Sindar
Encyclopedia
In the works of J. R. R. Tolkien
, the fictional Sindar (meaning Grey People, singular Sinda, although the latter term was not generally used by Tolkien) are Elves
of Teleri
n descent. They are also known as the Grey Elves. Their language is Sindarin
. The King of Doriath
, Elu Thingol
(Elwë) was the King of the Sindar.
The Sindar were happy in Middle-earth, but once the desire for the Sea was aroused in them, they could not be content until they sailed to Eldamar. Although less learned and powerful than the Calaquendi
and less interested in crafts than the Noldor, they were extremely gifted in music, and their voices were very fair.
The Sindar are "grey" perhaps because they were not Elves of the Light
, never having actually set foot in Valinor
, but neither were they Avari
, since they did accept the invitation and set out on the journey (and therefore were technically counted among the Eldar). They are sometimes referred to as Elves of the Twilight. The term grey may also refer to Elu Thingol
's grey cloak. The term Sindar is actually not Sindarin in origin: it is the Quenya
name devised by the Noldor
in exiles. It may also be related to Lindar, the Telerin
name for themselves. The name that the Sindar used for themselves was simply Edhil ("Elves", singular Edhel). When the Teleri left for Aman, they called themselves the Eglath, the Forsaken Ones.
The Teleri were the greatest host of the Eldar. They had two kings, the brothers Elwë Singollo (or Elu Thingol
as he was later known in the Sindarin tongue) and Olwë. When the Teleri reached Beleriand
during the Great Journey from Cuiviénen, Thingol went wandering in the forests as was his wont. In the forest of Nan Elmoth
he met Melian
, one of the Maiar
. They fell in love, and with Melian, Thingol stood spellbound in Nan Elmoth for several years.
In the meantime, Olwë and many of the Teleri could not delay longer, and went to Aman
without Elwë and his following. Elwë's followers stayed in Beleriand, to search for their king. At long last he awoke from the spell and set up a kingdom in the midst of Beleriand: Eglador (Land of the Forsaken, or Land of the Elves. The etymology is not clear.). The Dwarves
of Nogrod and Belegost in the Ered Luin (Blue Mountains) were contracted to aid in the building of the city of Menegroth (the Thousand Caves).
Other Teleri also stayed behind: these were the friends of Ossë
the Maia, who had fallen in love with the shores of Middle-earth
, and did not wish to depart. Their leader was Círdan
, and they established cities at Eglarest and Brithombar. They were known as the Falathrim, or Elves of the Falas (Shore). They were not part of the realm of Eglador, but still took Thingol as their King.
Yet other stray bands of Teleri settled in Nevrast and Hithlum
to the north of Eglador, although these did not form any realms.
The Teleri of Eglador, the northlands (Mithrim), and the Falas were collectively known as the Sindar, or Grey Elves, in later days, because they developed a civilization all its own, which almost equalled that of the Calaquendi
or Light Elves of Valinor
.
A last group of Teleri in Beleriand were the Laiquendi
or Green Elves: they were descended from the Nandor, which had split from the Great Journey before the Hithaeglir (Misty Mountains), and gone south along the Great River (Anduin
). A part of them, under Denethor son of Dan, crossed the Blue Mountains eventually, and settled in Ossiriand, or as it was later known Lindon
(land of the singers). They remained a people apart for long, although many of them removed to Thingol's realm after Denethor was killed.
Just before the arrival of the Noldorin exiles, the Dark Lord Morgoth
returned to his old stronghold of Angband, and his activities increased. Thingol had Melian use her magic to create a girdle of bewilderment around Eglador, so that nobody could enter without the king's permission. Ever after it was known as Doriath
(Land of the Fence). Thingol remained High King of the Sindar and nominal Overlord of Beleriand, although especially the Noldor following of the sons of Fëanor
usually ignored his commands.
The language of the Sindar diverged from common Telerin over the long ages they were sundered from their kin, and became known as Sindarin
. By the time the Noldor arrived in Beleriand, the languages had become mutually unintelligible, but the Noldor were quick to learn it. In the Second
and Third Age
, Sindarin became known as the Noble Tongue, and became the Elvish tongue used in daily speech throughout Middle-earth
(helped by the decree of Thingol, who forbade the use of the Noldorin language in his realm). It was also adopted for daily use by the Númenóreans
, and remained somewhat in use in the Realms in Exile of Gondor
and Arnor
.
Sindarin eventually replaced Noldorin Quenya
as the language used by the Noldor in Beleriand
, even in predominantly Noldorin settlements, with the exception of Gondolin, where Turgon
revived Quenya. Elsewhere, Quenya survived as a language of knowledge, taking the same role as Latin today.
