Faskala-númen

Faskala-númen, also known as Tanyasalpë, was a purifying bath of flame made by the Ainur in early stages of J.R.R. Tolkien's legendarium.The History of Middle-earth, Vol. I: The Book of Lost Tales Part One, chapter VIII: "The Tale of the Sun and Moon", pgs. 187, 192-3
==History==
At the time of the creation of the Sun, some of the Ainur built "a great bason" in the Plain of Valinor with mighty labor. It consisted of "walls of polished bronze", a floor of gold, and an encircling "arcade of golden pillars" which were each "topped with fires". The eastern side had no pillars.
After the creation of Faskala-númen, Yavanna "set a great and nameless spell around it, so that therein was poured the most of the waters of the fruit of the noon and it became a bath of fire". After which, when Arien guided the Sun there from the Gates of Morning in the east, "the first sunset" occurred over Valinor as the radiance of the Sun was refreshed in Faskala-númen.
In addition to refreshing the Sun, Faskala-númen also provided light to Valinor, but because of how deep the bason was, the light did not reach much further than that, causing a "ring of shadows" to surround Valinor.
After Arien volunteered to guide the Sun as she did before, she entered Faskala-númen with her maidens and the "golden foams went over their bodies", causing them to become "lucent" and shine "with an ardour within" as they climbed Taniquetil for the rising of the Sun.
Later, after the creation of the Moon, it was speculated by Silmo that he could not cleanse himself in Faskala-númen as Arien did because then the Moon would shrivel before him. Therefore, after his role was given to Tilion, the Lake Irtinsa was made as a counterpart to Faskala-númen.
Faskala-númen was used many times afterwards by Arien.The History of Middle-earth, Vol. I: The Book of Lost Tales Part One, chapter IX: "The Hiding of Valinor", pgs. 215
It is told that, after the spirits of Túrin and Niënor were rejected by Nienna and Námo, Húrin and Morwen prayed to Manwë, who ultimately allowed their children to enter into Faskala-númen to wash away all of their pain and sorrow before ascending to the ranks of the Valar.The History of Middle-earth, Vol. II: The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, chapter II: "Turambar and the Foalókë", pgs. 115-6
==Etymology==
Faskala-númen was an early Quenya name meaning "Bath of the Setting Sun", consisting of the word faskalan ("Bath") and the genitive form of númë ("West")The History of Middle-earth, Vol. I: The Book of Lost Tales Part One, Appendix: "Names in the Lost Tales – Part I", entry Númë. The name was originally spelled as Faskalanúmen or Faskalan.The History of Middle-earth, Vol. II: The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, chapter II: "Turambar and the Foalókë", Notes and Commentary, pg. 138
Tanyasalpë was an early Quenya name meaning "Bowl of Fire"The History of Middle-earth, Vol. I: The Book of Lost Tales Part One, "Index", (entry Tanyasalpë), consisting of the words tanya ("fire")Parma Eldalamberon 15, "Sí Qente Feanor and Other Elvish Writings", pg. 9 (note 6) and salpa ("bowl")The History of Middle-earth, Vol. I: The Book of Lost Tales Part One, Appendix: "Names in the Lost Tales – Part I", pgs. 266-7 (entry Tanyasalpë) under the root SLPL alongside sulp- ("lick"), salpa ("take a sup of"), and sulpa ("soup").
The Gnomish cognate of Faskala-númen was Fôs' Almir, meaning "bath of flame" or "Sun's bath", comprised of the words fôs ("bath")The History of Middle-earth, Vol. I: The Book of Lost Tales Part One, Appendix: "Names in the Lost Tales – Part I", pg. 253 (entry Faskala-númen, Faskalan) and galmir ("goldgleamer")The History of Middle-earth, Vol. II: The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, Appendix: "Names in the Lost Tales – Part II", entry Fôs' Almir
==In other versions==
Originally, Fôs' Almir was referred to as FauriThe History of Middle-earth, Vol. II: The Book of Lost Tales Part Two, chapter II: "Turambar and the Foalókë", Notes and Commentary, pg. 138, before this name was changed to Fôs na Ngalmir ("Sun's bath"). Then, the name was changed again to Fôs Aura ("Sun’s bath")The History of Middle-earth, Vol. I: The Book of Lost Tales Part One, Appendix: "Names in the Lost Tales – Part I", pgs. 254 (entry Aur), 271 (entry Ûr) before Fôs' Almir.
==References==
Category:Magical objects
Category:Precanonical objects
Category:Quenya names & words
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