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Dates
Destroyed in the War of Wrath at the end of the First Age
Location
A river running south through West Beleriand, to the west of the Sirion
Source
A small range of hills some twenty-five miles south of the border of Nevrast
Outflow
Into Belegaer at Eglarest
Pronunciation
ne'nning
Meaning
Uncertain1

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About this entry:

  • Updated 27 July 2008
  • Updates planned: 2

River Nenning

The river that met the Sea at Eglarest

Encyclopedia of Arda Timeline
Years of the TreesFirst AgeSecond AgeThird AgeFourth Age and Beyond

A river of western Beleriand that rose in an isolated hilly region south of the Ered Wethrin, and flowed southwards to meet the sea at Eglarest, one of the two great Havens of the Falas. It was considered the border between Círdan's lands to the west, and the realm of Nargothrond to the east.


Notes

1

The nen- element of this river's name is definitely 'water', a very common element in Elvish river-names. The ending -ning is obscure, but perhaps derived from ninn, meaning 'slender, narrow'. If this conjecture is correct, then, the name Nenning meant 'narrow river'. This idea is supported by the fact that the Nenning was known to run through a ravine, at least towards its mouth.

In earlier texts of the Silmarillion, this river is known as the 'Eglor'. Tolkien first created the name 'Nenning' while writing The Lord of the Rings, where it was one of a sequence of proposed names for the river ultimately named the Celebrant or Silverlode.

See also...

Eglarest, Falathrim, Núath

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