- (See also Mordor, the dwelling place of Sauron in the southeast of Middle-earth. Mordor literally means "Dark Land".)
The Dark Land or South Land is a mysterious continent south of Middle-earth. No Elves or Dwarves lived there,
Tolkien's original map of Hyarmenor (the Dark Land) in relation to the rest of Middle-earth during the First Age.
but it is possible that wild Men may have lived there. The Númenóreans probably visited it on their long journeys, although it is not known if they established dwellings there. Most of the continent is covered by vast dense forests bordering much of its shorelines.[1]
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.
In the game Middle Earth Role Play by Iron Crown Enterprises, a Sindarin name for the Dark Land — Mórenorë ("Dark Land") — was given, although it does not appear in any of Tolkien's writings; the name Hyarmenor, "south-land" is given instead in Tolkien's works (The History of Middle-earth).
Behind the Scenes
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. However, the continent directly south of Gondor where Harad is located (possibly corresponding with the Sahara Desert, as they are similar in position) is closer in shape to Africa, as well as being the proper distance away from Middle-Earth (if Middle-Earth is taken to be Europe and Rhun is taken to be Asia).
Some fans have speculated that this land may have become the southern portion of the New Lands at the end of the Second Age (the Land of the Sun being the northern portion).
References
- ↑ The Atlas of Middle-earth Pgs 5 & 39
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Places of Middle-earth and Arda
Middle-earth Locations:
Provinces/Regions: Arnor | Dunland | Ettenmoors | Forochel | Forodwaith | Gondor | Harad | Ithilien | Khand | Lindon | Minhiriath | Mordor | Rhovanion | Rhûn | Rivendell | Rohan | The Shire Forests & Mountains: Amon Dîn | Amon Hen | Amon Lhaw | Caradhras | Emyn Muil | Erebor | Fangorn Forest | High Pass | Iron Hills | Lórien | Mirkwood | Mount Doom | Mount Gundabad | Old Forest | Orod-na-Thôn | Tower Hills | Weathertop Hill City/Fortifications: Angband | Barad-dûr | Bree | Caras Galadhon | Dol Guldur | Fornost Erain | Hornburg | Isengard | Minas Morgul | Minas Tirith | Last Homely House | Tower of Amon Sûl | Tower of Orthanc | Osgiliath | Umbar | Utumno Miscellaneous: Argonath | Astulat | Buckland | Cair Andros | Dagorlad | Dead Marshes | Enedwaith | Fords of Isen | Gap of Rohan | Grey Havens The rest of Arda:
Aman | Burnt Land of the Sun | Dark Land | Empty Lands | Neldoreth | New lands | Númenor | Tol Eressëa |