Welcome to the Second Age (Second Age 1 - 32)
This post is a part of our Book Club reading of The Fall of Númenor: And Other Tales from the Second Age of Middle-earth: January - April 2023
Order the book from Amazon or Blackwells if you don’t already have your copy.
Learn more about this book club here.
The Fall of Númenor Book Club Notes: Part Two
Part Two: Welcome to Númenor | Reading notes from "Foundation of the Grey Havens" through "The Life of the Númenoreans" (pg. 1- 42)
1 - Foundation of the Grey Havens and Lindon
At the end of the First Age…
Beleriand laid waste and many lands sank beneath the Sea. The lands were reshaped and Lindon was established.
The Eldar were summoned to return to the West; those who answered the summons dwelt in the Isle of Eressëa (“the lonely island”), in the haven called Avallónë.
Some Elves lingered in Middle-earth, “unwilling yet to forsake Beleriand where they had fought and laboured long.’
Tolkien calls this lingering a ‘second fall’ even though there was nothing technically wrong with their choice to stay behind, saying that “they wanted to have their cake without eating it.” The elves wanted to remain where their prestige was higher, and those who remained became obsessed with fading and embalming.
Important Name Drops:
Thranduil in Greenwood the Great was among the Silvan elves who remained
In northern Lindon: Gil-galad son of Fingon was the King of these Elves and Elrond was with him.
In southern Lindon: Celeborn and Galadriel
In Eregion: Celebrimbor
Some of the Noldor went to Eregion to be close to Moria, where they learned that the dwarves had discovered Mithril. In this period, the friendship between Dwarves and Elves reached its height.
Celeborn and Galadriel
Note from Christopher: “There is no part of the history of Middle-earth more full of problems than the story of Galadriel and Celeborn…”
“Celeborn and Galadriel came to be regarded as the Lord and Lady of the Eldar in Eriador…”
Galadriel was incredibly beautiful and she had the gift of insight into the minds of others.
The Elves built the Grey Havens (Mithlond) on the shores of the Gulf of Lhûn; there they were still free to return to either Eressëa or Valinor*.
*Not all Elves were allowed to go as far as Valinor.
The choice of the sons of Eärendil: Elrond chose to be of Elven-kind; Elros chose to be counted among men.
That the children of Elrond were also given this same choice.
“For Elrond, therefore, all chances of the War of the Ring were fraught with sorrow.”
Year 32 - The Edain Reach Númenor
“To the Fathers of Men of the three faithful houses rich reward was also given.”
Edain are the descendants of the three tribes of Men who had been friends and allies of the Elves in the First Age:
House of Bëor, House of Haleth (Haladin), Folk of Marach (House of Hador)
These Men were offered a chance to escape the dangers of Middle-earth by the Valar and thus was Númenor established.
Longer span of life was given to them but mortality could not be revoked
Númenor sat in between Valinor and Middle-earth but was closer to Valinor.
Ossë raised the island of Númenor from the sea and it was established by Aulë, enriched by Yavanna, and adorned with flowers and fountains from Tol Eressëa by the Eldar.
As an aside, it’s interesting that Ossë raised Númenor from the Sea and Mairon (Sauron) is responsible for returning it to the Sea.
Names for Númenor
Andor, “Land of Gift”
Elenna, “Starwards”
Anadûnê, “Westernesse”
Númenórë (in the High Eldarin tongue)
The Edain set sail from Middle-earth guided by the Star of Eärendil
Rothinzil is the Adûnaic name for Vingilot, the ship in which Eärendil sailed to Valinor and now sails across the heavens.
Dúnedain is Sindarin name for the Númenóreans; they were called Kings among Men.
The migration process took at least 50 years and ended only when Círdan would not provide any more ships or guides for the Edain.
The Ban of the Valar: the Númenóreans were forbidden to sail west out of sight of their own shores or to attempt to set foot on the Undying Lands; for a long time they were content with the Ban.
Elros Tar-Minyatur was the first King of Númenor (born FA 532, died SA 442, age 500)
Númenor began in SA 32 when Elros ascended the throne in Armenelos
The Kings would take their titles in the forms of Quenya or the High-elven tongue
The Geography of Númenor
Map of Númenor on pg. twelve
Accurate maps of Númenor were destroyed at Númenor’s downfall, so the Map we have is an estimation.
Shape of Númenor: Five-Pointed Star
Five points of the Star: Forostar (Northlands), Andustar (Westlands), Hyarnustar (Southwestlands), Hyarrostar (Southeastlands), and Orrostar (Eastlands).
Central region: Mittalmar
Within the Mittalmar was Arandor, the Kingsland, which contained Rómenna, the Meneltarma, and Armelelos (City of the Kings).
700 miles across approximately
Of the Mittalmar:
Mostly pastures; contained the Meneltarma, Pillar of the Heavens, 3000ft high sacred mountain
Of the Forostar: least fertile part of Númenor, rocky, cliffs, abode of eagles
Of the Andustar: three small bays, cliffs, great woods, home to the Bay of Eldanna which faced towards Eressëa; haven of Eldalondë where the Eldar came most often.
Of the Hyarnustar: mountainous region, vineyards; the river Siril; fisherfolk mostly dwelt here.
Of the Orrostar: grain was grown; many cliffs which were often wide enough to be habitable.
“The whole land was so posed as if it had been thrust upward out of the Sea, but at the same time slightly tilted southward.”
The Natural Life of Númenor
Of Men and Beasts:
Númenor was for the most part uninhabited before the coming of the Edain; no Elves or Men had lived there before, but some animals did.
