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Places in Middle-earth

Ered Wethrin

Type: Mountains, Hills, Promontories

Region: Beleriand & North

Meaning:
The Mountains of Shadow
The Shadowy Mountains

Other Names Note: the Ephel Dúath in Mordor was also called Mountains of Shadow.

Location: The great curving mountain range bordering Anfauglith (Ard-galen) on the west and on the south forming the barrier between Hithlum and West Beleriand.

Description: For Húrin's house stood in the south-east of Dor-lómin, and the mountains were near; Nen Lalaith indeed came down from a spring under the shadow of Amon Darthir; over whose shoulder there was a steep pass. By this the hardy could cross Ered Wethrin and come down by the wells of Glithui into Beleriand. ... there was indeed no other pass, for the unwinged, between Serech and far westward where Dor-lómin marched with Nevrast.

Unfinished Tales, Part 1, Ch 2, Narn I Hîn Húrin: The Departure of Túrin

... Glaurung the Úrulóki passed over Anfauglith, and came thence into the north vales of Sirion and there did great evil. Under the shadows of Ered Wethrin he defiled the Eithel Ivrin, and thence he passed into the realm of Nargothrond, and burned the Talath Dirnen, the Guarded Plain, between Narog and Teiglin.

The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Ch 21, Of Túrin Turambar

Now Túrin coming down from Ered Wethrin sought for Finduilas in vain, roaming the woods beneath the mountains ... and he waylaid all the roads that went north to the Pass of Sirion.

The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Ch 21, Of Túrin Turambar

Eithel Ivrin 'Ivrin's Well', the source of the river Narog beneath Ered Wethrin.

Eithel Sirion 'Sirion's Well', in the eastern face of Ered Wethrin, where was the great fortress of Fingolfin and Fingon ...

Hithlum 'Land of Mist' ... the region bounded on the east and south by Ered Wethrin and on the west by Ered Lómin ...

Ivrin The lake and falls beneath Ered Wethrin where the river Narog rose.

Narog The chief river of West Beleriand, rising at Ivrin under Ered Wethrin and flowing into Sirion in Nan-tathren.

Teiglin A tributary of Sirion, rising in Ered Wethrin and bounding the Forest of Brethil on the south ...

The Silmarillion, Index of Names

Etymology

gwalh, wath 'shadow' in Deldúwath, Ephel Dúath; also in Gwathló, the river Greyflood in Eriador. Related forms in Ered Wethrin, Thuringwethil. (This Sindarin word referred to dim light, not to the shadows of objects cast by light: these were called morchaint 'dark shapes'.)

The Silmarillion, Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin Names

Contributors: Elena Tiriel 5Dec04

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