SilmGuide:
Chapter 14
Of Beleriand And Its Realms
The Map Of Beleriand
This is the fashion of the lands into which the Noldor came, in the north of the western regions of Middle-earth, in the ancient days...
Image Credits: “The Realms of the Noldor and the Sindar #1” by Sirielle
A TEXTUAL MAP
OK, so nothing really happens in this chapter. Instead, it’s something like a textual map of Beleriand. The map of Beleriand included with The Silmarillion makes the layout of Beleriand look very complex. However, a few quick notes on Beleriand’s major boundaries will help:
BELERIAND’S BOUNDARIES
North: Iron Mountains, the realm of Morgoth.
West: The Great Sea (Belegaer).
East: Blue Mountains (Ered Luin).
South: Beleriand extends far into the south, and it’s not really clear where it ends, nor does the action ever extend further south than Ossiriand.
KEY REALMS
Iron Mountains: The realm of Morgoth in the far north of Beleriand. This is not shown on the map of Beleriand in the book.
Hithlum: To the west of the Iron Mountains, this is the kingdom of Fingolfin and Fingon.
West Beleriand: West of the River Sirion, this is the realm of Finrod son of Finarfin. Also referred to as the realm of Nargothrond. Finrod’s realm also contains Cirdan’s realm.
East Beleriand: This vast land is broken up into kingdoms for Fëanor’s sons.
Doriath: The hidden kingdom of Thingol and Melian.
Ossiriand: The realm of the green elves.
GO DEEPER
Interested to learn more about Chapter 14 of The Silmarillion? Watch this video for a through discussion of the chapter’s contents.