These animals did not fear men and their relationships were friendly and respectful.
The Edain brought animals and plants with them to Númenor so it’s difficult to say which were indigenous to the isle.
Lopoldi were rabbits were eaten by foxes but not by the Númenóreans
Of Bears and Men:
Friendly relationship between the Men and Bears
“From the first the bears exhibited friendship and curiosity towards the newcomers; and these feelings were returned.”
“At such times they were often offered honey, to their delight.”
Bear Dances:
“Most strange of all were the bear-dances…”
“To those not accustomed to the bears the slow (but dignified) motions of the bears, sometimes as many as 50 or more together, appeared astonishing and comic. But it was understood by all admitted to the spectacle that there should be no open laughter. The laughter of Men was a sound that the bears could not understand: it alarmed and angered them.”
Of Beasts of the Woods, Fields and Coasts
Squirrels were kept as family friends
Other animals of interest: badgers, swine, deer, hedgehogs (ekelli), wild goats, small horses, seals, hares, tortoises, turtles
Of Seawater and Freshwater fish
“Nendili” - Whales, narwhal, dolphins, porpoises; “Lingwi” - Fish
Sharks did not come close to the shores
Salmon (Siril and Nunduinë)
Eels (lower course of the Siril)
Of Birds
Eagles were held sacred to Manwë
From the days of Elros through the days of the 14th King of Númenor there was an eyrie in the summit of the tower of the king’s palace
The Númenóreans lived in harmony with the birds for the most part
Huge abundance of birds near the sea; less inland but still abundant
Hawks, finches, falcons, owls, nightingales
Song-birds did not need to be caged
Of Trees and Plants
Trees: Wych-elm, holm-oak, tall maples, sweet chestnut; walnut; “lauriquë”; apple, cherry, pear
Wild grape vines
Evergreen and fragrant trees brought from the West
“Malinornë” only grew in the region called Nisimaldar
Silver smooth bark, leaves like a beech, pale green on top and silver on bottom and turned gold in autumn
Connection between these trees and Lothlorien
Of the Beasts and Birds of the Edain
The Edain brought from Middle-earth: sheep, kine, horses, dogs, fruit trees, grain.
They also had in Númenor: geese, ducks, doves, pigeons
Chickens were brought over from Middle-earth
The Life of the Númenóreans
Of Cities
The Chief city was called Andunië;
Armenelos was by the Meneltarma
Of Belief and Worship
The Meneltarma, Pillar of the Heavens - sacred place for the worship of Eru
No building or altar stood at its peak
No one but the King was permitted to speak and only then, three times per year
The Eagles watched over the mountain
Númenóreans did not build temples until the coming of Sauron; temples had evil associations to the Númenóreans
At the roots of the Meneltarma was the Valley of Tombs where Kings and Queens of Númenor were buried
Of Language
Adûnaic “language of the West”, language of the Númenóreans
Nearly all Númenóreans were bilingual - speaking Adûnaic and Sindarin
Quenya was not commonly used except within families of high descent and official documents; the official names of places and members of the Royal House were in Quenya.
Of Appearance and Health
Exceptionally aware and in control of their bodies; much more easily healed from injuries than low-men
Sickness was rare in Númenor until its latter years
Death was extremely uncommon in the first few centuries
Of Ageing and Longevity
“Long life and Peace were the two things that the Edain asked for when the Valar offered them reward at the fall of Thangorodrim.”
Manwë warned of granting a longer life-span to the Númenóreans
The Númenóreans reached full-growth much at the same rate as ordinary Men but then they aged or ‘wore out’ much more slowly.
Of Marriage and Child-raising
Less interested in marriage than ordinary Men; strictly monogamous, though not all married
Fertility was essentially the same as within normal humans but with an adjustment for the Númenórean life-span; they preferred to have all of their children over one unbroken period rather than space out their children very far; rarely did Númenóreans have more than 4 children
Avoided having children if they foresaw any impending separation likely within the family
Of Appetites and Behaviours
Very few instances of crime in the early days but it was not as if there was no crime at all
“For they were not selected by any test save that of belonging to the Three Houses of the Edain.”
Of Skills and Crafts
Couldn’t bring a lot of tools or supplies with them but did bring precious items such as gold, silver, gems
Some metals could be found in Númenor - iron, copper, lead, they worked with steel
Metal and smithwork was popular, swords were made even though they were not needed for the most part due to the peace
Axes, spears, bows, crossbows were made though not intended for war
Of Sports and Pastimes
Men loved climbing and hiking, journeying on foot, swimming and diving, fishing, ship building
The women loved dancing but didn’t really love the Sea
Riding horses was huge, the Númenóreans took good care of their horses
Men loved dogs, women loved squirrels
People from the Blessed Realm often visited and brought gifts
Seedling of Celeborn, the white tree that grew in Eressëa - it was named Nimloth
Bliss in Númenor
“Thus the years passed, and while Middle-earth went backward and light and wisdom faded, the Dunedain dwelt under the protection of the Valar and in the friendship of the Eldar, and they increased in stature both of mind and body.”
“These things are said for the most part of the days of the bliss of Númenor, which lasted well nigh two thousand years; though the first hints of the later shadows appeared before that. Indeed it was their very arming to take part in the defense of the Eldar and Men of the West of Middle-earth against the wielder of the Shadow (at length revealed as Sauron the Great) that brought about the end of their peace and content. Victory was the herald of their Downfall.”