The Encyclopedia of Arda - Ephel Dúath (original) (raw)

Location A mountain range running along the western and southern borders of Mordor Settlements Sources Morgulduin, Poros, and several lesser streams flowed westward out of these mountains; two other unnamed rivers rose in the range and flowed into the Sea of Núrnen in the interior of Mordor Passes Pronunciation e'ffel doo'ath Meaning Other names Indexes: Alphabetical: E Hills and Mountains About this entry: Updated 9 August 2013 Updates planned: 1 The Mountains of Shadow on the borders of Mordor Map of the Ephel Dúath The western mountain-fence of Mordor, lying between it and its ancient enemy Gondor, in which stood the tower of Minas Morgul. Notes 1 The Elvish names of mountain ranges typically contain the word ered, the plural of orod, 'mountain' (as in Ered Gorgoroth, Ered Lithui, Ered Luin, and many other examples). The ephel in Ephel Dúath literally means 'outer fence' (as opposed to the inner 'fence' of the Morgai, presumably). This use of the word for a mountain range is unique, but it does also appear with a more literal meaning in Ephel Brandir, the name of the stockade on Amon Obel in Brethil. 2 To confuse matters, the Ephel Dúath weren't the only Mountains of Shadow or Shadowy Mountains in Middle-earth. These names was also applied to the far northern range known in Elvish as Ered Wethrin, though those northern mountains had been lost beneath the Sea at the end of the First Age. See also... Adrahil, Amon Amarth, Ash Mountains, Black Gates, Briar, Carach Angren, Cirith Dúath, Cirith Gorgor, Cirith Ungol, Dead Tree, Durthang, East-borders, East-mountains, Gollum, Gondorians, [See the full list...]Great Signal, Haunted Pass, High Pass, Imlad Morgul, Isildur, Ithil, Lord of the Black Land, Lord of the Nazgûl, Midges, Moontower, Mordor, Morgai, Morgul Pass, Morgul Vale, Morgul Valley, Morgul-road, Morgul-way, Mountains of Shadow, Nameless Pass, North Ithilien, North Road of Ithilien, Palantíri, Plateau of Gorgoroth, River Anduin, River Poros, Sea of Núrnen, Shadowy Mountains, Shagrat, Southward Road, Spiders, Stones of Gondor, Straight Stair, The Dawnless Day, The Great, Torech Ungol, Tower of Cirith Ungol, Towers of the Teeth, Udûn, Under-way, Valley of Living Death, Valley of the Wraiths, War of the Last Alliance, Watch-towers of the Morannon, Winding Stair, Window on the West, Wraith-road Indexes: Alphabetical: E Hills and Mountains About this entry: Updated 9 August 2013 Updates planned: 1 For acknowledgements and references, see the Disclaimer & Bibliography page. Original content © copyright Mark Fisher 1998, 2001, 2004, 2013. All rights reserved. For conditions of reuse, see the Site FAQ. Website services kindly sponsored by Discus from Axiom Software Ltd.Discus DISC reports provide a rich and accessible view of any individual's working style.