The Encyclopedia of Arda - an interactive guide to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien
Dates
Built I 534 or shortly beforehand;1 landed in Aman I 542, and continues to sail the sky bearing the Star of Eärendil
Location
Set out from the Mouths of Sirion to sail the Great Sea, eventually landing on the shores of Aman
Origins
Built by Eärendil with the aid of Círdan
Culture
Pronunciation
rothi'nzil
Meaning
Other names

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About this entry:

  • Updated 6 March 2024
  • Updates planned: 1

Rothinzil

The ship of Eärendil

"But so bright was Rothinzil that even at morning Men could see it glimmering in the West..."
The Silmarillion
Akallabêth

The Adûnaic name for Vingilot, the ship in which Eärendil sailed to Valinor, and in which he later sailed the pathways of the sky. By extension, it was also used by the Númenóreans to refer to the brilliant Star of Eärendil in the sky, as in the reference above.

The name Rothinzil is an exact translation of the Elvish Vingilot, with both words meaning 'Foam-flower'. The Adûnaic word inzil, 'flower', is seen in various other names besides this one, include Inziladûn and Inzilbêth.


Notes

1

I 534 is the year in which Eärendil first set sail aboard Rothinzil from the Havens of Sirion. This is therefore the latest possible date on which the ship might have been built, but in principle Rothinzil might have been constructed before this date. Accounts of Eärendil's journey, however, tend to move directly from the building of the ship to its setting out, which would seem to imply that there was little or no delay in the launching of the vessel.

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 6 March 2024
  • Updates planned: 1

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