| History of Arda |
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| Timeline of Arda |
The Days before days were the first of the three great time periods in Arda. They were part of the Valian Years and began after the Ainulindalë, preceding the Years of the Trees. Before the creation of the Two Trees of Valinor there were 3500 Years of the Valar, or 33,537 solar years, in the history of Arda.[1]
History[]
First War[]
- Main article: First War
After the Ainulindalë, when the Valar came to Arda, they found it flat and entirely lifeless. Melkor also was among them, but he claimed Arda for himself alone. Manwë denied his claims, noticing that Arda was the labour of all the Ainur in equal measure. He called the many spirits, including Varda, to his own side from the deeps of Eä to fight Melkor, and thus the First War ravaged the world. It was the first time when Arda was marred by Melkor's evil. He undid or marred whatever the Valar made, demolishing mountains they created, raising up their valleys and spilling their seas, ever hindering their plans. For many centuries, the Dark Lord prevailed, but news of the war reached the farthest deeps of Eä, where the many other Ainur remained. Among these spirits was Tulkas, who finally descended to Arda in YV 1500. Hearing his mighty laughter, Melkor fled before his anger in fear and escaped beyond the Walls of Night. Thus the First War ended in favour of the Valar, and Tulkas was counted among them. [1][2]
"Tulkas fights Melkor", by Antonio Vinci
The Valar refashioned Arda for another four hundred Valian Years after the War, which lasted for 1500 Valian Years, and there was peace for a long time, since Melkor forsook Arda and brooded in the distant spaces beyond it for some time, holding a great hatred of Tulkas forever after. But still, there were many of his spies among the Maiar, who dwelt in Arda and admired Melkor's dark power and glory.[1][2]
Spring of Arda[]
- Main article: Spring of Arda
The initial shape of Arda, chosen by the Valar, was of a symmetrical continent. Needing luminance, the Valar found and collected the misty light veiled on the barren ground. The Valar concentrated this light into two large lamps, Illuin and Ormal. Then the Vala Aulë erected two great columns: one in the north, Helcar, and another in the south, Ringil. Varda filled them with light, and when Manwë blessed them, the world was lit by these Two Lamps, thus beginning the Spring of Arda, when the first living things started to grow and flourish, in YV 1900. Arda had peace for a long time and became filled with trees and herbs, beast and birds, and all the lands were green and blossom under the blessed radiance of the Lamps. The Valar dwelt in the middle of the world where the light of the Lamps mingled, at the island of Almaren amid the Great Lake.[1][2]
"Illuin: Lamp of the Valar", by Ted Nasmith
But Almaren was not the only kingdom built in this time: far to the north, the evil Maiarin spirits gathered, and Melkor entered Arda once again, unseen to the Valar. In secret, while the Valar rested from their labours, Melkor raised the vast Iron Mountains and built his fortress Utumno beneath them. While Manwë ordained a great feast, at which Tulkas fell asleep, Melkor assailed and destroyed the Two Lamps. Thus, the Spring came to an end, and Arda was again marred, because the Lamps' fall forever spoiled the perfect symmetry of its surface. Afterwards, four main continents were created: Aman in the far west, Middle-earth in the middle and far south, and Land of the Sun in the far east. The site of the northern Lamp later became the inland Sea of Helcar, of which Cuiviénen was a bay.
The Valar settled in their second kingdom, Valinor in the West and raised the Pelóri to protect it. In YV 3500, Yavanna created the Two Trees to light the western corner of Arda, beginning the new Valian count of time: the Years of the Trees.[1][2] The Spring of Arda lasted for 1600 Valian Years in total, or 15,331 solar years.[1]
Timeline[]
| Year | Events |
|---|---|
| YV 1 | After the Ainulindalë the Ainur enter Eä.
The First War of the Valar against Melkor begins. Arda is marred. |
| 1500 | Tulkas enters Arda, and Melkor flees, hiding in the Outer Darkness.
The First War ends. |
| 1900 | The Valar settle at Almaren and create the Two Lamps, Illuin and Ormal.
The Spring of Arda begins: the first plants and forests grow, and animals are awakened. |
| 3400 | Manwë ordains a great feast, at which Tulkas weds Nessa
Melkor passes over the Walls of the Night and returns to Arda, raising the Iron Mountains and delving Utumno. |
| 3450 | Melkor overthrows the Two Lamps, and Almaren is destroyed.
