User:Edrastel/Sandbox

Ambarkanta Overhaul

The Ambarkanta maps refer to a set of five maps and diagrams drawn by J.R.R. Tolkien and associated with his work "Ambarkanta: The Shape of the World" (a text attributed to Rúmil). The maps were reproduced in The Shaping of Middle-earth (1986).

Diagram I

Diagram I of the Ambarkanta maps details the shape of Arda before the Changing of the World, from West to East. The great mass of land making up much of Arda is named here as Ambar, the earth. The farthest reaches of Ambar are designated Númen and Rómen, West and East. The central landmass of Ambar is here named Pelmar as well as Ambarendya and Endor. To the west and east of the central landmass is written Ear, the seas. Spanning from the west shore of the west sea to the east shore of the east sea is Vista, the lower airs. In these airs is written Aiwenore, Bird-land, and above it is Fanyamar, Cloud-home. Above Vista and all around Ambar is Ilmen, the upper airs. These can be seen to cover the lands of Aman and the Uttermost East, spanning also beneath Martalmar, the foundations of the earth in the Hidden Half of the world. Written in the span of Ilmen are its other names, Tinwë-mallë and Elenardaor. Surrounding all of Ambar is Vaiya, the Encircling Seas. Beyond Vaiya there is only Kúma and Ava-Kúma, the near and outer Void. Separating Vaiya from Kúma are the Ilurambar and Earambar, the names for the Walls of the World. At the very bottom of the page is written Ilu, the world of Arda.

Diagram II

Diagram II of the Ambarkanta maps details the shape of Arda before the Changing of the World, from North to South. Once again, Ambar is shown to consist of Endor at its upper regions and Martalmar in its lowermost depths. Vista covers Endor from the north to south, with Ilmen surrounding all of Ambar, albeit much less so in the north and south than in the west and east as shown before. Vaiya encircles all the world of Ilu, separated from Kúma by the Earambar. To the farthest reaches of either end of the world there is written Formen and Harmen, North and South.

Diagram III

Diagram III of the Ambarkanta maps details the shape of Arda after the Changing of the World. Here the entirety of Ambar is made round, consisting of the Old Lands and the New Lands. Vista becomes the lower atmospheres, while Ilmen becomes the upper atmospheres and the regions of outer space. Valinor and Eressëa are shown here to dwell within Ilmen. Beyond Ilmen there is still Vaiya, and the voids beyond it. Passing away from the curvature of the earth and into Valinor within Ilmen is the Straight Path.

Map IV

Map IV of the Ambarkanta maps details the lands of Arda after the fall of the Two Lamps and before the War for the Sake of the Elves.

Later

In The Lost Road and Other Writings (1987), Christopher Tolkien provided additional, redrawn versions of the regions of the furthest North in Map V, in order to "enlarge and clarify..., adding letters to make references to it plainer."=

=Prototype Userboxes

{{user flatworld}}

This user favors the Round World Silmarillion.

{{user roundworld}}

This user believes Fëanor and his sons were justified in their actions.

{{user feanor good}}

Orcs ≠ Elves

This user believes Elves and Orcs are NOT the same race.

{{user orcs are not elves}}

Orcs = Elves?

This user believes Elves and Orcs could be the same race.

{{user orcs could be elves}}

This user supports Rhûn.

{{user rhun}}

This user supports Khand.

{{user khand}}

This user supports Angband.

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This user believes Amrod perished at the Burning of the Ships at Losgar.

{{user amrodburned}}

This user believes Amrod did not perish at the Burning of the Ships at Losgar.

{{user amrodlived}}