Calacirya, also known as the Pass of Light, was a narrow pass that led through the chain of mountains known as the Pelóri, north of Taniquetil.
The walls of the mountain pass were high and steep but presumably not dangerous. The pass itself was somewhat narrow, but wide enough to contain a large hill and a small stream.
The city of Tirion was set on the hill of Túna, which was in the Calacirya, but close to the light of Valinor.[1]
History[]
Before the pass was created, there was no way to get into Valinor due to the Pelóri blocking the way. When the Quendi began their journey westward towards Valinor, the Valar opened a narrow pass in the great mountains. Despite preferring to close the way, they realised that the Elves, even the Vanyar, needed to be able to breathe the outside air, and so kept Calacirya open.
The Ñoldor and Vanyar entered and resided in the city of Tirion, which was set in the middle of the pass, in a region called Calacirian.[2] The Teleri did not leave the island of Tol Eressëa until much later; even then, they did not enter Valinor, but stayed on the eastern coast of Aman under the afternoon shadow of the Pelóri in a city named Alqualondë.[3][4]
Etymology[]
Calacirya is a Quenya word that meant 'Cleft of Light'. Earlier forms of the word were 'Kalakirya' and 'Kalakilya'. Later forms were and 'Kalakiryan' and 'Calaciryan'.[5]
Translations[]
| Foreign Language | Translated name |
| Amharic | ካላካሪያ |
| Arabic | كالاسيريا |
| Armenian | Կալակիրյա |
| Belarusian Cyrillic | Калакірыа |
| Bengali | চালাচির্যা |
| Bulgarian Cyrillic | Калакирия |
| Danish | Kalakirja (Lyskløften) |
| Georgian | ქალაქირyა |
| Greek | Καλακιρυα |
| Gujarati | ચલચિર્ય |
| Hebrew | קלקיריה |
| Hindi | कलाकिरया |
| Kannada | ಕ್ಯಾಲಸಿರಿಯಾ |
| Kazakh | Калакірйа (Cyrillic) Kalakirya (Latin) |
| Korean | 칼라시 리아 |
| Kyrgyz Cyrillic | Калакиря |
| Macedonian Cyrillic | Калакирyа |
| Marathi | कलाकिर्य |
| Mongolian Cyrillic | Калакирыа |
| Nepalese | कालकिर्या |
| Pashto | چالاچیریا |
| Persian | چالاچیریا |
| Russian | Калакирия |
| Sanskrit | कलकिर्य |
| Serbian | Калакириа (Cyrillic) Kalakiria (Latin) |
| Sinhalese | කැලසිරියා |
| Tajik Cyrillic | Калакирyа |
| Tamil | காலாசிரிய |
| Telugu | కలసిరియా |
| Thai | คาลาเคียร์ยา |
| Ukrainian Cyrillic | Калакіриа |
| Urdu | چالاچیریا |
| Uzbek | Калакиря (Cyrillic) Kalakirya (Latin) |
| Yiddish | קאַלאַסיריאַ |
| Places in the Undying Lands (Aman and Tol Eressëa) | ||
| Places and regions of the Valar | Valinor • Ezellohar • Gardens of Lòrien • Halls of Mandos • Halls of Nienna • House of Tulkas • Ilmarin • Máhanaxar • Pastures of Yavanna • Wells of Varda • Woods of Oromë • Plain of Valinor • Two Trees of Valinor | |
| Other regions | Eldamar • Alalvinórëυ • Araman • Avathar • Enchanted Isles • Haerast • Oiomúrë • Sindanórië • Galathilion • Tol Withernonυ | |
| Mountains and passes | Pelóri • Taniquetil • Hyarmentir • Túna • Calacirya • Caves of the Forgotten | |
| Bodies of water | Afros • Bay of Eldamar • Gruirυ • Híri • Lórellin • Shadowy Seas • Sirnúmen | |
| Cities and strongholds | Váli-màr • Alqualondë • Avallónë • Formenos • Kôrtirion • Tavrobelρ • Tirion • Lumbiυ | |
| Houses and towers | Cottage of Lost Playρ • House of the Hundred Chimneysρ Pre-canon • Mindon Eldaliéva • Tower of Avallónë • Tower of Tavrobelρ • Tram Nybolρ | |
| ρ Pre-canon, υ Canonicity unclear. | ||
References[]
- ↑ The Atlas of Middle-earth, The First Age, The Elder Days, "Valinor"
- ↑ The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring, Book Two, Ch. I: "Many Meetings"
- ↑ The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter V: "Of Eldamar and the Princes of the Eldalië"
- ↑ The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter XI: "Of the Sun and Moon and the Hiding of Valinor"
- ↑ The Complete Guide to Middle-earth