Dark Land

In the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Dark Land is a mysterious continent south of Middle-earth. No elves or dwarves live here, but wild men could be there. The Númenóreans probably visited it on their long journeys, although it is not known if they established dwellings there.

As seen in the Ambarkanta, it occupies a position on Arda much like Antarctica and Australia do compared to Eurasia, if Antarctica and Australia were one land-mass.

Before Africa was visited by people from Europe, it was known as the "Dark Land". It is possible that Tolkien could have been inspired by this; also, he was born in South Africa.

In the game Middle Earth Role Play by Iron Crown Enterprises, a Sindarin name for the Dark Land &mdash; Morenor (probably intended to mean "Dark Middle-earth") &mdash; was given, although it does not appear in any of Tolkien's writings. If the name existed in Sindarin at all the form would more likely be Morennor.

It is also a name of Mordor, the dwelling place of Sauron in the southeast of Middle-earth. Mordor literally means "Dark Land".