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{{Location infobox
  
{{Location infobox
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|image = Cirithungol-lee.jpg
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|name= Cirith Ungol
  
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|caption1 = The Tower of Cirith Ungol
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|image= Cirithungol-lee.jpg
  
  ⚫
|name = Cirith Ungol
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|type= Evil Realm
  
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|location= western Mordor in the [[Ephel Dúath]]<ref name=Atlas>''[[The Atlas of Middle-earth]],'' Regional Maps, "Mordor (and Adjacent Lands)"</ref>
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|location = Western Mordor in the [[Ephel Dúath]]<ref name=Atlas>''[[The Atlas of Middle-earth]],'' Regional Maps, "Mordor (and Adjacent Lands)"</ref>
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|realms= [[Mordor]]
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|type = Fortress of Mordor
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|summary = A former outpost of Gondor but better known as a fortress of Mordor.
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|capital=
 
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|realms =
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|founded/built= Early [[Third Age]] ? (by [[Gondor]])
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|founded/built = Early [[Third Age]] ? (by [[Gondor]])
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|ruler= [[Kings of Gondor]], [[Stewards of Gondor|Ruling Stewards of Gondor]], [[Dark Lord]] [[Sauron]] (last)
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|ruler = [[Kings of Gondor]],<br/>[[Stewards of Gondor|Ruling Stewards of Gondor]],<br/>[[Dark Lord]] [[Sauron]] (last)
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|summary= A former outpost of Gondor but better known as a fortress of Mordor.
  
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|languages = [[Black Speech]]<ref>''[[The Atlas of Middle-earth]],'' Thematic Maps, "Languages"</ref> [[Orkish]]
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|names=
  
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|lifespan = early Third Age - Fourth Age
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|inhabitants= [[Shelob]], [[Orcs]]
  
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|languages= [[Black Speech]]<ref>''[[The Atlas of Middle-earth]],'' Thematic Maps, "Languages"</ref> [[Orc]]ist
 
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|lifespan= early Third Age - [[March 25]], [[3019]]
  
 
}}
  
}}
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{{Quote|Its name was Cirith Ungol, a name of dreadful rumour.|''[[The Two Towers (novel)|The Two Towers]]'', "[[The Black Gate is Closed]]"}}
   
  ⚫
'''Cirith Ungol''' was a pass or cleft through the [[Ephel Dúath]] located near [[Minas Morgul]]. At its heart was an [[Orc]] stronghold, near the caves of [[Shelob's lair]].
⚫
{{Quote|Its name was Cirith Ungol, a name of dreadful rumour.|''[[The Two Towers (novel)|The Two Towers]]'', [[The Black Gate is Closed]]}}
  
   
  ⚫
== History ==
⚫
'''Cirith Ungol''' was a pass or cleft through the [[Ephel Dúath]] near [[Minas Morgul]]. [[Shelob's lair]] was located there.
  
  ⚫
=== Under Gondor ===
  ⚫
Cirith Ungol passed through the western mountains of [[Mordor]] and paralleled the [[Morgul-road]] into [[Gondor]] to some degree. It was guarded by the [[Tower of Cirith Ungol]], which was built by the Men of Gondor after the [[War of the Last Alliance]] was fought. It is not known whether the pass and the tower were called Cirith Ungol when the [[Men of Gondor]] held it, though it is likely since Shelob "...was there before [[Sauron]], and before the first stone of [[Barad-dûr]]" was laid, and ''Cirith Ungol'' meant 'Spider's Cleft' in [[Sindarin]].
   
  ⚫
The pass was reached by several sets of steep stairs leading from close by [[Minas Morgul]] along the north cliff-face of [[Morgul Vale]] and through a tunnel high in the mountains, with other steep stretches that lacked stairs. Eventually, the path ran straight into [[Shelob's lair]], though many side-tunnels had been carved by Orcs and Men to get past her webs.<ref name=Atlas>''[[The Atlas of Middle-earth]],'' Regional Maps, "Mordor (and Adjacent Lands)"</ref><ref>''[[The Atlas of Middle-earth]],'' The Lord of the Rings, "The Path of Cirith Ungol"</ref><ref>''[[The Atlas of Middle-earth]],'' The Lord of the Rings, "The Tower of Cirith Ungol"</ref>[[File:1200px-Il_Signore_degli_Anelli_285.jpg|thumb|The cleft as seen in Peter Jackson's [[The Return of the King (film)|third film]]|300x300px|left]]
⚫
==History==
  
−
===Under Gondor===
 +
=== Under Sauron ===
−  
⚫
Cirith Ungol passed through the western mountains of [[Mordor]] and paralleled the [[Morgul-road]] into [[Gondor]] to some degree. It was guarded by the [[Tower of Cirith Ungol]], which was built by the Men of Gondor after the War of the [[Last Alliance of Elves and Men]] was fought. It is not known whether the pass and the tower were called Cirith Ungol when the [[Men of Gondor]] held it, though it is likely since Shelob "...was there before [[Sauron]], and before the first stone of [[Barad-dûr]]" was laid, and ''Cirith Ungol'' meant 'Spider's Cleft' in [[Sindarin]].
  
