Places in Middle-earth
Tumladen — Gondor
Type: Rivers & Lakes
Region: Gondor
Location: A river south of the White Mountains.
Description: The river originates in the White Mountains, and runs south, joining with the River Celos to feed into the River Sirith in Lebennin, and eventually meeting the Anduin.
"Pippin could see all the Pelennor laid out before him, dotted into the distance with farmsteads and little walls, barns and byres... Many roads and tracks crossed the green fields, and there was much coming and going: wains moving in lines towards the Great Gate, and others passing out..
‘That is the road to the vales of Tumladen and Lossarnach, and the mountain-villages, and then on to Lebennin,’ said Beregond. ‘There go the last of the wains that bear away to refuge the aged the children, and the women that must go with them. They must all be gone from the Gate and the road clear for a league before noon: that was the order. It is a sad necessity.’"
From The Return of the King, LoTR Book 5, Ch 1, Minas Tirith
etymology: Tumladen is recorded in the Silmarillion index as meaning 'The Wide Valley,' referring to "the hidden vale in the Encircling Mountains in the midst of which stood the city of Gondolin." It goes on to say that Tumladen was "afterwards the name of a valley in Gondor." This Tumladen may not have meant to have the same meaning. According to the Appendix of The Silmarillion, the element tum means 'valley' in the words Tumhalad, Tumladen; and the entry for lad reads: "'plain, valley' in Dagorlad, Himlad; imlad a narrow valley with steep sides, in Imladris..." It might be thus interpreted as simply meaning valley.
From The Silmarillion, Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names
Contributors: docmon, 5 nov 05