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Places in Middle-earth

Anduin

Type: Rivers & Lakes

Region: Other Middle-earth

Meaning: Long River

Other Names
Great River
River of Gondor
Langflood (among the Éothéod/Rohirrim)

Location: East of the Misty Mountains, from the River Langwell in the North, to the Bay of Belfalas.

Description: The Great River has its source in the Misty Mountains, where the Langwell river arises, and Ered Mithrin (Grey Mountains) where the Greylin arises; these two tributaries meet below the foothills to form the beginning of the Anduin. From there it flows south between Mirkwood and the Misty Mountains, joined by the Rhimdath (Rushdown) which drains the eastern slopes of the Misty Mountains.

The River continues past the Carrock and the Old Forest Road, and is joined by the Gladden (Ninglor). The Celebrant (Silverlode) meets the Anduin after forming the southern border of Lórien. From there the Great River winds its way past the Field of Celebrant to receive the Limlight which drains the northern part of Fangorn Forest and defines Rohan's nothern border. The Anduin flows through the Númenórean-made Gates of Argonath and then widens to form a lake - the Nen Hithoel, which contains the island Tol Brandir. The River next pours over the Rauros Falls.

Next the Snowbourn from the White Mountains flows through southern Rohan and continues into the larger Entwash (Onodló) which comes from the Misty Mountains via Fangorn Forest.

Below Minas Tirith the Erui is the eastern most river of Lebennin and is the next to flow into the Great River. The Sirith originates in the White Mountains, drains eastern Lebennin, and joins the Anduin at the port of Pelargir.

The Southernmost tributary is the River Poros, which begins in the Ephel Dúath bordering Mordor. This river comprises the southern border of Ithilien and joins the Anduin from the East. From here the river widens into a large delta at the Ethir Anduin (Mouth of the Anduin) and then drains into Belfalas Bay.

RotK, Appendix B, The Tale of Years
UT, Map- Inside cover.
The Treason of Isengard, HoMe VII, Ch 15, The First Map
Also two other sources:
The Atlas of Middle-earth, Karen Wynn Fonstad. Extremely useful resource for visualizing the Anduin, or any other part of JRR Tokien's creation.
Middle Earth Angling Guide

Quotations

The new land of the Éothéod lay north of Mirkwood.... Southward it extended to the confluence of the two short rivers that they named Greylin and Langwell. Greylin flowed down from Ered Mithrin, the Grey Mountains, but Langwell came from the Misty Mountains, and this name it bore because it was the source of Anduin, which from its junction with Greylin they called Langflood.

Unfinished Tales, Part 3, Ch 2, Cirion and Eorl and the Friendship of Gondor and Rohan: The Ride of Eorl

The Anduin could not be bridged * at any lower point [south of the Old Ford]; for a few miles below the Forest Road the land fell steeply and the river became very swift, until it reached the great basin of the Gladden Fields. Beyond the Fields it quickened again, and was then a great flood fed by many streams...

[* 'Bridged' is used in the sense of 'to cross' or 'to ford', not in the sense of 'to build a bridge'; a bridge had, in fact, been built over the Anduin in Osgiliath.]

Unfinished Tales, Part 3, Ch 1, The Disaster of the Gladden Fields: Notes, Note 14

Contributors: Moriel 5.10.03
Description added Lyllyn 5.15.03
added quotes: Elena Tiriel 17Jan04, 10Aug04, 1Dec04
added Name: ET 27Dec04

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