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

Contents

Alphabetical index

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Reference

Other editions

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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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Featured Entry

Hareth

The mother of Húrin and Huor

The daughter and youngest child of Halmir, and thus a direct descendant of Haldad of the family of the Lords of Brethil. Hareth was born while Haleth, who had led her People to Brethil, was still alive, but Haleth died when Hareth was just one year old. Thus Haleth's brother, Hareth's great-grandfather Haldar, became leader of the People of Haleth while Hareth was still a young child, and the lordship passed down his line.

There was friendship between the People of Haleth and the Men of the House of Hador who dwelt in Dor-lómin to the north. At a feast held between the two peoples, Hareth was given in marriage to Galdor, son of the hero Hador Lórindol, while her brother Haldir wedded Hador's daughter Glóredhel. Hareth and Galdor had two sons, Húrin the elder and Huor the younger, who were raised in their mother's homeland of Brethil as was customary among the Edain. Through these sons and their own descendants, Hareth would be an ancestor of some of the greatest heroes of the First Age. Of the two, Húrin was most like Hareth's short and sturdy people, while Huor - three years his junior - grew tall like the people of his father Galdor.

The Encyclopedia of Arda
The Encyclopedia of Arda