The trackless
fens of Aelin-uial
The maze of lakes and fens formed where the River Aros met the Sirion, before it fell beneath the Andram. These were lands heavy with enchantment, both from the Girdle of Melian guarding Doriath to the north, but also from the power of Ulmo that was strong in Sirion's waters. It was here that Turgon and Finrod were given the idea of building their hidden strongholds at Gondolin and Nargothrond; an idea placed in their dreams by Ulmo.
The Aelin-uial was under the control of the Sindarin kingdom of Doriath. Thingol's marchwardens maintained secret ferries among the reeds, so that they could cross between Sirion's easten and western banks unregarded, if need be.
At the southern end of the Aelin-uial, Sirion's waters collected together once more from the many paths they took through the marshland and, at the place called the Falls of Sirion, fell in a thundering torrent down into dark channels deep beneath the earth.
Notes
1 |
Aelin-uial is the Sindarin name for these pools, and the literal translation of the name. It is (at least according The Etymologies in volume V of The History of Middle-earth) equivalent to Umboth Muilin, the name used in Doriath. Here muilin has a more complex meaning than simply 'twilight', but could also mean 'vague', 'shadowy' or 'secret'. So, in a broader sense, the name meant more than simply 'Meres of Twilight', but could also be interpreted as 'secret pools' or 'hidden pools'. This is particularly apposite, as we're told that the people of Doriath maintained secret paths that led through the maze-like waterways of Aelin-uial.
|
Indexes:
About this entry:
- Updated 11 September 2008
- This entry is complete
For acknowledgements and references, see the Disclaimer & Bibliography page.
Original content © copyright Mark Fisher 1997-2000, 2002, 2008. All rights reserved. For conditions of reuse, see the Site FAQ.
SHARE
