Ephel Dúath.

The Mountains of Shadow.

The mountain-range in Middle-Earth ( in Third age. ) protecting the land of Mordor.

From the gate of Morannon in the north it runs 55 miles south-west facing the Noman-Lands, turns south 300 miles following Ithilien to the river Poros. Then bending south-east for a 100 miles down in Harondor where it turns east and continue 425 miles into Near Harad and the land of Khand.

In these mountains was built by the Gondorians the castles of Durthang in the north near the eastern arm of Isenmouthe, Minas Morgul (Minas Ithil.) close to the Crossroad ( some 7 miles ) in the Vale of Cirith Ungol and the Tower of Cirith Ungol at the inner side of the mountains facing the Plateau of Gorgoroth and the Teeth-Towers in the north guarding Cirith Gorgor.

At the inner side of the mountains ran Morgai along the mountain-range from Isenmouthe to the eastward out-trusted arm at the south-western corner of the Plateau of Gorgoroth.

Named rivers from these mountains were Morgulduin in the Vale of Cirith Ungol and Nargil in the southern mountains. High above the Vale of Cirith Ungol at the northern side a path went up to Torech Ungol.