The Peredhil, Elrond
and Elros, were partially of Sindarin Elven descent, as their mother Elwing
was the daughter of Dior, the son of Lúthien
, the daughter of Thingol
and Melian
.
After the destruction of Beleriand at the end of the First Age, those Sindar who stayed in Middle-earth joined with the few remaining Noldor in surviving settlements such as Lindon (former Ossiriand). Several of these Sindar joined with Noldor in establishing new realms among the Wood Elves. Oropher of Doriath fled to northern Mirkwood where he established the Woodland Realm, with his small minority of Sindar nobles ruled over a predominantly Silvan population. Oropher was killed in the Battle of Dagorlad, and was succeeded by his son Thranduil, father of Legolas.
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,...
, the fictional Sindar (meaning Grey People, singular Sinda, although the latter term was not generally used by Tolkien) are Elves
Elf (Middle-earth)
In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, Elves are one of the races that inhabit a fictional Earth, often called Middle-earth, and set in the remote past. They appear in The Hobbit and in The Lord of the Rings, but their complex history is described more fully in The Silmarillion...
of Teleri
Teleri
In the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Teleri, Those who come last in Quenya were the third of the Elf clans who came to Aman...
n descent. They are also known as the Grey Elves. Their language is Sindarin
Sindarin
Sindarin is a fictional language devised by J. R. R. Tolkien, and used in his secondary world, often called Middle-earth.Sindarin is one of the many languages spoken by the immortal Elves, called the Eledhrim or Edhellim in Sindarin....
. The King of Doriath
Doriath
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Middle-earth, Doriath is the realm of the Sindar, the Grey Elves of King Thingol in Beleriand. Along with the other great forests of Tolkien's legendarium such as Mirkwood, Fangorn and Lothlórien it serves as the central stage in the theatre of its time, the First Age...
, Elu Thingol
Thingol
Elu Thingol is a fictional character in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He appears in The Silmarillion, The Lays of Beleriand and Children of Húrin as well as in numerous stories in the many volumes of The History of Middle-earth...
(Elwë) was the King of the Sindar.
The Sindar were happy in Middle-earth, but once the desire for the Sea was aroused in them, they could not be content until they sailed to Eldamar. Although less learned and powerful than the Calaquendi
Calaquendi
In the fictional universe of J. R. R. Tolkien, Calaquendi means in Quenya "Light-folk", but was often translated "Elves of the Light". This name has a long history....
and less interested in crafts than the Noldor, they were extremely gifted in music, and their voices were very fair.
The Sindar are "grey" perhaps because they were not Elves of the Light
Calaquendi
In the fictional universe of J. R. R. Tolkien, Calaquendi means in Quenya "Light-folk", but was often translated "Elves of the Light". This name has a long history....
, never having actually set foot in Valinor
Valinor
Valinor is a fictional location in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, the realm of the Valar in Aman. It was also known as the Undying Lands, along with Tol Eressëa and the outliers of Aman. This is something of a misnomer; only immortal beings were allowed to reside there, but the land itself,...
, but neither were they Avari
Avari (Middle-earth)
In the fictional works of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Avari are an ethnic group of the Elves.- History of the Avari:Avari is a Quenya word meaning 'Refusers' or 'Recusants'. When the vala Oromë found the Elves who had awakened in Cuiviénen , he asked them to come with him to Valinor...
, since they did accept the invitation and set out on the journey (and therefore were technically counted among the Eldar). They are sometimes referred to as Elves of the Twilight. The term grey may also refer to Elu Thingol
Thingol
Elu Thingol is a fictional character in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He appears in The Silmarillion, The Lays of Beleriand and Children of Húrin as well as in numerous stories in the many volumes of The History of Middle-earth...
's grey cloak. The term Sindar is actually not Sindarin in origin: it is the Quenya
Quenya
Quenya is a fictional language devised by J. R. R. Tolkien, and used in his Secondary world, often called Middle-earth.Quenya is one of the many Elvish languages spoken by the immortal Elves, called Quendi in Quenya. The tongue actually called Quenya was in origin the speech of two clans of Elves...
name devised by the Noldor
Noldor
In the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Noldor are Elves of the Second Clan who migrated to Valinor and lived in Eldamar. The Noldor are called Golodhrim or Gódhellim in Sindarin, and Goldoi by Teleri of Tol Eressëa. The singular form of the Quenya noun is Noldo and the adjective is Noldorin...
in exiles. It may also be related to Lindar, the Telerin
Telerin
Telerin is a constructed language devised by J. R. R. Tolkien. It is one of the many fictional language set in his Secondary world, often called Middle-earth....
name for themselves. The name that the Sindar used for themselves was simply Edhil ("Elves", singular Edhel). When the Teleri left for Aman, they called themselves the Eglath, the Forsaken Ones.
