The Tip of the Iceberg: New Information About Middle-Earth - Page 2
© Michael Martinez
In a letter which accompanies the "Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor" essay, Vinwar Tengwar launches a cascade of miniscule revelations of "fact" which will ultimately force us to re-evaluate many theories about Middle-earth. For example, Tolkien writes:
...In the earlier centuries of the Two Kingdoms Enedwaith (Middle-folk) was a region between the realm of Gondor and the slowly receding realm of Arnor (it originally included Minhiriath (Mesopotamia)). Both kingdoms shared an interest in the region, but were mainly concerned with the upkeep of the great road that was their main way of communication except by sea, and the bridge at Tharbad. People of Numenorean origin did not live there, except at Tharbad, where a large garrison of soldiers and river-wardens was once maintained. In those days there were drainage works, and the banks of the Hoarwell and Greyflood were strengthened. But in the days of The Lord of the Rings the region had long become ruinous and lapsed into a primitive state: a slow wide river running through a network of swamps, pools and eyots: the haunts of hosts of swans and other water-birds."Mesopotamia" is an old word for "between the rivers", and Tolkien was undoubtedly making a little joke by offering the translation of "Mesopotamia" for "Minhiriath" (which means the same thing). One may wonder how much this translation will upset arm-chair geographers who have developed precise correlations between Tolkien's map of Middle-earth and maps of Europe and Asia. But for me the most interesting comment is the oblique reference to "river-wardens". What could Tolkien have been referring to? Were these law-men roving up and down the river, arresting pirates and curmudgeons? Or were they perhaps charged with arresting the wayward travels of the river? Were the river-wardens of Tharbad engineers who maintained the 'drainage works" and the reinforced banks of the Hoarwell and Greyflood rivers? And if no Numenoreans lived in the region, why were the banks of the rivers reinforced? Tharbad itself is a curious place. In Unfinished Tales we learned that the great bridge and quays of the city were constructed by Arnor and Gondor, apparently to replace the ruined port of Lond Daer Ened. And yet, Tar-Aldarion is said to have met Galadriel at Tharbad in one note accompanying the text "Aldarion and Erendis". In another place, the second history for Galadriel and Celeborn, Tharbad is said to be lightly defended against Sauron's invasion of Eriador in SA 1695. It may be that Tharbad was originally an Elven colony, perhaps an outpost established by Cirdan to facilitate trade and communication with Eregion. The Numenoreans may have been the first people to fortify Tharbad (in preparation for the war with Sauron, they also fortified the Baranduin and Luin rivers).
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