Lossarnach

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Lossarnach
Region/fiefdom
Mark Fisher - Ithilien.png
General Information
LocationSouthern Gondor, southwest of Minas Tirith
TypeRegion/fiefdom
RegionsGondor
Reunited Kingdom
InhabitantsGondorians
GalleryImages of Lossarnach

Lossarnach was a region and fiefdom in southern Gondor.

History

Known as the "Vale of flowers", it was a fertile region lying south of eastern end of the White Mountains. It was the region closest to Minas Tirith,[1] which depended on the fruit cultivated in the orchards of Lossarnach. Residents of Minas Tirith were also known to make expeditions to the region to behold its renowned flowers and trees (which surely included the valley Imloth Melui).[2]

At the end of the Third Age, its lord was the old Forlong the Fat, who led two hundred men to the aide of Minas Tirith.[3] Forlong was killed in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields,[4] 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.[3]

Famous people from the region included the wise-woman Ioreth who served in the Houses of Healing of Minas Tirith,[5] and Morwen Steelsheen, wife of King Thengel of Rohan.[6]

Etymology

Lossarnach is glossed as "flowery Arnach".[7] 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][7]

Inspiration

Writing in a letter about an impending trip in 1955, Tolkien identified Lossarnach as Assisi.[8]

References