The river Isen is a bit doubtful, since though the name as originally written (R. Iren, see above) clearly belongs with the primary layer of names, the coastline as drawn had no river-mouth opposite the off-shore island on P 7, and a pencilled indentation was made subsequently. The same is true of the unnamed river (afterwards Lefnui) to the south of Isen, whose mouth was drawn in on R 8 (Map III).
On the part of the original map 'A' that is obliterated by the sticking on of portion 'C' some names and features can be seen, as already described (p. 296., Map III (A)). It is clear that at that stage relatively little was entered on the map. Those in black ink can be readily seen, and I do not think that there were any others beyond Land of Mor-dor, Minas Morgol (with Ithil in red ink), Osgiliath, Minas Tirith (with Anor in red ink), Blackroot > Silverlode (see under Map II on p. 306), Tolfalas, Bay of Belfalas, and Ethir-andon (as it seems to have been written, before being changed to -anduin, as on the northern part of 'A'). Dead Marshes is in red ink; other names seem to have been entered in red chalk (Land of Ond) or pencil. The actual sites of Minas Morgol and the Dark Tower cannot be seen, nor can the last two letters of Palath Nen[ui] (on which see p. 268 and note 4); and the mountain-chains are extremely hard to make out. The bits of the mountains of Mordor in the North-west that I have been able to distinguish with certainty suggest however a disposition essentially the same as that in 'C'. The occurrence of Dol [?Amroth] at this stage is notable.
It is thus clear that, whenever the First Map was actually begun, it had reached the stage seen in the original 'layer' of portion 'A' before the time we have now reached in the texts, and also that much of that layer belongs to this period of the work: many of these original names on the map emerge first in the texts given in this book - for example Sarn Ford (p. 9), Entish Land (p. 10), Mitheithel (p. 14), Bruinen (p. 14), Minas Tirith (p. 115), Minas Morgol (p. 116), Minas Anor, Minas Ithil (p. 119), Bay of Belfalas (p. 119), Tharbad (p. 164), etc. Andon (Ethir-andon) was a form preceding Anduin which never occurred in the texts: Anduin appears in the fifth version of 'The Council of Elrond' where the name Sirvinya 'New Sirion' appears in the third (pp. 119, 144).
The 1943 Map.
In 1943 (see Letters nos. 74 and 98) I made a large elaborate map in pencil and coloured chalks, companion to a similar one of the Shire (see VI.107, 200). It was the First Map that I had in front of me when I made it. My map is thus of historical value in showing what the state of the First Map was at that time - especially in respect of names, for though I was as faithful to the courses of rivers and coasts as I have attempted to be 45 years later, I used pictorial forms for the mountains and hills, which are less precise.(1)
The redrawn maps in this book.
In Unfinished Tales I referred (pp. 13 - 14) to my father's maps of The Lord of the Rings as 'sketch-maps'; but this was an ill-chosen word, and in respect of the First Map a serious misnomer. All parts of the First Map were made with great care and delicacy until a late stage of correction, and it has an exceedingly 'Elvish' and archaic air. The difficulties of interpretation do not arise from any roughness in the original execution, but in part from subsequent alteration in very small space, and in part from its present condition: it is wrinkled, creased, and broken from constant use, so that connections are lost, and many names and markings added in pencil are so blurred and faint as to be almost invisible. My father made a good deal of use of pencil and coloured chalks: mountain-chains are shaded in grey, rivers (for the most part) represented in blue chalk, marshland and wood- land in shades of green (Mirkwood is conveyed by little curved marks in green chalk, suggestive of treetops); and this colouring is rubbed and faded (it is often very difficult to be sure of the courses of rivers). In regions where the development of the story caused substantial alteration in the geography, notably where the hills and mountains were much changed and overlaid by new representations, there are so many lines and strokes and dots that it is impossible to feel certain what my father intended, or even to make out what there is on the paper.(2)
Inevitably, the attempt to redraw the map involves more than merely copying (and since it must be represented in black and white, different symbolisation, notably of wooded regions, must to some extent be used, or else dispensed with); to redraw is in such a case to interpret. My redrawings are therefore to an extent simpler, less subtle, and more decisive in detail, than the original, and of course uniform in appearance, since they have all been made at one time and with the same pens. These maps are therefore quite insufficient in themselves as a substitute for the original, and the discussion of the redrawn maps is an integral part of my attempt to present this remarkable document.
