"J.R.R. Tolkien - The History of Middle-Earth - 00" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tolkien J.R.R)

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Chapter 3:
The Elven Peoples of Arda
The Avari
An early (and apparently rejected) tradition concerning the Avari states that their leaders were
Morw├л and Nurw├л. If the Noldor and Lindar who became Avari had leaders, Tolkien might have
revived the names of Morw├л and Nurw├л.

The Avari lived near Cuivi├лnen for a long time, but eventually they had to leave that land
because the War of Wrath changed Middle-earth. The inland sea of Helcar (which had been
formed in the destruction of the Northern Lamp, Illuin) was drained, leaving only a small portion
of itself which became the Sea of Rhun. The Nurnen may have been another corner of the
ancient waters which survived the tumults of the War of Wrath.

Yet some of the Avari had left Cuivi├лnen even before the end of the First Age of the Sun.
Tolkien writes that some Avari reached Beleriand before the Eldarin realms were destroyed. The
Edain had also met and befriended Avari in the eastern lands before they entered Beleriand,
according to the tale of B├лor and Finrod. Of course, there were also Nandor in the east, but their
numbers may at that time have been few, since Denethor had gathered as many of his people as
he could find when he led them to Beleriand.

The Avari mingled with the Nandor in the Vales of Anduin, Eriador, and Ossiriand, but only a
very few settled in Doriath successfully. They don't seem to have gotten on well with the Noldor.
Those of the Avari who were descended from the "second clan" thought their cousins of Aman
were arrogant.

When Oropher and Amdir (Malgalad) established their realms among the Silvan Elves in the
Vales of Anduin early in the Second Age (before the year 1000, when Sauron started building
the Barad-dur), they must have recognized the mixed heritage of the Elven folk they had chosen
to rule (why else select a new name for them?).

The Avari taught the Edain the rudiments of language and music, both skills the Elves had
developed before their great division. But they would have needed to develop or practice other
skills, for they needed to defend themselves in the wild and to feed and clothe themselves as
well.

As the Dwarves traded with the Nandor so they must also have traded with the Avari, and what
wars or adventures they engaged in were not recorded by Tolkien.

Tolkien never mentioned any kingdoms or "countries" which were wholly established by the
Avari, but one must always wonder what he imagined the land known as Dorwinion to be like. It
is mentioned in "Lay of Leithian", and it seems unlikely it could have been anything other than
an Elvish realm at that time.



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 Essays On Middle-earth