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Dates
Destroyed in the War of Wrath at the end of the First Age
Location
The central parts of Beleriand, flowing for the most part through Doriath
Source
Two streams flowing south out of the Ered Gorgoroth
Tributaries
None
Outflow
Into the Sirion on Doriath's western borders
Pronunciation
esga'ldooin
Meaning
'hidden river'1

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About this entry:

  • Updated 22 April 2001
  • Updates planned: 3

River Esgalduin

The river that flowed through Doriath

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Years of the Trees First Age Second Age Third Age Fourth Age and Beyond

A major tributary of the Sirion, which rose in the dark heights of the Ered Gorgoroth, and flowed southwestward to meet the Sirion on the western borders of Doriath. It marked the boundary between the forests of Neldoreth and Region.


Notes

1

In his Appendix to The Silmarillion, Christopher Tolkien explains the element esgal- as 'screen, hiding', but doesn't explain why this would apply to the Esgalduin. It would be natural to associate the name with Doriath's being known as the 'Hidden Kingdom', but in fact this does not seem to be correct. Actually, the Esgalduin seems to have taken its name from the dense forests it ran through, whose branches and leaves veiled the river from sight. This interpretation comes from The Etymologies (The History of Middle-earth Volume 5, The Lost Road and Other Writings III).

See also...

Dor Dínen, Doriath, Forest of Neldoreth, Forest of Region, Hunting of the Wolf, Iant Iaur, Menegroth, Silent Land, Thousand Caves, Woodwose

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