The approximate location of Evernight in the south of Aman (conjectural)3
The approximate location of Evernight in the south of Aman (conjectural)3
A dark, shadow-shrouded region, apparently at least partially covered by the ocean, that lay to the south of Valinor. Eärendil passed through Evernight, also called Night of Naught, on his epic journey into the West. The name only appears in Bilbo's "Song of Eärendil", making it hard to identify with certainty. From its context in the poem, though, it seems to be a reference to a southern area within, or connected to, the Shadowy Seas that formed part of the defences of Aman.
Notes
1 |
We have only the vaguest description of Evernight, so we cannot be sure where its boundaries lay. Hyarmentir was a peak that lay to the south of Valinor, which therefore places it in the same general region as Evernight, and so we might reasonably imagine it as lying within that area, though it is impossible to state this with certainty. |
2 |
The reason that Evernight was associated with endless darkness is not explained. It presumably lay eastward of the Mountains of Defence, and would therefore have been shadowed from the Light of the Trees during the time they shone in Valinor. That offers a possible explanation for the name's origins, though when Eärendil passed through this region the Trees were long gone and the Sun would have shone down on the land, so 'Evernight' seems an odd description. We know that Ungoliant had dwelt in the southern lands in ages past, and webbed the mountains in darkness, so perhaps this offers an alternative reading of the name's meaning. |
3 |
We have very little detail about the location of Evernight or Night of Naught, so this map is necessarily approximate. Tolkien's expanded index to The Lord of the Rings tells us that it lay far to the south of Valinor, and the "Song of Eärendil" describes Eärendil travelling over roaring waves as he passed through the region. So, Evernight must have been in the approximate area shown here, and at least partly covered by the ocean (if indeed it did not form a sea in its own right).
|
Indexes:
About this entry:
- Updated 24 December 2025
- This entry is complete
For acknowledgements and references, see the Disclaimer & Bibliography page.
Original content © copyright Mark Fisher 2005, 2019, 2025. All rights reserved. For conditions of reuse, see the Site FAQ.
Website services kindly sponsored by Axiom Discovery aptitude and skill testing.
Personality is one part of understanding a candidate's suitability for a role, but aptitude can also be crucial.