Well, we get a very Mideast/North African impression, I think, from Sam's POV description of the dead Southron in 'Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit' (The mumakil aren't a problem: think Hannibal, probably Tolkien's inspiration).
We get very little about the Easterlings (Rhunians? Rhunrim????), besides the fact that they were bearded and carried axes, which would also qualify Vikings and even Dwarves. But who else would they be calqued on, but the Slavic peoples from the East? They certainly don't appear to be Scythians/Sarmatians/Huns.
__________________
The entire plot of The Lord of the Rings could be said to turn on what Sauron didn’t know, and when he didn’t know it.
|