−  
⚫
The pass was reached by several sets of steep stairs leading from close by [[Minas Morgul]] along the north cliff-face of [[Morgul Vale]] and through a tunnel high in the mountains, with other steep stretches that lacked stairs. Eventually, the path ran straight into [[Shelob's lair]], though many side-tunnels had been carved by Orcs and Men to get past her webs.<ref name=Atlas>''[[The Atlas of Middle-earth]],'' Regional Maps, "Mordor (and Adjacent Lands)"</ref><ref>''[[The Atlas of Middle-earth]],'' The Lord of the Rings, "The Path of Cirith Ungol"</ref><ref>''[[The Atlas of Middle-earth]],'' The Lord of the Rings, "The Tower of Cirith Ungol"</ref>
  
−  
⚫
===Under Sauron===
  
   
 
Gondor occupied the tower guarding the pass until [[TA 1636]] when the [[Great Plague]] killed much of Gondor's population. After the Plague, Gondor again occupied Cirith Ungol but they were eventually distracted by the Wainriders, and evil was allowed to return to Mordor. The tower was likely occupied by evil forces before [[Minas Ithil]] was besieged in [[TA 2000]].
  
Gondor occupied the tower guarding the pass until [[TA 1636]] when the [[Great Plague]] killed much of Gondor's population. After the Plague, Gondor again occupied Cirith Ungol but they were eventually distracted by the Wainriders, and evil was allowed to return to Mordor. The tower was likely occupied by evil forces before [[Minas Ithil]] was besieged in [[TA 2000]].
   
−
During the [[Quest of the Ring]], [[Frodo Baggins]] and [[Samwise Gamgee]] were led to this pass by [[Gollum]] to the lair of the ancient spider [[Shelob]]. At this time, there were also three-headed creatures (statues?) that "watched" the entrance into Mordor and which could not be passed by mortals. Only through use of the [[Phial of Galadriel]] could the ring-bearer and his servant break these entities' will and enter Mordor.<ref>''[[The Lord of the Rings]], [[The Two Towers (novel)|The Two Towers]],'' Book Four, Chapter VIII: "[[The Stairs of Cirith Ungol]]"</ref><ref>''[[The Lord of the Rings]], [[The Two Towers (novel)|The Two Towers]],'' Book Four, Chapter IX: "[[Shelob's Lair (Chapter)|Shelob's Lair]]"</ref>
 +
In the [[Quest of the Ring]], [[Frodo Baggins]] and [[Samwise Gamgee]] were led to this pass by [[Gollum]] to the lair of the ancient spider [[Shelob]]. At this time, there were also three-headed [[Two Watchers|statues]] that "watched" the gateway into the keep of Cirith Ungol which could not be passed by mortals. Only through use of the [[Phial of Galadriel]] could the ring-bearer and his servant break these entities' will and enter.<ref>''[[The Lord of the Rings]], [[The Two Towers (novel)|The Two Towers]],'' Book Four, Ch. VIII: "[[The Stairs of Cirith Ungol]]"</ref><ref>''[[The Lord of the Rings]], [[The Two Towers (novel)|The Two Towers]],'' Book Four, Ch. IX: "[[Shelob's Lair (chapter)|Shelob's Lair]]"</ref>
   
−
==Etymology==
 +
== Etymology ==
   
−
The term '''Cirith Ungol''' is [[Sindarin]] for "Spider's cleft", from ''cirith'' ("cleft, pass") and ''ungol'' ("spider").<ref>''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]''</ref>
 +
''Cirith Ungol'' is [[Sindarin]] for "Spider's cleft", from ''cirith'' ("cleft, pass") and ''ungol'' ("spider").<ref>''[[The Complete Guide to Middle-earth]]''</ref>
  ⚫
== Portrayal in adaptations ==
  +
[[File:Cirith Ungol SoW.png|thumb|235x235px|Cirith Ungol as it appears in ''Middle-earth: Shadow of War'']]
   
  ⚫
=== Video games ===
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==Portrayal in adaptations==
  
  +
*In ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth]]'', the names "Cirith Ungol" and "[[Minas Morgul]]" are falsely used interchangeably to describe a single fortress.
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===Video Games===
  
   
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*In ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth]]'' videogame series the denominations Cirith Ungol and [[Minas Morgul]] are falsely used interchangeably to describe a single fortress.
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*In the ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game)|Return of the King ]]''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game)|video game]], the player may play as Sam who has to kill 80 Orcs and then may progress to the tower, to fight Gorbag and rescue Frodo.
  +
*Cirith Ungol is a playable region in ''[[Middle-earth: Shadow of War]], ''featuring the fortress of [https://shadowofwar.fandom.com/wiki/Ghâshgôr Ghâshgôr].
   
