Post by Darth Fingon on Feb 2, 2009 20:36:58 GMT -6
So, following a discussion of an early map of Arda and its usefulness on GoI, I decided to look at said map and see if it fits in with later geography. I overlaid it with the map of Third Age Middle-earth and came to a heretical but interesting conclusion:
Cuiviénen is in southern Gondor.
Green lines: Middle-earth in the First Age
Red lines: Middle-earth in the Third Age
Blue line: conjectural path of the Great Journey from Cuiviénen.
The Blue Mountains and Grey mountains both line up perfectly. The 'lost' Red Mountains, after the war of wrath, become the western border of Mordor in the south and Erebor at the extreme northern end (everything else is lost). The Misty Mountains are not on the Arda map, but we have to assume that they are there in the First Age due to the important role they play in the journey from Cuiviénen. The Sea of Helkar partially drains into the Bay of Belfalas, uncovering more land in Gondor.
Comparing travel times in LotR with UT, the mileage matches fairly closely across Beleriand and Eriador at this scale.
Cuiviénen is in southern Gondor.
Green lines: Middle-earth in the First Age
Red lines: Middle-earth in the Third Age
Blue line: conjectural path of the Great Journey from Cuiviénen.
The Blue Mountains and Grey mountains both line up perfectly. The 'lost' Red Mountains, after the war of wrath, become the western border of Mordor in the south and Erebor at the extreme northern end (everything else is lost). The Misty Mountains are not on the Arda map, but we have to assume that they are there in the First Age due to the important role they play in the journey from Cuiviénen. The Sea of Helkar partially drains into the Bay of Belfalas, uncovering more land in Gondor.
Comparing travel times in LotR with UT, the mileage matches fairly closely across Beleriand and Eriador at this scale.
;D
