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Dates
The name 'Moria' was first used in around III 1980
The Balrog and Orcs that infested it were largely destroyed in the War of the Ring (III 3018 to III 3019), after which the name would likely have fallen out of use.
Location
The central regions of the Misty Mountains, to the northwest of Lórien
Race
Orcs, Trolls and one Balrog (Durin's Bane)
Pronunciation
mo'ria
Meaning
'Black (or Dark) Chasm'
Other Names
The Black Chasm, The Black Pit
Note
The name 'Moria' is often used as a synonym for Khazad-dûm. This is not strictly correct - 'Moria' was not used of the ancient Dwarf-city until after it was deserted by the Dwarves themselves - but by the late Third Age the two names had come to be used interchangeably.

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 3 October 2009
  • Updates planned: 1

Moria

The Black Chasm

Encyclopedia of Arda Timeline
Years of the TreesFirst AgeSecond AgeThird AgeFourth Age and Beyond
Map of Moria
Map showing Moria and its surroundings. Certain elements of this map are conjectural.1

The Black Chasm; the name given to Khazad-dûm after its desertion by the Dwarves, after which it became a dark and evil place.


Notes

1

The exact configuration of the Mountains of Moria is not shown on any map, so the relative positions shown here are derived from descriptions in The Lord of the Rings (though given the detail of those descriptions, there is little margin for error). In addition, though it seems inevitable that the Sirannon must have been a tributary of the Glanduin, it is not known precisely how the two rivers joined.

See also...

Angerthas Moria, Aragorn Elessar, Azog, Bain, Balin, Balrogs, Battle of Nanduhirion, Black Chasm, Black Pit, Book of Mazarbul, Bridge of Khazad-dûm, Cave-trolls, Chamber of Mazarbul, Chamber of Records, Dimrill Gate, [See the full list...]

For acknowledgements and references, see the Disclaimer & Bibliography page.

Original content © copyright Mark Fisher 1998, 2001, 2005, 2009. All rights reserved. For conditions of reuse, see the Site FAQ.