Dark Land: Difference between revisions

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| realms= None known
| realms= None known
| description=A continent in the far east
| description=A continent in the far east
| othernames= South Land
| othernames= South Land, Morenórë
| etymology=
| etymology=
| events=
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Revision as of 16:57, 28 September 2015

This article is about the mysterious dark continent. For the other "Dark Land" in Middle-earth, see Mordor.
Dark Land
Continent
Quentin Lowagie - Arda in the Third Age.png
General Information
Other namesSouth Land, Morenórë
LocationArda, east of Belegaer and Middle-earth
TypeContinent
DescriptionA continent in the far east
RegionsNone known
InhabitantsUngoliant (First Age), pygmies, evil Ents, Sarqindi

The Dark Land, also referred to as the South Land, was a mysterious continent far south-east of the landmass of which Middle-earth was part. It laid east of the East Sea.[1] Little is known about it, as it is never mentioned in any of Tolkien's main works, but it is able to be inferred from certain posthumously published works (i.e. The Book of Lost Tales Parts 1 and 2) that Ungoliant went to the far south of the Dark Land after people became wise enough to give the Nan Dungortheb a wide berth and she ran out of prey. This may be what gave the Dark Land its name, as it is known that Ungoliant ate light and excreted darkness, so she probably made the land dark. It is also known that the far south of the land is as cold as the far north of Middle-earth and that it was in contact with the Chasm of Ilmen before the world was made round, as was Dor Daidalos in the First Age.

History

No history of the Dark Land was ever officially recorded.

Inhabitants

Eärendil is known to have journeyed to the Dark Land with Voronwë in the First Age and killed Ungoliant (but it was too late to make the continent any less dark) and discovered a certain amount about its inhabitants; as well as Ungoliant, the Dark Land was inhabited by a pygmies, evil Ents and a race of cannibalistic (it is not made clear wether this meant they ate each other or ate humans) ogres called the Sarqindi.

Geography

Karen Wynn Fonstad's The Atlas of Middle-earth showed the Dark Land to be covered mainly in forest, no doubt populated mainly by the evil Ents. Certain areas are also said to be volcanic in the account of Eärendil's journey there, and the southernmost regions are polar. It may also be inferred that the Yellow Mountains are in the eastern region of the land.

Canonicity and Inspiration

The Dark Land has no role in the legendarium and appears only in an early map by Tolkien,[1] likely dating from the mid-1930s.[2][3]

Fans have suggested and discussed different theories of inspiration behind this notion:

  • the Dark Land as reminiscent of Lemuria.[4]
  • the Dark Land as perhaps representing a combination of both Australia and Antarctica (because of its geographic position).[5]

Portrayal in adaptations

1982-97: Middle-earth Role Playing:

Although never fleshed out in much detail, a "dark continent" called Mórenorë is said to be situated south of Middle-earth, separated by the sea of Haragaer.[6] A few glimpses of this remote continent, however, were provided:
  • A black cold-drake, Naikamil, fled from mountains in the south of Endor to Mórenorë after killing her mate.[7]
  • Ungoliant, a monster of the Elder Days, is said to have "settled in the shadowy reaches of Morenórë, the Dark Continent",[note 1] according to tales of the Avari Elves.[8]
  • Ninko Goldmaster, a mysterious merchant appearing as a character in an adventure setting, is rumoured to have visited distant lands, including Mórenorë.[9]

See also

Notes

  1. Inspired by a passage in The Silmarillion, which says that Ungoliant went "into the forgotten south of the world", after having dwelt at Nan Dungortheb (cf. "Of the Flight of the Noldor").

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Shaping of Middle-earth, "The Ambarkanta: Map V", pp. 250-1
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Lost Road and Other Writings, pp. 9, 108
  3. Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond (2006), The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide: II. Reader's Guide, p. 42
  4. Message 35418 (dated 8 May 2009) at Elfling (accessed 20 October 2011)
  5. "Dark Land...a continent south of Middle Earth?" at The Lord of the Rings Fanatics Plaza Forum (accessed 20 October 2011)
  6. Peter C. Fenlon, Jr., Jessica M. Ney-Grimm, Terry K. Amthor (1993), Middle-earth Campaign Guide (#2003), pp. 7, 9
  7. Ruth Sochard Pitt, Jeff O'Hare, Peter C. Fenlon, Jr. (1994), Creatures of Middle-earth (2nd edition) (#2012), p. 102
  8. Peter C. Fenlon, Jr. (1993), Valar and Maiar (#2006), p. 117
  9. Peter C. Fenlon, Coleman Charlton, Jessica Ney, John Croudis, Keith Robley, Anders Blixt (1990), Gorgoroth (#3112), p. 117