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Location
To the south of Minas Tirith, on the border between South Ithilien and South Gondor
Race
This river ran between two lands occupied by Men
Source
The southern Ephel Dúath
Tributaries
None
Outflow
Into the Anduin just above that river's Mouths
Pronunciation
po'ros
Meaning
Perhaps 'boundary'1

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About this entry:

  • Updated 12 April 2015
  • Updates planned: 1

River Poros

The southern border-river of Ithilien

Map of the river Poros

Rivers of Gondor

A river that rose in Ephel Dúath on the borders of Mordor, and flowed westwards to meet the Anduin. This was the southernmost of Anduin's many tributaries, running into the Great River some miles above the wide delta of the Mouths of Anduin. Poros marked the border of Gondor proper with the old land of South Gondor.


Notes

1

In volume VIII of The History of Middle-earth, in chapter IV, The Second Map, is a list of the rivers of Gondor. Some of the rivers named in this list are followed by notes, which in some cases are clearly interpretations of the rivers' names (and in other cases clearly are not). Next to Poros is the word 'boundary', which appears to be meant as an interpretation of the name. This would certainly make sense, because the river marked the boundary between Gondor proper and Harondor to the south. Given the structure of the list, however, and the fact that many of its other names were later altered or abandoned, it's impossible to be sure whether Tolkien meant this as a final interpretation of the name Poros.

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 12 April 2015
  • Updates planned: 1

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