The Encyclopedia of Arda - an interactive guide to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien
Dates
Occupied by Petty-dwarves before the Return of the Noldor and the first rising of the Moon and Sun
Location
West Beleriand, on the river Narog beneath the hills of Taur-en-Faroth
Race
Division
Settlements
The Elves' fortress of Nargothrond was made in the place where Nulukkizdîn had originally been delved
Important peaks
Made in the caverns beneath the High Faroth
Pronunciation
noolook-ki'zdeen
Settlements
A fortress later delved by Finrod in the same location was known as Nargothrond
Meaning
Uncertain1
Other names
The original texts prefer the spelling Nulukkhizdîn (replacing earlier Nulukhizidûn)

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About this entry:

  • Updated 14 May 2023
  • This entry is complete

Nulukkizdîn

A settlement of the Petty-dwarves

Map of Nulukkizdin
"...before the proud ones came from over the Sea, Dwarves delved the halls of Nulukkizdîn."
Words of Mîm
from Quenta Silmarillion 22
Of the Ruin of Doriath

A mansion of the Petty-dwarves, carved out of the rock beside the river Narog in West Beleriand. When the Noldor returned to Beleriand, the Dwarves lost their ancient home, and Finrod Felagund founded Nargothrond in its place. Centuries later, when Nargothrond in its turn had been overthrown, the last of the Petty-dwarves returned here to reclaim Nulukkizdîn. This was Mîm, the betrayer of Túrin, and he was slain among the ruins by Túrin's father Húrin.

Curiously, it seems that the name Nulukkizdîn given in The Silmarillion may not be as Tolkien intended. The original manuscripts give variations on the name 'Nulukhizidûn', and in volume XI of The History of Middle-earth Christopher Tolkien confirms that the published 'Nulukkizdîn' is, strictly speaking, a misspelling.


Notes

1

We are given no real clues to the meaning of the name Nulukkizdîn. One of its variant spellings is hyphenated, so we can be relatively sure that the name is composed of two words, nuluk and khizdîn, though the meanings of those words remain obscure. It is perhaps notable that khizdîn contains the pattern kh-z-d, which commonly means 'Dwarves', but is usually rendered as Khazâd. The name might therefore represent something as simple as 'dwelling of the Petty-dwarves', but it might equally have a different meaning altogether.

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 14 May 2023
  • This entry is complete

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