Ossiriand

Template:Location infobox**Ossiriand** (Sindarin IPA: Template:IPA) was a region of the eastern Beleriand. It was also known as the **Land of Seven Rivers**.

## Description

Ossiriand was the most eastern region of Beleriand during the First Age, lying between the Blue Mountains and the river Gelion. Along the northern shore of the Ascar ran the Dwarf-Road to Nogrod. The region was warm and gentle, with coniferous woodlands.

Seven rivers lay in the region of Ossiriand, and these are (from north to south):

1. River *Gelion*
2. River *Ascar* or *Rathlóriel*
3. River *Thalos*
4. River *Legolin*
5. River *Brilthor*
6. River *Duilwen*
7. River *Adurant*

## History

Ossiriand was a green and forested land, and it was not populated by the Sindar. In the early First Age before the rise of the Moon, a part of the Telerin elven people called Nandor entered Ossiriand under their leader King Denethor, and were given permission by Thingol to settle the lands.

After them the land was often renamed Lindon, for *The Singers*, after the old clan-name of the Telerin which the Nandor still used in their tongue. They became known as the Laiquendi, or Green-Elves.

The Elves of Ossiriand participated in the first battle of the Wars of Beleriand. After their leader Denethor was killed in an orc-raid they chose no more leaders, and many of them moved to Doriath.

After the Quest for the Silmaril, Beren and Lúthien lived their second lives in Dor Firn-i-Guinar on Tol Galen. In FA 470, their son Dior was born here. After the death of Thingol, Beren laid an attack against the Dwarves of Nogrod, leading an army of Nandorin Elves and Ents.

Ossiriand was the only part of Beleriand that survived the War of Wrath, but Belegaer the Great Sea broke through the mountain chain at the former riverbed of Ascar, creating the Gulf of Lhûn. In the Second Age and Third Age, the former lands of Ossiriand and Thargelion were known as **Lindon**, where Gil-galad the High King ruled.

## Etymology

The name **Ossiriand** means "Land of the Seven Rivers", from the Quenya *otso* ("seven"), Sindarin *sîr* ("river"), and  *-ian(d)*, which is commonly used in the names of regions or countries.

## Other versions of the legendarium

While conceiving a name, J.R.R. Tolkien had numerous choices for this land. He originally wrote Broseliand (which eventually led to Beleriand). The other names were Colodhinand, Ñoldorinan, Geleriand, Bladorinand, Belaurien, Arsiriand, Lassiriand, Ossiriand.

## References

1. ↑ *The Atlas of Middle-earth*, The First Age, The Elder Days, "Beleriand and the Lands to the North"
2. ↑ *The Atlas of Middle-earth*, Thematic Maps, "Vegetation"
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 *The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion*, Chapter X: "Of the Sindar"
4. ↑ *The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion*, Chapter XX: "Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad"
5. ↑ The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter XXII: "Of the Ruin of Doriath"
6. ↑ *The Silmarillion, Quenta Silmarillion*, Chapter XXIV: "Of the Voyage of Eärendil and the War of Wrath"
7. ↑ *The Silmarillion, Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age*
8. ↑ The History of Middle-earth, Vol. 5: The Lost Road and Other Writings, Part Three: "The Etymologies"
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 *The Silmarillion*, Appendix: Elements in Quenya and Sindarin names
10. ↑ *Parma Eldalamberon*, Words, Phrases and Passages in Various Tongues in *The Lord of the Rings* by J.R.R. Tolkien
11. ↑ *The History of Middle-earth*, Vol. 3: *The Lays of Beleriand*, III: "The Lay of Leithian"

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