The major question to resolve, however, arose from the fact that this map was a continuous development, evolving in terms of, and reacting upon, the narrative it accompanied. To redraw it involved a decision on what to include and what to exclude. But to attempt to limit its content to the names and features that might be supposed to have been present at a particular time (in terms of the narrative) would involve a host of complexities and dubious or arbitrary decisions. It was clearly far better to represent the map in a developed form; and except in the case of Map III (A) (where a large part of the original map 'A' was early abandoned) and of maps IV (A-E) (where there are six successive and distinct versions) I have therefore taken my 1943 map as a conveniently fixed and definite terminus, though not without a number of exceptions. It is to be understood throughout the following discussion that everything on my redrawn versions in this book appears in that form on the 1943 map unless something is said to the contrary. Many of the subsequent alterations made to the First Map or to the 1943 map or to both are however mentioned.
The map-squares of the original are of 2 centimetre side (on my 1943 map the squares were enlarged to 4 centimetres). No scale is given; but a later and much rougher map, also ruled in squares of this size, gives 2 centimetres = 100 miles, and this was clearly the scale of the First Map also.
Maps I and I (A).
Map I, with the extreme North and North-east on I, gives virtually the whole of the added portion 'B' (see the figure on p. 297): thus 'B' extends from A to H, 1-17, and from I to Q, 1-6 and a portion of 7. The section marked off on the right-hand side of Map I is the left-hand side of the original portion 'A', and this is duplicated on Map II.
This portion 'B' received no emendation whatsoever after its first drawing except in one minor point. The great highlands (afterwards called the Hills of Evendim) between the river Lune and the North Downs certainly belong with the rest of 'B', and were extended into square J 7 of 'A', already in existence; and the North Downs were entered on 'A' at the same time (for the place-names see under Map II). This is the only map that shows the far northern coast, and the vast bay shaped like a human head and face (E-G 7-9, on map I (A)). In view of Appendix A (I. iii) to The Lord of the Rings, where there is a reference to 'the great cape of Forochel that shuts off to the north-west the immense bay of that name', it is clear that this bay is 'the Icebay of Forochel' (see Unfinished Tales p. 13 and footnote) - although on a subsequent map of my father's the much smaller southern bay (H 6-7) is very clearly labelled and limited 'the Icebay of Forochel', as it is on my map published with The Lord of the Rings (3). No names are given in this region on the First Map, but subsequently my father pencilled in North Sea across G 4-5, and this I entered on my 1943 map, though inadvertently omitted on Map I.
On the islands of Tol Fuin and Himling see p. 124 and note 18. - The 'sea-lines' are not present in the original, but they are marked on parts 'A' and 'C' and I have therefore extended them throughout. - I cannot explain the wavy line that extends roughly parallel to the coast from H 4 to K 3 .(4)
It will be seen on Map I that the distinction between the North and South Havens (here Forlorn and Harlorn for later Forlond and Harlond), situated in bays of the Gulf of Lune, and Mithlond, the Grey Havens, at the head of the gulf, was already present (but see p. 423). With this first representation of Ered
Luin, the Blue Mountains, in the context of The Lord of the Rings cf. the revision of the end of The Fall of Numenor cited on pp. 122 - 3. Very notable is the appearance of Belegost (L 5), which is marked on the 1943 map also, but on no subsequent one. The Dwarf-cities of the Blue Mountains were not originally marked on the second Silmarillion map (V.409, 411), but were put in roughly later: Belegost being situated on the eastern side of the mountains somewhat north of Mount Dolmed and the pass by which the Dwarf-road crossed them. Cf. Unfinished Tales p. 235:
There were and always remained some Dwarves on the eastern side of Ered Lindon, where the very ancient mansions of Nogrod and Belegost had been - not far from Nenuial; but they had transferred most of their strength to Khazad-dum.
The White Towers on the Tower Hills are represented by three dots in a line (K 6). - The letter F on square M 7 of Map I and the letters ITH on square H 11 of Map I (A) belong to Forodwaith, on which see under Map II.
Map II.
This redrawing, as will be seen by comparison with the diagram on p. 297, covers almost all the still directly visible part of 'A', the only areas not included being the almost blank squares I - T 20 eastwards and Q-T 7 - 8 in the South-west, which is mostly sea (and is shown on Map III). It also covers the two top lines of squares of the superimposed portion 'C (0-P 9 - 19), and the rectangle 'D', which is here left blank apart from the continuation of certain names. On the left Map II overlaps with Map I and at the bottom with Map III.
