Nelyar

From Tolkien Gateway
Nelyar
People
General Information
Other namesEnellië
LocationsCuiviénen
LanguagesProto-Quendian
MembersEnel, Enelyë, Elwë, Olwë, Morwë and/or Nurwë
Physical Description
LifespanImmortal
DistinctionsAncestors of the Teleri and the Nelyarin Avari
GalleryImages of Nelyar

The Nelyar (Q, pron [ˈneʎar]) or Enellië[1] was the original name of the third Clan of the elves, Teleri, before the Great March. The Clan-name, meaning 'Thirds' (q. cardinal nelya 'third') was derived from the name of the father of the Clan, Enel 'Three'. Enel was the third Elf-father, who awoke at Cuiviénen.

They were the largest clan, being the 74/144 of the population. Of those, the 46/74 followed Elwë to the West and became the Teleri, while 28/74 stayed back with Morwë and/or Nurwë.

The other original clans were Minyar 'Firsts', and Tatyar 'Seconds' according to the Elf-fathers Imin 'One' and Tata 'Two'.

Eventually some of the Avari of the Nelyar reached Beleriand. Unlike the Tatyar, those Avari were friendly to the Eldar, willing to learn from them and had a feeling of kinship. Later in Eriador and the Vales of Anduin, Nelyarin Avari often merged with the Eldar of Middle-earth.[2]

Elves
(Quendi · People of the Stars · Firstborn · Elder Kindred)
Three Kindreds:
(Eldar · Eldalië · Edhil)
 Vanyar (Fair-elves · Minyar) · Noldor (Deep-elves · Tatyar) · Teleri (Lindar · Nelyar)
Calaquendi:
(High-elves · Amanyar)
 Vanyar · Noldor · Falmari
Úmanyar:  Sindar (Grey-elves · Eglath · Falathrim) · Nandor (Green-elves · Silvan Elves)
 Moriquendi:  Úmanyar · Avari (Cuind · Hwenti · Kindi · Kinn-lai · Penni · Windan)
See also:  Awakening of the Elves · Sundering of the Elves · Great Journey

References

  1. J.R.R. Tolkien, Carl F. Hostetter (ed.), The Nature of Middle-earth, "Part One. Time and Ageing: XVII. Generational Schemes", p. 128
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Jewels, "Part Four. Quendi and Eldar", p. 380-1