Lossarnach

From Tolkien Gateway

Lossarnach was a region and fiefdom in southern Gondor.

History

Known as the "Vale of flowers", it was a fertile region lying south of the White Mountains. It was the region closest to Minas Tirith.

At the end of the Third Age, its lord was the old Forlong the Fat, who led two hundred men to the aide of the city. Forlong was killed in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, but many of his men survived and accompanied Aragorn Elessar on his way to the Black Gate, even though most of them were farmers.

Lossarnach was populated by many refugees from Ithilien and Osgiliath. During the War of the Ring, most women and children from Minas Tirith were sent there.

Famous Lossarnachrim included the wise-woman Ioreth who served in the Houses of Healing of Minas Tirith, and Morwen Steelsheen, wife of King Thengel of Rohan.

Etymology

Lossarnach is glossed as "flowery Arnach".[1] While Tolkien seemed to be convinced that the second element, Arnach, was a Pre-Númenórean word, the first element caused more problems: since loss means "snow" in Sindarin it is unclear why it "was prefixed to Arnach", although it likely derived from likeness between loss and Sindarin loth ("flower").[2][1]

References