  +
==Translations==
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*In ''[[The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (video game)|Return of the King video game]]'', you may play as Sam who has to kill 80 Orcs and then may progress to the tower where you fight Gorbag and rescue Frodo.
  
  +
<div style="overflow:auto; height:300px; width:500px; float:left">
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<!--<div style="overflow:auto; height:200px;">-->
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{| class="itemtable" style="color:#6f3d0b; border:2px solid #FFF; border-top: 0; text-align:left; -moz-border-radius-bottomleft:8px; -moz-border-radius-bottomright:8px; -webkit-border-bottom-left-radius:8px; -webkit-border-bottom-right-radius:8px;" bgcolor="#edeeff"
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| width="300" |'''Foreign Language'''
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| width="300" |'''Translated name'''
  +
|-
  +
|Arabic
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|سيريث اونغول
  +
|-
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|Armenian
  +
|Կիրիտհ Օնգոլ
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|-
  +
|Belarusian Cyrillic
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|Кіріт Унгол
  +
|-
  +
|Bengali
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|সিরথ আনগোল
  +
|-
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|Bulgarian Cyrillic
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|Кирит Унгол
  +
|-
  +
|Catalan
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|Cirith Úngol
  +
|-
  +
|Chinese
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|西力斯昂哥
  +
|-
  +
|Georgian
  +
|კირით უნგოლის
  +
|-
  +
|Greek
  +
|Κιριθ Ονγολ
  +
|-
  +
|Gujarati
  +
|સિરિથ અનગોલ
  +
|-
  +
|Hebrew
  +
|קירית אונגול
  +
|-
  +
|Hindi
  +
|किरिथ उङोल
  +
|-
  +
|Japanese
  +
|シリスアンゴル
  +
|-
  +
|Kazakh
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|Кіріт Ұнгол (Cyrillic) Kirit Ungol (Latin)
  +
|-
  +
|Kannada
  +
|ಸಿರಿತ್ ಉಂಗೋಲ್
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|-
  +
|Korean
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|키리스 웅골
  +
|-
  +
|Kyrgyz Cyrillic
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|Кирит Унгол
  +
|-
  +
|Latvian
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|Kirit Ungola
  +
|-
  +
|Marathi
  +
|सर्थ अनगोल
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|-
  +
|Mongolian Cyrillic
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|Кирит Унгол
  +
|-
  +
|Nepalese
  +
|सर्क्रि अनगोल
  +
|-
  +
|Persian
  +
|کیریت آنگول
  +
|-
  +
|Russian
  +
|Кирит Унгол
  +
|-
  +
|Serbian
  +
|Кирит Унгол (Cyrillic) Kirit Ungol (Latin)
  +
|-
  +
|Sinhalese
  +
|සිරිල් අන්ගෝල්
  +
|-
  +
|Tamil
  +
|சிரித் அன்கோல்
  +
|-
  +
|Telugu
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|సిరిత్ అన్గోల్
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|-
  +
|Thai
  +
|คิริธอุงโกล
  +
|-
  +
|Ukrainian Cyrillic
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|Кіріт Унґол
  +
|-
  +
|Yiddish
  +
|כּיריטה ונגאָל
  +
|}
   
  +
</div>
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==See also==
  
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{{Clear}}
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*[[Nan Ungol]], far south of Cirith Ungol in a corner of Mordor
  
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==References==
  
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<references/>
  
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==External link==
  
−  
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*{{TGlink|Cirith Ungol}}
  
   
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== References ==
  +
<references />[[ca:Cirith Úngol]]
  ⚫
[[de:Cirith Ungol]]
 
[[es:Cirith Ungol]]
  
[[es:Cirith Ungol]]
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[[de:Cirith Ungol]]
  
 
[[fr:Cirith Ungol]]
  
[[fr:Cirith Ungol]]
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[[it:Cirith Ungol]]
 
[[pl:Cirith Ungol]]
  
[[pl:Cirith Ungol]]
  +
[[ru:Кирит Унгол]]
−  
 
[[Category:Sindarin words]]
  
[[Category:Sindarin words]]
 
[[Category:Passes]]
  
[[Category:Passes]]
 
[[Category:Mordor]]
  
[[Category:Mordor]]
  +
[[Category:Locations in Middle-earth: Shadow of War]]

Revision as of 14:22, 19 May 2020


"Its name was Cirith Ungol, a name of dreadful rumour."
—The Two Towers, "The Black Gate is Closed"

Cirith Ungol was a pass or cleft through the Ephel Dúath located near Minas Morgul. At its heart was an Orc stronghold, near the caves of Shelob's lair.

