3. Days of the Week
As noted above, the Eldar used a six-day week.
The Men of Númenor added a seventh day: Eärenya (Oraearon), "Sea-day," between Menelya and Valanya. They also altered the name of Aldúya to Aldëa (Orgaladh), to refer only to the White Tree. Hobbits used Westron translations of these names.
In all regions the last day of the week was the chief day, of holiday after noon and evening feasts, thus corresponding more nearly with modern Sunday.
In the Shire, and later also in Bree, an innovation concerning the days of the week was implemented in the time of Isengrim II, in 1083 S.R. From that time on Mid-year's Day (and the Overlithe) were given no weekday name; this meant that every year began on the First Day of the week (Sterday) and ended on the last day (Highday). Unfortunately, nothing is known that would enable us to determine the correspondence between particular dates and days of the week according to the King's or Steward's Reckoning.
[The information in this essay is largely from Appendix D in The Return of the King, pp. 384-390; further information on the reckoning of time before the Second Age was found in The Silmarillion, pp. 38-39, and The History of Middle-earth, vol. 4, The Shaping of Middle-earth, p. 312. Page numbers may vary by edition.]
Days of the Week among the Eldar:
| Quenya name | Sindarin name | Subject of the day's dedication |
| Elenya | Orgilion | the Stars |
| Anarya | Oranor | the Sun |
| Isilya | Orithil | the Moon |
| Aldúya | Orgaladhad | the Two Trees |
| Menelya | Ormenel | the Heavens |
| Valanya (or Tárion) | Orbelain (or Rodyn) | the Valar (or the Powers) |
The Men of Númenor added a seventh day: Eärenya (Oraearon), "Sea-day," between Menelya and Valanya. They also altered the name of Aldúya to Aldëa (Orgaladh), to refer only to the White Tree. Hobbits used Westron translations of these names.
Days of the Week among Men and Hobbits:
| Name in Gondor | Archaic Hobbit name | "Modern" Hobbit name | Modern Equivalent |
| Elenya | Sterrendei | Sterday | Monday |
| Anarya | Sunnendei | Sunday | Tuesday |
| Isilya | Monendei | Monday | Wednesday |
| Aldúya | Trewesdei | Trewsday | Thursday |
| Menelya | Hevenesdei | Hevensday (or Hensday) | Friday |
| Eärenya | Meresdei | Mersday | Saturday |
| Valanya (or Tárion) | Highdei | Highday | Sunday |
In all regions the last day of the week was the chief day, of holiday after noon and evening feasts, thus corresponding more nearly with modern Sunday.
In the Shire, and later also in Bree, an innovation concerning the days of the week was implemented in the time of Isengrim II, in 1083 S.R. From that time on Mid-year's Day (and the Overlithe) were given no weekday name; this meant that every year began on the First Day of the week (Sterday) and ended on the last day (Highday). Unfortunately, nothing is known that would enable us to determine the correspondence between particular dates and days of the week according to the King's or Steward's Reckoning.
[The information in this essay is largely from Appendix D in The Return of the King, pp. 384-390; further information on the reckoning of time before the Second Age was found in The Silmarillion, pp. 38-39, and The History of Middle-earth, vol. 4, The Shaping of Middle-earth, p. 312. Page numbers may vary by edition.]
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