The First Map of The Lord of the Rings

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The First Map of The Lord of the Rings refers to the earliest map of the western regions of Middle-earth that was drawn by J.R.R. Tolkien.[1] The map has squares of 2 centimetre side and a map scale where 2 centimetres are the equivalent of 100 miles.[2] It was redrawn and commented on by Christopher Tolkien in The Treason of Isengard (1989; chapter 15).[3]

The First Map of the Lord of the Rings covers a larger area of Middle-earth than the General Map of Middle-earth or The West of Middle-earth at the End of the Third Age map. It also shows the lands to the north of the Icebay of Forochel and the island of Tol Fuin west of the island of Himling off the coast of Forlindon in the Belegaer ocean. The sea west of the Icebay of Forochel was labeled as North Sea in pencil.

Early concepts[edit | edit source]

A label "Forodwaith (Northerland)" is written in the area between the river Baranduin and the river Gwathló and extends from south of the Sarn Ford to beyond the northern end of the Misty Mountains. There is no label "Eriador" on the map. However, J.R.R. Tolkien added "(or Eriador)" after "Forodwaith" on The 1943 Map of The Lord of the Rings.[4] This and the absence of the name Eriador from earlier manuscripts suggest that Forodwaith was initially used as a name of the region that was later called Eriador.

A label "Westfold" was written to the south of a label "Dunland" west of the southern end of the Misty Mountains and north of the river Isen, but was struck through[5] and reinserted west of Edoras, north of the northern foothills of the "Black Mountains".[6] This and the use of the name Westfold for the land of the Westfolders, the invaders of Rohan in earlier drafts of The Two Towers[7][8] suggest that Westfold was initially used as a name of the region that was later called Dunland.

External links[edit | edit source]

References

  1. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Treason of Isengard, "XV. The First Map of The Lord of the Rings", p. 295
  2. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Treason of Isengard, "XV. The First Map of The Lord of the Rings", "The redrawn maps in this book", last paragraph on p. 300
  3. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Treason of Isengard, "XV. The First Map of The Lord of the Rings", "The redrawn maps in this book", pp. 301 to 321
  4. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Treason of Isengard, "XV. The First Map of The Lord of the Rings", "Map II", p. 306
  5. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The Treason of Isengard, "XV. The First Map of The Lord of the Rings", "Maps IVD and IVE", p. 320
  6. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Ring, "Part One: The Fall of Saruman", "II. Helm's Deep", Notes, Note 4, pp. 22-23
  7. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Ring, "Part One: The Fall of Saruman", "II. Helm's Deep", pp. 21-22
  8. ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), The War of the Ring, "Part One: The Fall of Saruman", "III. The Road to Isengard", Notes, Note 8, p. 41
Maps of Arda made by or for J.R.R. Tolkien
The Hobbit:  Thrór's Map · Map of Wilderland
 TLOTR:  A Part of the Shire · General Map of Middle-earth · Map of Rohan, Gondor, and Mordor · The West of Middle-earth at the End of the Third Age
Other:  Map of Beleriand and the Lands to the North · Númenórë‎
Baynes:  A Map of Middle-earth · There and Back Again
Early maps:  The earliest map‎ · I Vene Kemen · The First 'Silmarillion' Map · Ambarkanta maps · The Second 'Silmarillion' Map · The First Map of 'The Lord of the Rings' · The 1943 Map of 'The Lord of the Rings' · The Second Map of 'The Lord of the Rings' · The Third Map of 'The Lord of the Rings'
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