Arda
This article is about the fictional setting. For other uses see Arda (disambiguation).In the works of
J. R. R. Tolkien,
Arda is the name given to the Earth in a period of fictional prehistory, wherein the places mentioned in
The Lord of the Rings and related material once existed. It included several seas and oceans, and the continents of
Middle-earth, the
Dark Lands, and
Aman, as well as the island of
Númenor and other lands, left largely unnamed by Tolkien.
Arda was part of
Eä, the universe of all which exists. Arda was created, together with the rest of Eä, through the
Music of the Ainur for the Children of
Ilúvatar (that is,
Elves and
Men).
Because the Sun, Moon, stars, and other objects orbited the planet in the cosmology of Middle-earth they were considered part of Arda, leading to Arda sometimes being called the 'Solar System' of Middle-earth. The term for the Earth itself, excluding these celestial bodies, was
Ambar or
Imbar.
Originally the Earth (
Arda) was flat, the continents were surrounded by a mighty
ocean (or perhaps by
space),
Ekkaia or Vaiya, the Encircling Sea, and separated by
Belegaer, called the Great Sea and the Sundering Seas. In the
First Age, the area in the northwest of
Middle-earth was occupied by the country of
Beleriand, but this was destroyed during the
War of Wrath.
In the
Second Age, Númenor was raised in the Great Sea for the
Edain. This island existed through most of the Second Age, but was destroyed as a result of the
pride of the Númenórean people in defying the Ban of the
Valar and sailing to
Aman in the west.
After the destruction of Númenor, Arda was made round. Aman (The Undying Lands) was taken out of the world into an alien dimension, and could only be reached by the
Elves, following the
straight road that was granted to them. As Aman was taken away from Arda, new lands and continents were created.
South of Middle-earth was the
Dark Land and east of it was the
Land of the Sun.
Tolkien stated many times that Arda was our world in a fictional ancient time, so we can interpret the known regions of Middle-earth as
Europe, perhaps specifically the
Mediterranean (
Mediterraneus is
Latin for "Middle-earth"). Tolkien stated that
The Shire's geographic location was at roughly the latitude of
Oxford, while
Minas Tirith in
Gondor was at the latitude of
Florence, and
Pelargir (at the mouths of the
Anduin) at the latitude of
Troy. However, the entire continent of Middle-earth extends beyond the regions known to Gondor, far into the uncharted East and South, and Middle-earth probably encompassed all of what later became
Eurasia. Information regarding both was very vague. To the south were the Hither Lands including
Harad, though "Harad" means "South" and while properly used for the region immediately south of Gondor and Mordor was often loosely used to refer to every land to the south. Near Harad and Far Harad probably corresponded to North Africa and sub-Saharan
Africa, respectively. There were many stretches of sun-scorched desert in Near Harad, but like Africa there was supposedly a jungle beyond it which few had ever ventured to, from which the great
Oliphaunts were found. Tolkien also said that the Haradrim loosely corresponded to the
Berbers (though "Haradrim" refers to a group of many races, not just the one). Men of Far Harad are also described as being black skinned. The vast lands East were collectively referred to as
Rhûn, though this may have only referred to those immediately east of the Sea of Rhûn and River Running. The
Easterlings, like the Haradrim, were a diverse collection of many races, ranging from
Saracen-like peoples to numerous barbarian hordes from open grasslands that would later become the Russian steppe. There was even less knowledge of the extreme eastern end of Middle-earth, where the land was supposed to stop at another sea. It is known that in ancient times the great chain of the
Red Mountains ran north to south near here, and was roughly analogous to the
Blue Mountains of the west (the world was once symmetrical at the dawn of time). The race of Elves first originated near here, though their original home of
Cuiviénen no longer existed by the Third Age. It is not known if the Red Mountains survived into the Third Age, either intact or in some reduced form (like the Blue Mountains). The lands of the east between the coast and the Red Mountains probably corresponded to east
Asia and the Orient, specifically
China and
Japan. It is said that the
Blue Wizards went far into the east of Rhûn and beyond to stir up rebellions against Sauron in the lands he held sway over, though the tales of these struggles never reached the west in detail. It is also said that the Blue Wizards may have failed in their mission; this is interpreted several ways, either that like Saruman they set themselves up as lords of men, or that like
Radagast they started to care more for the local people they were charged with protecting than Middle-earth as a whole and then refused to return. Tolkien stated that many of the "magic cults" and orders that exist today can trace their origins back to the Blue Wizards teaching local peoples of the east the magical arts.
There was also a separate continent south and east of Middle-earth called the Dark Land, which could correspond to
Australia. Another separate continent to the east of Middle-earth was the relatively small
Land of the Sun, so called because when the world was flat the Gates of the Sun were near there, and it would be scorched. After the fall of
Númenor, Arda was made round and new lands were created east of Middle-earth (and west too, now that the world is round and can be circumnavigated). The Lands of the Sun (dubbed
Romenor by some using
Sindarin) may have become the Americas, or also could have been removed to where
Aman was or simply destroyed as they were desolate.
The original world as built by the
Valar is called
Arda Unmarred. This world was effectively destroyed by the wars of the Valar and
Melkor, and only
Valinor still resembled it in part. Arda Unmarred was a symmetrical world with everlasting light.
Arda Marred is the name given to the world as it is: the world after the wars of the Valar and Melkor, and the dispersing of Melkor's
fëa in the entire world. It is this world from which are formed the
hröa of the
Children of Ilúvatar, and therefore it is at times a cruel and evil world with plagues, extreme colds, heat, and other concepts which do not exist in Arda Unmarred.Arda Marred also broke the design of Elvish immortality: in Arda Marred Elves slowly fade, until at last they are naught but wraiths. Only in Valinor was this fading delayed, which is one reason all Elves had no choice but to go to Valinor in the end. One of the special abilities of the
Rings of Power was that they could delay time, and as such were used by
Elrond and
Galadriel to preserve their realms. After the loss of the
One Ring the Elves had no choice left and therefore in the
Fourth Age the last Eldar left for Valinor.
Arda Healed is Arda Marred restored: it will be like Arda Unmarred but better, since it will also incorporate all the good things of Arda Marred. Arda Healed will be created after the
Dagor Dagorath, when
Morgoth will be slain, and the world broken. A new world will be created then, which will be Arda Healed.
*
Timeline of Arda*
Realms of ArdaJ.R.R. Tolkien was born in South Africa, and it is interesting to note that the
Afrikaans name for "Earth" is "Aarde". Aarde is pronounced Arda.
See more on etymology*
Arda and its history*
Encyclopedia of Arda*
Ardapedia