The Teleri were the greatest host of the Eldar. They had two kings, the brothers Elwë Singollo (or Elu Thingol
Thingol
Elu Thingol is a fictional character in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He appears in The Silmarillion, The Lays of Beleriand and Children of Húrin as well as in numerous stories in the many volumes of The History of Middle-earth...
as he was later known in the Sindarin tongue) and Olwë. When the Teleri reached 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...
during the Great Journey from Cuiviénen, Thingol went wandering in the forests as was his wont. In the forest of Nan Elmoth
Nan Elmoth
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, Nan Elmoth was the forest in Beleriand east of Doriath and southeast of the River Celon. In Tolkien's legendarium it is the archetype for all the other enchanted forests such as the Old Forest, Mirkwood, Lothlórien and Fangorn.- History in the Tales :Melian and...
he met Melian
Melian
Melian the Maia is a fictional character in the fantasy-world Middle-earth of the English author J. R. R. Tolkien. She appears in The Silmarillion, the epic poem The Lay of Leithian, The Children of Húrin, the Annals of Aman and the Grey Annals....
, one of the Maiar
Maia (Middle-earth)
The Maiar are beings from J. R. R. Tolkien's high fantasy legendarium. They are lesser Ainur who entered Eä in the beginning of time. Tolkien uses the term Valar to refer both to all the Ainur who entered Eä, and specifically to the greatest among them, the fourteen Lords and Queens of the Valar...
. They fell in love, and with Melian, Thingol stood spellbound in Nan Elmoth for several years.
In the meantime, Olwë and many of the Teleri could not delay longer, and went to Aman
Aman
-External links:*...
without Elwë and his following. Elwë's followers stayed in Beleriand, to search for their king. At long last he awoke from the spell and set up a kingdom in the midst of Beleriand: Eglador (Land of the Forsaken, or Land of the Elves. The etymology is not clear.). The 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....
of Nogrod and Belegost in the Ered Luin (Blue Mountains) were contracted to aid in the building of the city of Menegroth (the Thousand Caves).
Other Teleri also stayed behind: these were the friends of Ossë
Ossë
Ossë is a fictional character in the works of J. R. R. Tolkien. She is introduced in The Silmarillion as an angelic being known as a Maia, associated with Ulmo, one of the Valar ....
the Maia, who had fallen in love with the shores 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....
, and did not wish to depart. Their leader was Círdan
Círdan
Círdan the Shipwright is a fictional character created by J. R. R. Tolkien. He was a Telerin Elf, a great mariner and shipwright, and lord of the Falas during much of the First Age. He was the bearer of the Great Ring Narya, which he in turn gave to Gandalf.He had a beard, which was rare for...
, and they established cities at Eglarest and Brithombar. They were known as the Falathrim, or Elves of the Falas (Shore). They were not part of the realm of Eglador, but still took Thingol as their King.
Yet other stray bands of Teleri settled in Nevrast and Hithlum
Hithlum
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth, Hithlum is the region north of Beleriand near the Helcaraxë.Hithlum was separated from Beleriand proper by the Ered Wethrin mountain chain, and was named after the sea mists which formed there at times: Hithlum is Sindarin for "Mist-shadow";...
to the north of Eglador, although these did not form any realms.
The Teleri of Eglador, the northlands (Mithrim), and the Falas were collectively known as the Sindar, or Grey Elves, in later days, because they developed a civilization all its own, which almost equalled that of the Calaquendi
Calaquendi
In the fictional universe of J. R. R. Tolkien, Calaquendi means in Quenya "Light-folk", but was often translated "Elves of the Light". This name has a long history....
or Light Elves of Valinor
Valinor
Valinor is a fictional location in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, the realm of the Valar in Aman. It was also known as the Undying Lands, along with Tol Eressëa and the outliers of Aman. This is something of a misnomer; only immortal beings were allowed to reside there, but the land itself,...
.
A last group of Teleri in Beleriand were the Laiquendi
Laiquendi
In the fictional works of J. R. R. Tolkien the Laiquendi are an ethnic group of Elves, so named because their attire was often green.-History and origin:...
or Green Elves: they were descended from the Nandor, which had split from the Great Journey before the Hithaeglir (Misty Mountains), and gone south along the Great River (Anduin
Anduin
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Middle-earth, Anduin is the Sindarin name for the Great River of Wilderland, the longest river in the Third Age . The ancestors of the Rohirrim called it Langflood. It flowed from its source in the Grey and Misty Mountains to the Mouths of Anduin in the Great Sea...