History

Under Gondor

Cirith Ungol passed through the western mountains of Mordor and paralleled the Morgul-road into Gondor to some degree. It was guarded by the Tower of Cirith Ungol, which was built by the Men of Gondor after the War of the Last Alliance was fought. It is not known whether the pass and the tower were called Cirith Ungol when the Men of Gondor held it, though it is likely since Shelob "...was there before Sauron, and before the first stone of Barad-dûr" was laid, and Cirith Ungol meant 'Spider's Cleft' in Sindarin.

The pass was reached by several sets of steep stairs leading from close by Minas Morgul along the north cliff-face of Morgul Vale and through a tunnel high in the mountains, with other steep stretches that lacked stairs. Eventually, the path ran straight into Shelob's lair, though many side-tunnels had been carved by Orcs and Men to get past her webs.[1][3][4]

1200px-Il Signore degli Anelli 285

The cleft as seen in Peter Jackson's third film

Under Sauron

Gondor occupied the tower guarding the pass until TA 1636 when the Great Plague killed much of Gondor's population. After the Plague, Gondor again occupied Cirith Ungol but they were eventually distracted by the Wainriders, and evil was allowed to return to Mordor. The tower was likely occupied by evil forces before Minas Ithil was besieged in TA 2000.

In the Quest of the Ring, Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee were led to this pass by Gollum to the lair of the ancient spider Shelob. At this time, there were also three-headed statues that "watched" the gateway into the keep of Cirith Ungol which could not be passed by mortals. Only through use of the Phial of Galadriel could the ring-bearer and his servant break these entities' will and enter.[5][6]

Etymology

Cirith Ungol is Sindarin for "Spider's cleft", from cirith ("cleft, pass") and ungol ("spider").[7]

Portrayal in adaptations

Cirith Ungol SoW

Cirith Ungol as it appears in Middle-earth: Shadow of War

Video games

Translations

Foreign Language Translated name
Arabic سيريث اونغول
Armenian Կիրիտհ Օնգոլ
Belarusian Cyrillic Кіріт Унгол
Bengali সিরথ আনগোল
Bulgarian Cyrillic Кирит Унгол
Catalan Cirith Úngol
Chinese 西力斯昂哥
Georgian კირით უნგოლის
Greek Κιριθ Ονγολ
Gujarati સિરિથ અનગોલ
Hebrew קירית אונגול
Hindi किरिथ उङोल
Japanese シリスアンゴル
Kazakh Кіріт Ұнгол (Cyrillic) Kirit Ungol (Latin)
Kannada ಸಿರಿತ್ ಉಂಗೋಲ್
Korean 키리스 웅골
Kyrgyz Cyrillic Кирит Унгол
Latvian Kirit Ungola
Marathi सर्थ अनगोल
Mongolian Cyrillic Кирит Унгол
Nepalese सर्क्रि अनगोल
Persian کیریت آنگول
Russian Кирит Унгол
Serbian Кирит Унгол (Cyrillic) Kirit Ungol (Latin)
Sinhalese සිරිල් අන්ගෝල්
Tamil சிரித் அன்கோல்
Telugu సిరిత్ అన్గోల్
Thai คิริธอุงโกล
Ukrainian Cyrillic Кіріт Унґол
Yiddish כּיריטה ונגאָל

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Atlas of Middle-earth, Regional Maps, "Mordor (and Adjacent Lands)"
  2. ↑ The Atlas of Middle-earth, Thematic Maps, "Languages"
  3. ↑ The Atlas of Middle-earth, The Lord of the Rings, "The Path of Cirith Ungol"
  4. ↑ The Atlas of Middle-earth, The Lord of the Rings, "The Tower of Cirith Ungol"
  5. ↑ The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, Book Four, Ch. VIII: "The Stairs of Cirith Ungol"
  6. ↑ The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, Book Four, Ch. IX: "Shelob's Lair"
  7. ↑ The Complete Guide to Middle-earth
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