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Places in Middle-earth

Mittalmar

Type: Kingdoms, Realms, Lands

Region: Numenor

Meaning: Inlands

Location: The central region of Númenor; the source of the rivers Siril and Nunduinë.

Description: The land of Númenor resembled in outline a five-pointed star ... with a central portion some two hundred and fifty miles across, north and south, and east and west, from which extended five large peninsular promontories. ... The central portion was called Mittalmar (Inlands), and it had no coast, except the land about Rómenna and the head of its firth. A small part of the Mittalmar was however, separated from the rest, and called Arandor, the Kingsland. ... [It] was at all times the most populous region of Númenor.

The Mittalmar was raised above the promontories (not reckoning the height of their mountains and hills); it was a region of grasslands and low downs, and few trees grew there. Near to the centre of the Mittalmar stood the tall mountain called the Meneltarma, Pillar of the Heavens, sacred to the worship of Eru Ilúvatar.

Unfinished Tales, Part 2, Ch 1, Description of the Island of Númenor

The base of the Meneltarma sloped gently into the surrounding plain, but it extended, after the fashion of roots, five long low ridges outwards in the direction of the five promontories of the land; and these were called Tarmasundar, the Roots of the Pillar. Along the crest of the south-western ridge the climbing road approached the mountain; and between this ridge and that on the south-east the land went down into a shallow valley. That was named Noirinan, the Valley of the Tombs ... in which were the tombs of the Kings and Queens of Númenor.

Unfinished Tales, Part 2, Ch 1, Description of the Island of Númenor

At the feet of the mountain were built the tombs of the Kings, and hard by upon a hill was Armenelos, fairest of cities, and there stood the tower and the citadel that was raised by Elros....

The Silmarillion, Akallabêth

But for the most part the Mittalmar was a region of pastures. In the south-west there were rolling downs of grass; and there, in the Emerië, was the chief region of the Shepherds.

Unfinished Tales, Part 2, Ch 1, Description of the Island of Númenor

The promontories of the Hyarnustar and the Hyarrostar were splayed wide apart, and on those long shores sea and land came gently together, as nowhere else in Númenor. Here flowed down Siril, the chief river of the land (for all others, save for the Nunduinë in the west, were short and swift torrents hurrying to the sea), that rose in springs under the Meneltarma in the valley of Noirinan, and running through the Mittalmar southwards became in its lower course a slow and winding stream.

Unfinished Tales, Part 2, Ch 1, Description of the Island of Númenor

[According to the map of Númenor in Unfinished Tales, the Nunduinë's source is west of the Meneltarma, and the lake is at the western boundary of Mittalmar:]
The river Nunduinë flowed into the sea at Eldalondë, and on its way made the little lake of Nísinen, that was so named from the abundance of sweet-smelling shrubs and flowers that grew upon its banks.

Unfinished Tales, Part 2, Ch 1, Description of the Island of Númenor

Contributors: Lyllyn 15Feb04
Elena Tiriel 1Mar05

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