). A part of them, under Denethor son of Dan, crossed the Blue Mountains eventually, and settled in Ossiriand, or as it was later known Lindon
Lindon (Middle-earth)
Lindon is the land beyond the Ered Luin, the Blue Mountains, in the northwest of Middle-earth in the fictional universe of J. R. R. Tolkien. It is the westernmost land of the continent. The Gulf of Lune divides it into Forlindon and Harlindon...
(land of the singers). They remained a people apart for long, although many of them removed to Thingol's realm after Denethor was killed.
Just before the arrival of the Noldorin exiles, the Dark Lord Morgoth
Morgoth
Morgoth 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...
returned to his old stronghold of Angband, and his activities increased. Thingol had Melian use her magic to create a girdle of bewilderment around Eglador, so that nobody could enter without the king's permission. Ever after it was known as Doriath
Doriath
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Middle-earth, Doriath is the realm of the Sindar, the Grey Elves of King Thingol in Beleriand. Along with the other great forests of Tolkien's legendarium such as Mirkwood, Fangorn and Lothlórien it serves as the central stage in the theatre of its time, the First Age...
(Land of the Fence). Thingol remained High King of the Sindar and nominal Overlord of Beleriand, although especially the Noldor following of the sons of Fëanor
Fëanor
Fëanor is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium who plays an important part in The Silmarillion. He was the eldest son of Finwë, the High King of the Noldor, and his first wife Míriel Serindë...
usually ignored his commands.
The language of the Sindar diverged from common Telerin over the long ages they were sundered from their kin, and became known as Sindarin
Sindarin
Sindarin is a fictional language devised by J. R. R. Tolkien, and used in his secondary world, often called Middle-earth.Sindarin is one of the many languages spoken by the immortal Elves, called the Eledhrim or Edhellim in Sindarin....
. By the time the Noldor arrived in Beleriand, the languages had become mutually unintelligible, but the Noldor were quick to learn it. In the Second
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 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....
, Sindarin became known as the Noble Tongue, and became the Elvish tongue used in daily speech throughout 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....
(helped by the decree of Thingol, who forbade the use of the Noldorin language in his realm). It was also adopted for daily use by the Númenóreans
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...
, and remained somewhat in use in the Realms in Exile of 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...
and 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...
.
Sindarin eventually replaced Noldorin Quenya
Quenya
Quenya is a fictional language devised by J. R. R. Tolkien, and used in his Secondary world, often called Middle-earth.Quenya is one of the many Elvish languages spoken by the immortal Elves, called Quendi in Quenya. The tongue actually called Quenya was in origin the speech of two clans of Elves...
as the language used by the Noldor in 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...
, even in predominantly Noldorin settlements, with the exception of Gondolin, where Turgon
Turgon
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, Turgon "the Wise" is an Elven king of the Noldor, second son of Fingolfin, brother to Fingon, Aredhel and Argon, and ruler of the hidden city of Gondolin....
revived Quenya. Elsewhere, Quenya survived as a language of knowledge, taking the same role as Latin today.
The Peredhil, Elrond
Elrond
Elrond Half-elven is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He is introduced in The Hobbit, and plays a supporting role in The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion.-Character overview:...
and Elros, were partially of Sindarin Elven descent, as their mother Elwing
Elwing
Elwing is a character of Middle-earth, created by J. R. R. Tolkien. She is Half-elven but counted among the Elves, notable for saving a Silmaril from the destruction of the Havens of Sirion and, with her husband Eärendil, going to the Valar to ask their help for the people of Middle-earth...
was the daughter of Dior, the son of Lúthien
Lúthien
Lúthien Tinúviel is a fictional character in the fantasy-world Middle-earth of the English author J. R. R. Tolkien. She appears in The Silmarillion, the epic poem The Lay of Leithian, The Lord of the Rings and the Grey Annals, as well as in other material.-Character overview:Lúthien is a Telerin ...
, the daughter of Thingol
Thingol
Elu Thingol is a fictional character in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He appears in The Silmarillion, The Lays of Beleriand and Children of Húrin as well as in numerous stories in the many volumes of The History of Middle-earth...
and Melian
Melian
Melian the Maia is a fictional character in the fantasy-world Middle-earth of the English author J. R. R. Tolkien. She appears in The Silmarillion, the epic poem The Lay of Leithian, The Children of Húrin, the Annals of Aman and the Grey Annals....
.
After the destruction of Beleriand at the end of the First Age, those Sindar who stayed in Middle-earth joined with the few remaining Noldor in surviving settlements such as Lindon (former Ossiriand). Several of these Sindar joined with Noldor in establishing new realms among the Wood Elves. Oropher of Doriath fled to northern Mirkwood where he established the Woodland Realm, with his small minority of Sindar nobles ruled over a predominantly Silvan population. Oropher was killed in the Battle of Dagorlad, and was succeeded by his son Thranduil, father of Legolas.