or the Sundering Seas, is the sea of Arda that is west of Middle-earth....
.
Eriador extended for some 600 miles north-south and 700 miles west-east. It was traversed by the East-West Road running from Rivendell to the Grey Havens and by the Greenway (former North-South Road connecting the kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor
Gondor
Gondor is a fictional kingdom in J. R. R. Tolkien's writings, described as the greatest realm of Men in the west of Middle-earth by the end of the Third Age. The third volume of The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, is concerned with the events in Gondor during the War of the Ring and with...
). Important rivers were the Lune (Elvish Lhûn), the Brandywine (Elvish Baranduin) and the Greyflood.
Depictions in adaptations
Eriador was the initial setting of the Lord of the Rings Online video game. Notably, both narrator (Gandalf) and characters in-game refer to various dangers as "The Doom of Eriador" or "A Threat to all of Eriador" instead of Middle-earth as a whole. The game was later expanded to include other Regions of Middle-earth, such as MoriaMoria (Middle-earth)
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, Moria was the name given by the Eldar to an enormous underground complex in north-western Middle-earth, comprising a vast network of tunnels, chambers, mines and huge halls or 'mansions', that ran under and ultimately through the Misty Mountains...
, Lothlorien and Mirkwood
Mirkwood
Mirkwood is a name used for two distinct fictional forests in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. In the First Age, the highlands of Dorthonion north of Beleriand were known as Mirkwood after falling under Morgoth's control. During the Third Age, the large forest in Rhovanion, east of the Anduin in ...
.