The Spring of Arda ends. Yavanna sets most living things into the Sleep. |
| 3500 | The Valar settle in Valinor in the West, raising the Pelóri. Melkor dominates Middle-earth.
Yavanna creates the Two Trees on Ezellohar to give a new light to Arda. The Years of the Trees begin. |
Translations[]
| Foreign Language | Translated name |
| Afrikaans | Dae voor dae |
| Armenian | Օրեր նախքան օրեր |
| Asturian | Díes antes de díes |
| Azerbaijani | Günlər əvvəl günlər |
| Bosnian | Dani prije dana |
| Bulgarian Cyrillic | Дни преди дни |
| Catalan | Dies abans de dies |
| Chinese | 古老的时代 |
| Croatian | Dani prije dana |
| Czech | Dny před dny |
| Danish | Dage før dage |
| Dari | روز ها قبل از روز ها |
| Dutch | Dagen vóór dagen |
| Esperanto | Tagoj antaŭ tagoj |
| Estonian | Päevad enne päevad |
| Faroese | Dagar áðrenn dagar |
| Filipino | Mga araw bago ang mga araw |
| Finnish | Päiviä ennen päiviä |
| French | Jours avant jours |
| Galician | Días antes de días |
| Georgian | დღეები დღეების წინ |
| German | Zeitalter vor den Tagen |
| Greek | Μέρες πριν από μέρες |
| Gujarati | દિવસો પહેલાના દિવસો |
| Hebrew | ימים לפני ימים |
| Hindi | दिन से पहले दिन |
| Hungarian | Napok napok előtt |
| Icelandic | Dagar fyrir dagar |
| Irish Gaelic | Laethanta roimh laethanta |
| Italian | Giorni prima di giorni |
| Japanese | 古代の日々 |
| Javanese | Dina-dina sakdurunge |
| Kannada | ದಿನಗಳು ದಿನಗಳ ಮೊದಲು |
| Kazakh | Күндер алдындағы күндер (Cyrillic) Künder aldındağı künder (Latin) |
| Korean | 고대 시대 |
| Kyrgyz Cyrillic | Байыркы күндөр |
| Latvian | Dienas pirms dienām |
| Lithuanian | Dienos prieš dienas |
| Macedonian Cyrillic | Денови пред денови |
| Malaysian | Hari-hari sebelum hari-hari |
| Maltese | Ġranet qabel jiem |
| Mongolian Cyrillic | Өдрүүд өмнө өдрүүд |
| Nepalese | दिनहरू अघिका दिनहरू |
| Norwegian | Dager før dager |
| Occitan | Jorns abans los jorns |
| Persian | روزها قبل از روزها |
| Polish | Dni przed dniami |
| Portuguese | Dias antes de dias |
| Punjabi | ਦਿਨ ਅੱਗੇ ਦਿਨ |
| Romanian | Cu zile înainte de zile |
| Russian | Дни прежде дней |
| Sardinian | Giornadas in antis de dies |
| Serbian | Дане пре дана (Cyrillic) Dane pre dana (Latin) |
| Sicilian | Giorni prima di giorni |
| Sinhalese | පුරාණ දවස් |
| Slovak | Dni pred dňami |
| Slovenian | Dnevi pred dnevi |
| Spanish | Días antes días |
| Swedish | Dagar innan dagar |
| Tajik Cyrillic | Рузхо пеш аз рузхо |
| Tamil | நாட்களுக்கு முன் நாட்கள் |
| Telugu | రోజుల ముందు రోజుల |
| Turkish | Günlerden önceki günler |
| Turkmen | Günlerden öňki günler |
| Ukrainian Cyrillic | Дні перед днями |
| Urdu | دنوں سے پہلے دن |
| Uzbek | Кунлар олдин кунлар (Cyrillic) Kunlar oldin kunlar (Latin) |
| Venetian | Giorni prima di giorni |
| Welsh | Dyddiau cyn dyddiau |
| Yiddish | טעג איידער טעג |
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 The History of Middle-earth, Vol. X: Morgoth's Ring, The Annals of Aman
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter I: "Of the Beginning of Days"