Welcome to The Encyclopedia of Arda

The Encyclopedia of Arda is a personal project - a tribute to and a celebration of the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. The site is evolving into an illustrated hypertext encyclopedia of Tolkien's realms and peoples. It already contains about four thousand entries, and we're constantly adding new entries and expanding existing ones.

Inside the encyclopedia

The Encyclopedia of Arda contains thousands of articles covering topics from J.R.R. Tolkien's world, some brief, some lengthy and some containing detailed essays and discussions.

You'll also find a selection of interactive tools, including a chronicle to help you explore Tolkien's fictional history, and calendar to translate dates and events, a lexicon of names, a glossary of old and rare words, and much more.

Context and approach

The content of the Encyclopedia is written in the same context as Tolkien himself used; he presented himself simply as a translator, rather than originator of the tales. Hence, we try to describe his world from a 'historical' rather than a literary perspective, though sometimes it's useful to explore ideas in their wider context. Where relevant, therefore, you'll also find a few references to Tolkien's life or opinions, or to real historical or mythological parallels to events in his universe.

About the name Arda

Arda was the name given by the Elves to their world and all it contained, and so 'Encyclopedia of Arda' seemed a peculiarly apt title for this project.

Special thanks

Thanks to all those who've e-mailed us over the years with their suggestions, corrections, ideas and just general support.

But the real Special Thanks, though, belong to the memory of J.R.R. Tolkien for his extraordinary and unparalleled creation.

For acknowledgements and references, see the Disclaimer & Bibliography page.

Website services kindly sponsored by Discus from Axiom Software Ltd.

Discus is a powerful, flexible DISC profile solution - find out much more in our free guide.

Latest entries and updates

Mountains of Gondor
The White Mountains
Haunted Pass
The northern entrance into the land of Mordor
Pillar of the Heavens
The hallowed central peak of Númenor
Men of the Anfalas
The people of Langstrand
Outsiders
Those from beyond the borders

Featured Entry

Hill of the Eye

Amon Hen, the Hill of Sight

A high hill that rose at the southern extent of the range known as Emyn Muil, on the western side of the Great River Anduin. It overlooked the wide lake of Nen Hithoel, where Anduin gathered its waters before plunging over the Falls of Rauros and continuing its southward course. The hill had bare and gentle slopes rising out of the woods that ran along the shores of the lake at its feet.

After the founding of Gondor, probably early in the history of that land, the Gondorians chose the hill to be the site of the Seat of Seeing, a place that granted a wide view over the northern ranges of their land. It was from this Seat of Seeing that the hill gained the name of the Hill of the Eye or the Hill of Sight, Amon Hen in Elvish. It had a counterpart across the Great River, rising in the eastern Emyn Muil, which was known as Amon Lhaw, the Hill of Hearing.