Life in an Elven Fishing Town

So, Cirdan's havens in the Second Age may owe their roots to Brithombar and Eglarest. Let us assume, for the sake of continuity, that when Cirdan settled on Balar, his people established two havens. The Elves, especially the Teleri from whom Cirdan's Falathrim descended, had a very strong sense of family and community. Many of the Teleri who were originally unwilling to leave Cuivienen changed their minds and joined the Eldar because they did not wish to be parted from their families. When Elwe went missing in the woods of Nan Elmoth many of his friends and relatives searched for him, and because of their love of Elwe they stayed in the forests too long and missed the journey to Aman. The Sindar of Doriath, Nargothrond, and Hithlum were mostly descended from Elwe's people. Some of Cirdan's people migrated north to Nevrast (probably led by an unnamed younger brother of his, who may have been the father of the Sindarin lady whom Aranwe married, their son being Tuor's friend Voronwe). And some of Cirdan's people appear to have mingled with the western Doriathrim in the lands that became Nargothrond. For the most part, Cirdan's people were associated with the sea. Life in a coastal town or village is very similar to life inland with one major exception: the people will sustain themselves in part from the sea. They will fish, they will build boats and ships, they will travel to islands and along the coasts by boat or ship, and they will engage in seasonal tasks related to fishing and the maintenance of their vessels. The harbor is an important part of the fishing village and the coastal trading town. But the sea alone cannot sustain a large population. In fact, throughout the northern world which so heavily influenced Tolkien's depiction of northern Middle-earth, coastal peoples were usually also farmers. Even as late as the 20th century, small fishing villages have been characterized by the presence of small farms, large gardens, barns, and other signs of "rural" life. And the classic image of a farmer/sea-traveler is the Viking warrior who planted his crops in the spring, went to sea, and then returned in the fall to harvest the crops. Sea traditions don't just sprout in a community overnight. The gentleman farmers have to develop a long tradition of living and working with the water before they'll just up and start raiding people across the sea. They

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