I have noted under Map I that the eastern end of the highlands afterwards called the Hills of Evendim and the North Downs were extended onto portion 'A' (I 8 - 9, J 7-8) when 'B' was added. The names Torfirion (changed from Tarkilmar) or Westermanton occur in the fifth version of 'The Council of Elrond', p. 144; on the First Map my father afterwards scribbled Annuminas here, but Torfirion (Wester- manton) appears on my 1943 map. The name originally written here on the First Map was in fact Fornobel, but this seems to have been changed at once, and Fornobel (Northbury) written against the habitation on the North Downs. The earlier name for this was Osforod, the Northburg (pp. 120 - 1, 129), but Fornobel appears by emendation in the fifth version of 'The Council of Elrond' (p. 147). Here my father scribbled in the later name Fornost, but the 1943 map still has Fornobel (Northbury).
Most of the names and features on the 'A' part of Map II are original, and have been commented on already (p. 296). On the significance of Greyflood or Seventh River see pp. 310 - 12. Gwathlo is certainly an original name, though it has not appeared in any text.
The various additions made to 'A' (listed on p. 296) were made in the same spidery lettering and very fine lines characteristic of the superimposed section 'C'. The name Enedwaith (Middlemarch) was written across 'A' and 'C' after 'C' had been stuck on, and Forod- (waith) (Northerland) belongs with it (though -waith was a further and rougher addition). Enedwaith here denotes a much greater region than it afterwards became (the lands between Greyflood and Isen): the original conception, it is seen, was of a great 'triad', Forodwaith or Northerland, bounded on the South-east by the Greyflood, Enedwaith or Middlemarch between Greyflood and Anduin, and Haradwaith or Sutherland (on Map III) bounded on the North-west by Anduin (or by the river Harnen). All this remains on the 1943 map, but my father wrote on that map against Forodwaith: (or Eriador).
On the changed names Iren > Isen, Amrath (?) > Andrath (not entered at all on the 1943 map), and Andon > Anduin, see p. 298. I have mentioned (p. 298) that the great highland between Mirk- wood and the Sea of Rhunaer was almost certainly not an original element of 'A', and the streams flowing down from it into the Dead Marshes (N 16) were continued with the same pen-strokes onto 'C' (0 16), which had already been added. (Of this highland region there is no trace on my 1943 map: all this area is a pure blank, though the streams on N 16 are shown.) Within the outline of these highlands pencilled markings showing lines of high hills or mountains are now extremely faint, and disrupted by a large cracked fold that extends across the map through line M; and a pencilled name on M 16 is illegible save for the initial element East....
The name Mirrormere (L 11) is original. The Misty Mountains are not named, nor are the Mountains of Moria other than Caradras (an addition); on the 1943 map appears also Kelebras (p. 174 note 21), but not the third peak (Fanuiras). Afterwards my father pencilled on the First Map the final names Celebdil and Fanuidol (so spelt). As already mentioned (p. 296) Silverlode was a correction (in the style of portion 'C') of Blackroot, itself replacing Redway; and the southern river Blackroot appears on the hidden portion of 'A' (Map III ) - where however it also was changed to Silverlode! The change here should have been the other way about: for the names of the two rivers were transposed, the northern 'Blackroot' becoming 'Silverlode', and the southern 'Silverlode' becoming 'Blackroot' (see p. 177 and note 1, and p. 241 note 36). But there is no doubt that the first name written against the southern river was Blackroot, and that this was then changed to Silverlode. Subsequently my father struck out Silverlode and wrote stet against Blackroot: I suppose therefore that this was either a passing hesitation, when he thought for a moment of going back on his previous decision to change the names, or else a mere slip. Entish Land Q 11) is original, but is absent from the 1943 map; a later note against this on the First Map says: 'Alter Entish Lands to [Trollfells > Bergrisland >] Ettenmoor'. This would seem to be the place where Ettenmoor(s) was first devised, but see p. 65 note 32. Bergrisland is from Old Norse berg-risi 'hill-giant'.
On the two sites of Dol Dugol (Dol Dughul) see p. 298. For the emergence of the name Rhosgobel see p. 164.
