Places in Middle-earth
Eithel Sirion
Type: Rivers & Lakes
Region: Beleriand & North
Meaning: Sirion's Well
Location: The source of the River Sirion on the eastern slopes of Ered Wethrin north of the Pass of Sirion; location of Barad Eithel, a fortress of the Noldor.
Description:
Now the great and fair country of Beleriand lay on either side of the mighty river Sirion..., which rose at Eithel Sirion and skirted the edge of Ard-galen ere he plunged through the pass....
The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Ch 14, Of Beleriand and its Realms
[Fingolfin and Fingon's] chief fortress was at Eithel Sirion in the east of Ered Wethrin, whence they kept watch upon Ard-galen; and their cavalry rode upon that plain even to the shadow of Thangorodrim....
The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Ch 14, Of Beleriand and its Realms
But the Captain of Morgoth... marched on therefore until the front of his battle was drawn up before the stream of Sirion, from the walls of the fortress of Eithel Sirion to the inflowing of Rivil at the Fen of Serech....
The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Ch 20, Of The Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad
Etymology
kel- 'go away', of water 'flow away, flow down', in Celon; from et-kele 'issue of water, spring' was derived, with transposition of the consonants, Quenya ehtele, Sindarin eithel.
The Silmarillion, Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names
sîr 'river', from root sir- 'flow', in Ossiriand (the first element is from the stem of the numeral 'seven'...), Sirion; also in Sirannon (the 'Gate-stream' of Moria) and Sirith ('a flowing', as tirith 'watching' from tir), a river in Gondor.
Ibid.
Contributors:
Elena Tiriel 10Dec07, 14Mar11