17, 20 May - Geography of Middle Earth, Day 1

Announcements:

Current Event > (if submitted)

Geography of Middle Earth

Physical Features:

Middle Earth (or Endor in Quenya - the language of the high elves) 
A continent in Tolkien's world (Arda) in which humans, elves, dwarves, hobbits, orcs, dragons, etc live.

Shire - British term for a division of land, much like a county, usually presided over by a single sheriff 

In Middle Earth, The Shire is the land in which Hobbits live. It is mostly pastoral countryside.

Downs - hill or hill fort

The Far Downs, North Downs and South Downs are part of and surround the Shire. 

Dale - a valley

We will see images of a city called Dale that is in a valley at the foot of the Lonely Mountain, to which the dwarves are journeying. Dale built on a lake.

Dell - a small valley, usually with trees

Tolkein uses this term as a part of names, like Rivendell (think "river valley", The Last Homely House, where Elrond resides). There are many waterfalls and trees in the hidden valley in which Rivendell lies. 

Wood - literally woods, or a forest

Mirkwood is a forest that Radagast lives in/near. Dol Guldur (the ruined castle where Radagast finds the Necromancer) is at the southern end of Mirkwood.

Other geographical features in Tolkien's world:

- The Lonely Mountain (Erebor) 

- Mount Doom (volcano), which is on the Plateau of Gorgoroth in Mordor
- Dead Marshes (Golem, Frodo and Sam travel through these to get to Mordor)
- Fords of Isen (where the Ring Wraiths are swept away by the river as Frodo tries to escape from them, near Rivendell)
- Bay of Belfalas

Middle Earth Map - Populated

6 Cultural Traits: Dwarves vs. Hobbits

Fill out the chart with aspects of dwarven and hobbit culture. We will use this chart to compare the two different kinds of culture.

Concerning Hobbits