Against Lonely Mt. is pencilled Dolereb, and also Erebor with a query (neither of these names appear on the 1943 map). Erebor first occurs in the fifth version of 'The Council of Elrond', p. 142 and note 2. The Grey Mountains and the Iron Hills were originally marked only as names, but my father afterwards drew in the latter, and also rather
vague pencillings to show a mountainous region to west and south- west of the Sea of Rhunaer; these features are shown on the 1943 map, as also are the river flowing from the Iron Hills and the eastward extension of the River Running to join it (K 16 - 17), though on the 1943 map the River Running is very much the major stream and that from the Iron Hills a slender tributary. Rhun was an addition in the 'C' style. The name Rhunaer (i.e. 'Eastern Sea'), also an addition to 'A' (as was the Sea itself), is unclear on the First Map on account of a crack in the paper, but is confirmed by its appearance on the 1943 map and on a later map of my father's, where, though the Sea itself is not included, there is a direction that the River Running flows into the Sea of Rhunaer. On the map published in The Lord of the Rings, it is the Sea of Rhun, and there are three references to the Sea of Rhun in Appendix A (see also p. 333 in the next chapter). The forest bordering the Sea of Rhunaer (L 19) extends on the First Map round the north-eastern point of the Sea and down its eastern shore (L-M 20), and against it my father pencilled Neldoreth; no name for the forest is marked on the 1943 map, which ends at the same point eastwards as does Map II in this book.(5) The island in the Sea is coloured green on the First Map, and on the 1943 map is marked as wooded.
The name Bardings on J 15 was a pencilled addition that appears on the 1943 map; the pencilled addition of Eotheod on I 12, however, does not (on the regions where the Eotheod dwelt, at first between the Carrock and the Gladden Fields and afterwards in the region of the source-streams of Anduin, Greylin and Langwell, see Unfinished Tales pp. 288, 295).
For features marked on the south-east corner of Map II, 0 - P 15 - 19, see under Map III.
Maps III (A) and III.
The line of squares P 7-19 overlaps with Map II. Map III contains no portion of the original map 'A' except for the two lines of squares on the left, P - T 7 - 8, where the river (afterwards Lefnui) on Q 8-9, P 9 seems certainly a later addition. Map III (A) shows the names and geographical features of the original map 'A' that I can make out through the overlay (pp. 298 - 9). Granting the difficulty of seeing what was there, it is clear,
I think, that when this part of 'A' was made the story itself had not advanced into these regions, and only a few names and features were entered. Comparison of Maps III (A) and III will show that in the second version Ethir Anduin was moved south and east, becoming a vast delta, and the course of Anduin was entirely changed, flowing in a great eastward bend between Nindalf and the Mouths, whereas originally its course was almost in a straight line south-south-west. Concomitantly with this, Minas Tirith and Osgiliath were moved almost 200 miles to the east. Only the name and not the actual site of Minas Morgol can be seen on the underlying map, but it seems to have been a good deal further to the east of Osgiliath than was subsequently the case.(6) On other features of Map III see pp. 298 - 9, and on Blackroot > Silverlode see p. 306.
Turning to the superimposed portion 'C' of the First Map (of which the uppermost horizontal line of squares 0 9-19 is found on Map II), as I have said the lettering and representation of geographical features were here done with an exceptionally fine pen-nib; at the same time it is scarcely possible to distinguish earlier and later elements by this means - for example, Harondor ( S. Gondor) is obviously later than Ondor, but there is nothing in the appearance of the lettering to show this. (Ondor here replaces Ond of the underlying map; for the first appearance of Ondor in the Lord of the Rings papers see p. 144.) My 1943 map is however effectively identical with the First Map in almost every feature, and only a few points need to be specially noticed here. I postpone discussion of the Dead Marshes and No Man's Land to the notes on the development of Map IV. The original name Dagras of the Battle Plain was replaced in pencil by Dagorlad, which appears on the 1943 map but is omitted on the redrawing through lack of space. Kirith Ungol still appears in 1943 as the name of the chief entrance into Mordor, but I placed Minas Morgul (q 15) further to the north, and so further north than Minas Tirith - very near to the northern tip of the Mountains of Shadow (P 15). This change complied with a direction by pencilled arrow on the First Map (where incidentally the name was originally spelt Minas Morgol, as on the overlaid portion of 'A' beneath). Among several changes that my father made to the 1943 map in these regions he replaced Minas Morgul in its original position on Q 15. Another was the addition of Ephel to Duath on both maps. For the significance of the two small circles on either side of the n of Kirith Ungol on P 15 see p. 349 note 41.
The History of Middle Earth: Volume 7 - The Treason of Isengard Page 40