How many islands were there around northwestern middle-earth in the Third Age? I have looked in various HOME books and see islands called 'Himling' and 'Tol Fuin' and 'Tol Morwen' and stuff but don't see them mentioned in LOTR or the Hobbit or anything.
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Utúlie'n aurë! Aiya Eldalië ar Atanatári, utúlie'n aurë! Auta i lómë! Aurë entuluva!
Well, I think their existence isn't mentioned in the Hobbit or in LOTR simply because there is no need for the reader to know about their existence, they don't play an important part in the story. Tol Falas, however, is mentioned several times because events take place in that area. In the Silmarillion or the Unfinished Tales however, it is mentioned that these areas remained above sea level after the destruction of Beleriand because it is connected to the story.
For example Tol Fuin and Himling both appear on a map from The History of Middle-earth, vol. VII, The Treason of Isengard: "The Council of Elrond (1), "The First Map," and Map I
Tol Morwen doesn't appear on the map, but should probably be somewhere further west
The Islands of 'Himling' and Tol Fuin do not appear on any maps (that I'm aware of) published in first editions, and these details also are absent on the Pauline Baynes Map.
With respect to Tol Morwen: '... nor ever thrown down, not though the Sea should drown all the land. As indeed after befell, and still the Tol Morwen stands alone in the water beyond the new coasts that were made in the days of the wrath of the Valar. But Húrin does not lie there, for his doom drove him on, ...'JRRT The Wanderings of Húrin
-- Edited by Galin on Thursday 26th of March 2009 05:02:54 AM
Well, it is also said that mariners of Numenor and later of Arnor visited Tol Morwen in order to pay their respects to Turin Turambar who was buried there...that's the only time it is again mentioned that I can think of But of course, nothing is very certain about them, as Galin has shown
Well Tol Morwen we definately know exists in the Third Age becuase its mentioned in the Silmarillion. As for Himling/Himring and Tol Fuin I would generally say yes but could be proved otherwise. It appears that nothing is certain. Also I looked in the 'Maps of Arda' page and the big map of the Third Age middle-earth shows an island near the Gulf of Lune but its name is too small to read. Perhaps someone else could attemp it.
Himling got left off of the original published map for some reason. I couldn't find anything in Hammond and Scull's Reader's Companion as to what specifically happened at the time, but CJRT obviously knew about Himling from a map he published in The History of Middle-Earth series.
-- Edited by Galin on Thursday 26th of March 2009 05:11:47 AM
