Sundering of the Elves

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In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, the Elves are a sundered people. They awoke at Cuiviénen on the continent of Middle-earth (see: Awakening of the Elves), where they were divided into three tribes: the Minyar (the Firsts), the Tatyar (the Seconds) and the Nelyar (the Thirds). After some time, they were summoned by Oromë to live with the Valar in Aman. That summoning and the Great Journey that followed split the Elves into two main groups (and many minor ones), which were never fully reunited.

The name Quendi refers to all elves.

[edit] Avari

The Avari are Those who Refused the Summoning of Oromë, or simply The Unwilling. Half of the Avari came from the largest tribe, the Nelyar, but most of the Nelyar went on the journey.^[1] Half of the Tatyar remained as well. Together with the Nandor and the Sindar, they (Avari) are called the Moriquendi (Elves of Darkness) in recognition of the fact that they did not see the light of the Two Trees. While all of the Eldar departed Middle-earth by the early Fourth Age, it appears that the Avari mostly stayed.

[edit] Eldar

The Eldar are those who accepted the summons. Their name, literally Star People, was given to them by Oromë in their own language.

• All of the Minyar became the Vanyar (Fair Elves - referring to their golden-blonde hair).
• Half of the Tatyar became the Noldor (Deep Elves - referring to their wisdom).
• More than half of the Nelyar became the Teleri (Those who come last) or as they referred to themselves the Lindar (The Singers).
  • Those of the Teleri who refused to cross the Misty Mountains, and stayed in the valley of Anduin, are called the Nandor (Those [Elves] who turned back).
    • Those of the Nandor who later left the Anduin under the leadership of Denethor and came to Beleriand eventually crossing the Misty Mountains are called the Laiquendi in Quenya or Laegrim in Sindarin (Green Elves or Green People).
    • The other Nandor who stayed around Anduin became known as the Tawarwaith, living in the forests of Wilderland, also called the Silvan or Wood Elves. They were joined there by the Avari who eventually passed to the West.
  • Those of the Teleri who reached Beleriand by the Great Sea but chose not to cross to Aman were known first as the Eglath (The Forsaken), because they were left behind when their kindred crossed the Sea. Later they were called the Sindar (Grey Elves).
    • Many of the Teleri (Sindar) chose to remain behind in order to look for their lord Thingol, who disappeared near the end of the journey. These were later referred as the Iathrim (People of the Belt) referring to the magical 'Belt of Melian' that surrounded Doriath.
    • Those of the Teleri (Sindar) who came to the shores of the Great Sea but decided to stay there and whose leader was Círdan are called the Falathrim (People of the Shore).
    • Those of the Teleri (Sindar) who chose to remain behind and populated the northwestern portion of Beleriand around the Lake Mithrim were called - Mithrim (Grey People), giving their name to the region and the great lake there. Most of them later fused with the Noldor who returned to Middle-Earth especially those of Gondolin.
• The Vanyar, the Noldor, and those of the Teleri who reached Aman are called the Calaquendi (Elves of Light) because they saw the 'Two Trees'. The rest of the Teleri/Lindar (Sindar) are also sometimes counted among the Calaquendi.
  • Those Teleri (Lindar) who reached Aman were called Teleri of Alqualondë or Falmari (Sea Elves or Sea People).
  • Most of the Noldor returned with Fëanor to Middle-earth, and at least some of these remained there through the Third Age. These became known as the Exiles.
  • Those Noldor that remained behind or returned under Finarfin became known as the Aulendur (Servants of Aulë).

[edit] References