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Places in Middle-earth

Pass of Aglon

Type: Valleys, Caves, Tunnels

Region: Beleriand & North

Meaning: The Narrow Pass

Location: A steep defile between the Ered Gorgoroth, the southern edge of Dorthonion, on the northwest and the Hills of Maedhros on the southeast; the central one of three gateways into Beleriand from the North.

Description:

Between Himring and Dorthonion there was a pass, exceeding steep upon the west, and that was the Pass of Aglon, and was a gate unto Doriath; and a bitter wind blew ever through it from the north. But Celegorm and Curufin fortified Aglon and held it with great strength, and all the land of Himlad southward between the River Aros that rose in Dorthonion and his tributary Celon that came from Himring.

The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Ch 14, Of Beleriand and its Realms

Using the scale on the map from The Atlas of Middle-earth the Pass appears to be two to three miles wide.

The Atlas of Middle-earth, Revised Edition, by Karen Wynn Fonstad, Section 1, The First Age: Lands to the North

[The] scouts of Aglon had marked the riding of Maeglin and Aredhel to the Fords of Aros, and Curufin... came south from the Pass and encamped near the Fords.

The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Ch 16, Of Maeglin

[The Dagor Bragollach] had gone ill with the sons of FĂ«anor, and well nigh all the east marches were taken by assault. The Pass of Aglon was forced, though with great cost to the hosts of Morgoth; and Celegorm and Curufin being defeated fled south and west by the marches of Doriath....

The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Ch 18, Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin

The March of Maidros1 was no more.... The Gorge of Aglon was filled with Orcs, and the Hill of Himring was garrisoned by soldiers of Angband....

The War of the Jewels, HoME Vol 11, Part 1, The Grey Annals

[For] a while [Maedhros] closed once more the Pass of Aglon, so that the Orcs could not enter Beleriand by that road. But they... passed through Maglor's Gap....

The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Ch 18, Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin


Etymology
AK- narrow, confined. *akrā: Q arka narrow; N agr, agor. Cf. N Aglond, Aglon defile, pass between high walls, also as proper name; cf. lond, lonn path [lod]. Q aksa narrow path, ravine....

LOD- *londē narrow path, strait, pass: N lhonn (cf. Aglon); cf. N othlond, othlon paved way (ost city + lond). Q londe road (in sea), entrance to harbour, cf. Alqalonde1.

The Lost Road and Other Writings, HoME Vol 5, Part 3, The Etymologies


Notes
1This text is from one of Tolkien's early drafts; the name is an earlier version of the proper name as published in The Silmarillion.

Contributors:
Lyllyn 8Feb05
Elena Tiriel 12Dec09

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