Dor Daedeloth

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Dor Daedeloth was the land of Morgoth.

Geography

Dor Daedeloth was one of the three large regions of western Middle-earth, along with Beleriand and Hithlum. It lay all around the fortress of Angband and on both sides of the Ered Engrin. Its borders where the Ered Wethrin to the west, the Ered Luin to the east, and the Dorthonion, the Pass of Sirion and the March of Maedhros to the south.

The Ered Engrin, an absolutely unclimbable chain, split the region in two separate parts. The southern part was Ard-galen, the great grassy plain north of Beleriand, later to become the desert of Anfauglith after the Dagor Bragollach had utterly burned it. The northern part was an unnamed region, cold and vast; in the Map V of the Ambarkanta it was called Daidelos[1].

History

It was here, north of the mountains, that the Orcs and other creatures of Morgoth lived and bred.[2]

The march of the Noldor in early First Age was halted there, when Fëanor was mortally wounded by Balrogs. The Noldor then encircled the land (at least in the south), starting the Siege of Angband.[2]

Etymology

In the published Silmarillion, the name Dor Daedeloth is translated as "Land of the Shadow of Horror".[3]

In Tolkien's last thoughts the name was to be changed into that of Dor-na-Daerechas,[4] though this form was never used in his writings.

Notes

References