Henneth Annun Reseach Center

Places in Middle-earth

Utumno

Type: Fortresses, Towers, Defenses

Region: Beleriand & North

Meaning: The Deep-hidden

Other Names Udûn (Sindarin)

Location: The original fortress of Morgoth in the far north of Middle-earth, near the Ered Engrin; destroyed by the Valar in the Battle of the Powers.

Description: Now Melkor began the delving and building of a vast fortress, deep under Earth, beneath dark mountains where the beams of Illuin were cold and dim. That stronghold was named Utumno. And though the Valar knew naught of it as yet, nonetheless the evil of Melkor and the blight of his hatred flowed out thence, and the Spring of Arda was marred.

The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Ch 1, Of The Beginning of Days

In the north of the world Melkor had in the ages past reared Ered Engrin, the Iron Mountains, as a fence to his citadel of Utumno; and they stood upon the borders of the regions of everlasting cold, in a great curve from east to west.

The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Ch 14, Of Beleriand and Its Realms

But in the north Melkor built his strength.... And in Utumno he gathered his demons about him, those spirits who first adhered to him in the days of his splendour, and became most like him in his corruption: their hearts were of fire, but they were cloaked in darkness, and terror went before them; they had whips of flame. Balrogs they were named in Middle-earth in later days.

The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Ch 3, Of The Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor

And Oromë ... would ride too at whiles in the darkness of the unlit forests; ... pursuing to the death the monsters and fell creatures of the kingdom of Melkor ... in the twilight of the world Oromë would sound the Valaróma his great horn...; whereat the mountains echoed, and the shadows of evil fled away, and Melkor himself quailed in Utumno, foreboding the wrath to come. But even as Oromë passed the servants of Melkor would gather again; and the lands were filled with shadows and deceit.

The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Ch 1, Of The Beginning of Days

Yet this is held true by the wise of Eressëa, that all those of the Quendi who came into the hands of Melkor, ere Utumno was broken, were put there in prison, and by slow arts of cruelty were corrupted and enslaved; and thus did Melkor breed the hideous race of the Orcs in envy and mockery of the Elves, of whom they were afterwards the bitterest foes.

The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Ch 3, Of The Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor

... the Quendi knew nothing of the great Battle of the Powers, save that the Earth shook..., and in the north there were lights as of mighty fires. Long and grievous was the siege of Utumno, and many battles were fought before its gates ... The lands of the far north were all made desolate in those days; for there Utumno was delved exceeding deep, and its pits were filled with fires and with great hosts of the servants of Melkor.

But at the last the gates of Utumno were broken and the halls unroofed, and Melkor took refuge in the uttermost pit. Then Tulkas ... wrestled with him...; and he was bound with the chain Angainor....

Nonetheless the Valar did not discover all the mighty vaults and caverns hidden with deceit far under the fortresses of Angband and Utumno. Many evil things still lingered there....

The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Ch 3, Of The Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor

Contributors: Iel_o_thorongil 9.28.05
quotes: Elena Tiriel 19Nov05

Related Library Entries

Places Search

   

Full Text Search


Things

No related things

Go to Things