Falls of Sirion

The  Falls of Sirion were the mighty thundering falls of the River  Sirion, just south of the  Aelin-uial, where its waters fell beneath the earth and flowed under the hills of the  Andram for nine leagues before emerging again at the  Gates of Sirion. [1] {| class="toc" id="toc" style="clear:none;border-color:rgb(170,170,170);color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:'TrebuchetMS',Arial,sans-serif;"

Contents
[hide]*1 Source
 * 2 Course
 * 3 Tributaries
 * 4 Crossing Points
 * 5 Settlements
 * 6 Islands
 * 7 Etymology
 * 8 References
 * }
 * }

Source
The Sirion's source was at Eithel Sirion on the eastern side of the Ered Wethrin, which lay in between Ard-galen (later Anfauglith) and Mithrim and Hithlum.[2]  It was guarded by the tower of Barad Eithel.[1]

Beleriand-general.jpg


 Sirion flowed southwards along the border of the Ered Wethrin, passing through the  Fen of Serech  before entering the narrow steep-sided valley between the Ered Wethrin and the  Echoriath  named the Pass of Sirion. Sirion then continued south into Beleriand, with the Forest of Brethil  to the west, and  Dimbar  and then  Doriath  to the east. After leaving Doriath at Aelin-uial (the  Fens of Sirion ) it plunged below ground in the  Falls of Sirion  at  Andram  (the Long Wall), where the ground fell steeply. Three leagues southwards the Sirion exited the underground caves at the  Gates of Sirion. It then flowed southwards through  Nan-Tathren  until it reached the Bay of Balar, part of Belegaer, at the Mouths of Sirion

Tributaries


In order from north to south, the principal tributaries of the Sirion were the Rivil, flowing from Dorthonion until it met Sirion in the Fen of Serech; the Mindeb, which had its source in Nan Dungortheb and the Ered Gorgoroth, the Teiglin, the Esgalduin of Doriath; theAros flowing south from Dorthonion and west along the Forest of Region (and also containing the waters of the Celon from the Hills of Himring and Himlad) which met at Aelin-uial, and the Narog, which joined Sirion in Nan-Tathren.[2]

Crossing Points


<p style="margin-top:0.8em;margin-bottom:0.8em;line-height:1.4em;font-family:'TrebuchetMS',Arial,sans-serif;">The main crossing point was the Ford of Brithiach where the road from Himlad which crossed the Esgalduin at Iant Iaur crossed Sirion.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Map_1-3" style="font-size:9px;line-height:0.4em;">[2]  King Thingol of Doriath also kept secret ferries in Doriath to cross the river.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-2" style="font-size:9px;line-height:0.4em;">[3]

Settlements
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<p style="margin-top:0.8em;margin-bottom:0.8em;line-height:1.4em;font-family:'TrebuchetMS',Arial,sans-serif;">Barad Eithel, at the source of the Sirion in the Ered Wethrin, was a chief fortress of Fingolfin and his son Fingon,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Beleriand_0-2" style="font-size:9px;line-height:0.4em;">[1]  which guarded the pass into their realm of Mithrim. Further south, in the Pass of Sirion, lay Tol Sirion (see below). After the Coming of Men, the Edainof the House of Haleth made their home in the Forest of Brethil,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-3" style="font-size:9px;line-height:0.4em;">[4]  and the Sindar ruled by Thingol lay secure within the Girdle of Melian in their realm of Doriath.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-4" style="font-size:9px;line-height:0.4em;">[5]  At the outflow of Sirion into Belegaer, after the destruction of Eglarest and Brithombar, the Havens of Sirion were built by Círdan and his people.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-5" style="font-size:9px;line-height:0.4em;">[6]

Islands
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<p style="margin-top:0.8em;margin-bottom:0.8em;line-height:1.4em;font-family:'TrebuchetMS',Arial,sans-serif;">The most important island in Sirion was Tol Sirion.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Map_1-4" style="font-size:9px;line-height:0.4em;">[2]  The original Minas Tirith was built here by Finrod Felagund in the strategic location controlling the Pass of Sirion where it entered Beleriand between the Ered Wethrin and the Echoriath.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Beleriand_0-3" style="font-size:9px;line-height:0.4em;">[1]  Shortly after Dagor Bragollach it was captured by Sauron and the island became known as Tol-in-Gaurhoth.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-6" style="font-size:9px;line-height:0.4em;">[7]

Etymology
<p style="margin-top:0.8em;margin-bottom:0.8em;line-height:1.4em;font-family:'TrebuchetMS',Arial,sans-serif;">Sirion is a Sindarin/Noldorin name which contains the element sîr.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-LR_7-0" style="font-size:9px;line-height:0.4em;">[8]  Depending on the meaning of the second element, the name could either mean "great river" or "land of waters" (-ion as augmentative suffix or archaic plural genitive suffix).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-8" style="font-size:9px;line-height:0.4em;">[9]

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<p style="margin-top:0.8em;margin-bottom:0.8em;line-height:1.4em;font-family:'TrebuchetMS',Arial,sans-serif;">Its name in Khuzdul was Gabilān, with the element Gabil - "Great".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-9" style="font-size:9px;line-height:0.4em;">[10]