Belegaer

The Sundering Seas.

Great Sea.

Created by Ilúvatar.

The great sea covering most of the western world from the north-pole to the south-pole. During the ages the coastline has changed several times.

In the old days and to the end of the First age the sea reached as far north as Helcaraxë. down the lands east it washed the shores of Lammoth, Newrast, Falas, Arvernien at the Bay of Balar where the Mouth of Sirion was, the south cap of East Beleriand, with Taur-im-Duinath, into the Great Gulf (Later the Bay of Belfalas.) and the shores of Enedwaith, Minhiriath, Drúwaith Iaur and the later realm of Gondor. Further south came Haradwaith and the west shores of the Hither Lands.

From Helcaraxë and down the western shores the lands was called Oiomurë, Haerast and the Wastes of Araman outside the Pelóri and northern Aman, the Bay of Eldamar in the area of the sea called Shadowy Seas and furthest south Avathar. The islands were the Twilit isles and Tol-Eressëa in the Shadowy Seas, the Isle of Balar in the Bay of Balar and Tolfalas in the Bay of Belfalas.

In the Valian Year 3450 in the end of the Days before Days a strait was made at the eastward turn of the southern cap of the Hither Lands. That strait lead into the Inner Seas.

At the end of the First age after the War of Wrath to the end of the Second age, Helcaraxë and most of the Lands to the North, Beleriand and western Ered Engrin and northern Ered Luin disappeared under the great wave and Belegaer. Only Tol Morwen, Himring, Tol Fuin and a small area of Ossiriand was still above the water. Huge parts of Enedwaith, Minhiriath and Drúwaith Iaur disappeared as well.

The sea now continued around the north of Middle-earth and was connected with the East Sea at the other side. Belegaer had broken in and made the Icebay of Forochel and the Gulf of Lhun and the remnants of Ered Engrin is seen as the Mountains of Angmar, Ered Mithrim and the Northern Orocarni. The remnants of Dor Daedeloth became Forodwaith. But a new land was raised as well, the isle of Númenor northwest of the Shadowy Seas.

At the end of the Second age Númenor in its pride and envy attacked the Powers of the West and Aman and once more the world was reshaped, Númenor vanished and the world was made round.

Related Links.: Misc.: Reckoning of years. Battles.: Fall of Númenor. War of Wrath.