Cerin Amroth

From Tolkien Gateway
The name Amroth refers to more than one character, item or concept. For a list of other meanings, see Amroth (disambiguation).
Cerin Amroth by Matěj Čadil

Cerin Amroth was a hill in the heart of the ancient Elven realm of Lothlórien.

Geography[edit | edit source]

The slopes of the hill were covered with grass and with the flowers elanor and niphredil. On the top of the hill grew two circles of trees: an outer circle of leafless trees with snow-white bark and an inner circle of mallorn-trees. In the centre of the inner circle stood a very tall tree with a white flet built high amid its branches.[1]

History[edit | edit source]

The hill received its name, Cerin Amroth ("Amroth's Mound"), in the Third Age when Amroth, the King of Lórien, lived in the high trees in the fashion of the Silvan Elves on the hill. The main function of the flet on the hill was to watch the fortress of Dol Guldur.[2] The hill retained its name after Amroth left his kingdom with his lover Nimrodel and many other Elves of Lothlórien in T.A. 1981.[3].

On the evening of Midsummer[4] of T.A. 2980 Aragorn and Arwen promised to marry each other on Cerin Amroth.[5]

On 17 January T.A. 3019,[6] the Fellowship of the Ring, except Gandalf who had fallen off the Bridge of Khazad-dûm, briefly visited Cerin Amroth. Frodo and Sam climbed up to the flet with Haldir and were able to see much of the land of Lothlórien, as well as southern Mirkwood with the hill of Dol Guldur in its centre.[7]

After the death of Aragorn on 1 March Fo.A. 120,[8] Arwen went to Lothlórien, where she lived alone for a few months, eventually surrendering her life on Cerin Amroth before the beginning of spring. Her green grave was on Cerin Amroth.[9]

Etymology[edit | edit source]

Cerin Amroth is a Sindarin name meaning "Amroth's Mound", consisting of cerin and Amroth.[10]

References

  1. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "Lothlórien", p. 350
  2. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "The History of Galadriel and Celeborn", "Amroth and Nimrodel"
  3. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Third Age", entry for the year 1981, p. 1087
  4. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen", p. 1060
  5. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Third Age", entry for the year 2980, p. 1090
  6. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "The Great Years", entry for the year 3019, January 17, p. 1092
  7. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, "Lothlórien", p. 352
  8. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, "Later Events Concerning the Members of the Fellowship of the Ring", entry for the year S.R. 1541, p. 1098
  9. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, "The Númenorean Kings", "The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen", p. 1063
  10. J.R.R. Tolkien, "Unfinished index for The Lord of the Rings", in Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull (eds), The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion, entry Cerin Amroth, p. 309