The Encyclopedia of Arda - an interactive guide to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien

Contents

Alphabetical index

Browse topics

Reference

Other editions

Tolkien news and resources

Sponsors and associates

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.

Original content © copyright Mark Fisher 1997-2024. All rights reserved. For conditions of reuse, see the Site FAQ.

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Latest entries and updates

Featured Entry

Haven-finder

Aldarion's flagship Hirilondë

Aldarion the King's Heir of Númenor was famed as a mariner and adventurer, and also as a ship-builder. He lived in the period when the Númenóreans were only beginning to explore Middle-earth, but he envisaged a time when their vessels would plough back and forth across the Great Sea, and he planned the first of the truly mighty ships of the Númenóreans.

Work began on the immense vessel in the shipyards of Rómenna in II 875. Its structure as so huge that, while it was being built, it gained the name of Turuphanto, the 'Wooden Whale'. After two years of work, the ship was ready to be launched, and Aldarion gave it the name of Hirilondë, the 'Haven-finder'. In the spring of II 877, the Haven-finder set out on its maiden voyage across the Great Sea to Middle-earth.

The Encyclopedia of Arda
The Encyclopedia of Arda