Map of Arda...

[The Sixth Wizard]

I'm sure others of you have come across this map in your internet searches but here it is...

http://www.tolkienforums.com/first%20age%20Arda%20map.gif

It is also in the encyclopaedia of Arda by the way...

http://www.glyphweb.com/ARDA/

So does anyone but me have a problem with this map? I have one or two 'buts'.
For one thing, it's said that Orome moved the elves around the North of Helcar to get to Aman. Wouldn't it just be easier to go southward if these were the dimensions of the land? And I think Beleriand and Middle-Earth would be much larger, otherwise Men could settle just about anywhere in the 'Hither Lands' and Sauron would have basically limitless supply.

Another thing; three of the seven dwarf-civilisations were in Beleriand and Middle-Earth, whereas its said that the Seven Fathers of Dwarves were in 'far sundered places'.

I'm sure there are more objections, post here!

[The Might]

I personally am not sure of how accurate these maps really are...
As the EoA says directly under the map:



The map of Arda shown here is based on Maps IV and (especially) V reproduced by Christopher Tolkien in volume IV of The History of Middle-earth. These maps belong to an early phase of Tolkien's mythology, and in a few cases the nomenclature of the originals has been updated [...]
It's important to remember that the original maps on which this one is based predate the stories of the Third Age, and aren't entirely compatible with the later geography of Middle-earth. In particular, the relatively small northern continent would probably need to be rather larger than is shown here to accommodate all the lands that Tolkien later devised.


So, I doubt that we should consider these maps as correct and true to the story.

As for the Dwarves. The quote you gave comes from the Silmarillion and talks about Aule putting the Fathers of the Dwarves to sleep in "far sundered places"

The same idea is again mentioned in The Letters:

And he commanded Aule to lay the fathers of the Dwarves severally in deep places, each with his mate, save Dúrin the eldest who had none. There they should sleep long, until Ilúvatar bade them awake. ~ Letter #212
And even later on in their history there was a difference between them as far as the area they lived in is considered.
We know the Longbeards dwelt in Khazad-dum.
The Firebeards in Nogrod.
The Broadbeams in Belegost.
The Ironfists in the mountains in the east.
The Stiffbeards as well.
The Blacklocks were paired with the Stiffbeards, just like the Broadbeams with the Firebeards, which probably means that they lived in about the same area.
Finally the Stonefoots, were also said to dwell in the east.

There seems to be a pretty clear difference between those in the west and east.

[goldfinger]

The Longbeards dwelt in Khazad-dum, the Firebeards and Broadbeams in Nogrod and Belegost, and the other four houses were in the Orocarni (The mountains of the East) There's your answer.

[Thinlómien]

Also, that map looks like our globe to a troubling degree, just think that Northern ME is Europe and... :eek:

[Lalwendë]

The only truly accurate maps are the authorised ones in the books, though there are some good ones which are recommended. The estate keep an extremely tight control over maps and are known to swoop down on internet sites which publish unauthorised ones (which also suggests that as Encyclopedia are so well known that the estate aren't actually bothered by their version but oh well...). So anyway, if this one troubles you then just refer to one in the books instead. ;)