The Middle of What? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

alatar · 02-07-2008, 02:09 PM

It's well established that my youngest daughter is the center of the universe. Or that's at least what she believes to be true.

Studying some ancient writings this morning regarding geography, it dawned on me that I didn't know why Middle Earth was called 'Middle." Middle of what? Many cultures - and it's easy to see why - considered their main city or some important place to be the center, the middle, of everything. Just as with my daughter, in considering all of visible creation, a geocentric belief just makes sense...from a point of view. But what of Middle Earth?

Arda wasn't always the sphere that we know today. Before the Downfall of Númenor, Arda was presumably a flat plane, much like early human cultures believed of our earth. After that catastrophe, the straight roads were bent and Arda was changed into a sphere, presumably molded by Eru's hands like so much clay. Regardless, whether plane or sphere, much of the fun takes place within the confines of our much beloved Middle Earth.

Middle of what?

Assuming the name came from the plane, we have Aman to the West of Middle Earth, and for it to be truly middle, there would need to be something to the East. And that land is...

Assuming that the middle moniker isn't just a relic of the plane name, then Middle Earth is named why? Is it the middle world between heaven and hell, as again some ancient cultures considered? The middle of a sphere, to me, is within it - its center. The middle lands on a globe require a specific point of view; again, middle in relation to... Is it latitudinal - not too north, not too south?

Maybe the answer is right before my eyes, but I just can't see it.

02-07-2008, 02:09 PM	#1
alatar Doubting Dwimmerlaik Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Heaven's basement Posts: 2,466	The Middle of What? It's well established that my youngest daughter is the center of the universe. Or that's at least what she believes to be true. Studying some ancient writings this morning regarding geography, it dawned on me that I didn't know why Middle Earth was called 'Middle." Middle of what? Many cultures - and it's easy to see why - considered their main city or some important place to be the center, the middle, of everything. Just as with my daughter, in considering all of visible creation, a geocentric belief just makes sense...from a point of view. But what of Middle Earth? Arda wasn't always the sphere that we know today. Before the Downfall of Númenor, Arda was presumably a flat plane, much like early human cultures believed of our earth. After that catastrophe, the straight roads were bent and Arda was changed into a sphere, presumably molded by Eru's hands like so much clay. Regardless, whether plane or sphere, much of the fun takes place within the confines of our much beloved Middle Earth. Middle of what? Assuming the name came from the plane, we have Aman to the West of Middle Earth, and for it to be truly middle, there would need to be something to the East. And that land is... Assuming that the middle moniker isn't just a relic of the plane name, then Middle Earth is named why? Is it the middle world between heaven and hell, as again some ancient cultures considered? The middle of a sphere, to me, is within it - its center. The middle lands on a globe require a specific point of view; again, middle in relation to... Is it latitudinal - not too north, not too south? Maybe the answer is right before my eyes, but I just can't see it. __________________ There is naught that you can do, other than to resist, with hope or without it.