Ancalagon, also known as Ancalagon the Black, was the greatest of all winged dragons bred by Morgoth during the First Age, and the largest dragon to have ever lived.
Ancalagon the Black faces Eärendil, by Rubendevela
During the War of Wrath, Eärendil came out of the west in his boat Vingilot, accompanied by the Eagles of Manwë led by Thorondor; and they and Eärendil dueled with Ancalagon and the other Dragons for an entire day. Eventually, Eärendil was victorious, throwing Ancalagon upon Thangorodrim and destroying its towers. The fall of Ancalagon marked the end of Morgoth's final resistance.[2]
Later mentions
Gandalf spoke of him as he told Frodo the true origin of his Ring. "It has been said that dragon-fire could melt and consume the Rings of Power, but there is not now any dragon left on earth in which the old fire is hot enough; nor was there ever any dragon, not even Ancalagon the Black, who could have harmed the One Ring, the Ruling Ring, for that was made by Sauron himself."[3]
Etymology
The name Ancalagon is Sindarin, meaning "Rushing Jaws" from anca ("Jaws") and the root alak- ("Rushing").[4]
Other Names
The Middle English translation for Ancalagon is Andracca from and- ("opposition"), anda ("hatred, envy"), and draca ("dragon").[5]
Character
Ancalagon's size is not specified, but may be gigantic due to the destruction of "the towers of Thangorodrim", which are elsewhere identified with the three smoking peaks of the mountain. He was however, said to be as big as a mountain.[6] However, his size is never directly specified and some powerful but small creatures are able to cause great destruction even in death, such as Durin's Bane breaking the slopes of Celebdil. Like all other Urulóki, Ancalagon breathed fire, which was said to be hotter than any other dragon's flame.
Trivia
In 1977, an extinct genus of worms found in the The Walcott Quarry on Fossil Ridge in 1911 dating from the Middle Cambrian Era from the Cambrian Burgess Shale was named Ancalagon, inspired by Tolkien's dragon.[7]
