Girdle of Melian

From Tolkien Gateway
The Girdle of Melian
Fence of enchantment
Steamey - Making the Girdle of Melian.jpg
General Information
LocationCentral Beleriand
TypeFence of enchantment
DescriptionAn enchanted fence surrounding the kingdom of Thingol and Melian
RegionsDoriath
People and History
InhabitantsSindar, Nandor
CreatedY.T. 1497
DestroyedF.A. 502
EventsThe Hunting of the Wolf

The Girdle of Melian was the fence of enchantment set around Thingol's kingdom of Doriath by Melian his Queen, preventing entry into his land without his will and consent. Beren was unique in being the only person to pass through the Girdle without the knowledge of Doriath's rulers. The protection of the Girdle encompassed the Forests of Neldoreth and Region, the West March of Nivrim, and part of Aelin-uial, the Twilight Meres.[1]

File:Doriath map.jpg
Map of Doriath

The name of Doriath means "Land of the Fence"[2][3] or "Land of the Girdle"[4]. Accordingly, the Sindar who dwelt inside Doriath were called Iathrim, the "People of the Fence"[5] (iâth meaning fence in Sindarin).

History

Upon the return of Morgoth from Valinor he sent his Orcs in a great army to assail King Thingol. Although the Elves defeated the eastern host of Orcs it was a costly victory (his ally, Denethor of Ossiriand, was killed with all his kin) and the western force of Orcs were successful in driving Círdan to the shores. Thingol therefore withdrew his people into Neldoreth and Region, and Melian used her power to encircle this dominion with an invisible wall of shadows and bewilderment. The land of Eglador was thereafter called Doriath, the guarded kingdom.[4]

After years of outlawry in Dorthonion, in F.A. 464[6] Beren passed through the Girdle of Melian, able to do so because (as Melian had foretold) his doom was greater than her power.[7] After the Quest for the Silmaril Beren was in Doriath when the Girdle was again breached, this time by Carcharoth the Wolf, who penetrated the Girdle due to his fate and the power of the Silmaril he had swallowed.[8]

Upon the death of King Thingol in F.A. 502 Melian departed from Middle-earth and with her departure the Girdle of Melian vanished.[9]

References