Elves and Dunland

[The Mouth of Sauron]

After the defeat of Sauron, the returning hobbits, accompanied by Gandalf and Elves from Rivendell and Lorien, left Isengard on their way home, crossed the Isen and entered Dunland.

At that point Tolkien says that the Dunlendings hid themselves, "being afraid of Elvish folk, though few indeed ever came to their country".

That statement implies that some Elves must have visited Dunland from time to time, within the living memory of Dunlendings. Any ideas on who those Elves would be and what their business was ?

[Inziladun]

The most recent would seem to be Elladan and Elrohir. They probably would have passed through Dunland when they rode with the Dúnedain of the North to meet Aragorn in Rohan.
In fact, they were likely the first to be seen by the Dunlendings in living memory, as I can't conceive of a scenario which would bring Elves to the area prior to that. The Elves of Rivendell would have no business there; they used the High Pass and the Redhorn Gate to clear the Mountains when traveling to Lórien.

[Rumil]

How about the wandering companies like Gildor et al?

There were certainly plenty of elves wandering around Eriador, as Bilbo and Frodo sometimes met them in the woods of the Shire. Why not wander in Dunlending territory too?

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Rumil

How about the wandering companies like Gildor et al?

There were certainly plenty of elves wandering around Eriador, as Bilbo and Frodo sometimes met them in the woods of the Shire. Why not wander in Dunlending territory too?

Certainly a possibility, though I'd have thought they'd stick mainly to the northern parts, around the Road and all.

[Fordim Hedgethistle]

I find it interesting that the Dunlendings would be aware of the Elvish folk at all given that Elves are passing through the Shire all the time and nobody there seems to be aware of it. Perhaps the Dunlendings are more 'aware' than the hobbits (which would speak very much in their favour in contrast with the insular citizens of the Shire). I would argue that it's a more hopeful sign to see and then run away from than to be wilfully blind. But then again, I've never seen Elves myself, so what does that say about me...(?)

[The Might]

Indeed, Elladan and Elrohir makes sense since they had ridden as early as some months before the return journey through Dunland when they were part of the Grey Company coming to help Aragorn.

They probably remained close to the North-South-Road, but who knows, perhaps wandered off a bit into Dunland and would have thus been seen.

And of course they had often travelled into the Wild looking for Orcs, so perhaps they passed more often through Dunland.

[The Might]

Firstly, I very much like this question, it's this obscure, hidden kind of stuff that I most like within Tolkien's works.

After searching for an answer for some time now the only logical answer that I can give is that by saying "ever came to their country" Tolkien means Elves barely came to Dunland not just during the lifespan of the Dunlendings but ever since these people settled there in the first place.

This would make sense, since the ancestors of the Dunlendings, the Gwaithuirim who lived upon the Gwathló, surely must have known of the Elves living in Hollin back then.

As such, Elves wandering through the forests or on their way to Lórien around the Misty Mountains and not over the Redhorn Pass must have been encountered by the early Dunlendings, who perhaps feared them due to the perceived superiority of the Elves.

This knowledge would then have been passed down from generation to generation and would thus also be known in the form of myths by the late Third Age Dunlendings. They would then also fear the Elves and hide.

To me this makes sense since in M-e this often is the case - that old myths are still remembered by descendants. One example that comes to mind is the doubt of Eorl the Young concerning Lórien, also due to myths of that land being remembered within his culture as memories of when the Éothéod used to live in that area.

Then again, perhaps an easier answer exists...

[Ghazi]

Originally Posted by The Mouth of Sauron

That statement implies that some Elves must have visited Dunland from time to time, within the living memory of Dunlendings. Any ideas on who those Elves would be and what their business was ?

I don't remember much about it but there was a place called Lond Daer south of the Isen along the coast that was an elvish habitation, at least at some point. I don't recall if it was inhabited at the time of the events in LotR or not. If it was, it could have served as reason for elves travelling from Rivendell to cross Dunland.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Ghazi

I don't remember much about it but there was a place called Lond Daer south of the Isen along the coast that was an elvish habitation, at least at some point. I don't recall if it was inhabited at the time of the events in LotR or not. If it was, it could have served as reason for elves travelling from Rivendell to cross Dunland.

Lond Daer was relatively near Dunland, being almost due west of it, and northwest of the Isen, situated along the R. Gwathló. It was originally a Númenórean harbour, long deserted by the time of the War of the Ring. Though it was indeed within a reasonable striking distance from Dunland, I can't recall any mention of elves ever dwelling there.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

Lond Daer was relatively near Dunland, being almost due west of it, and northwest of the Isen, situated along the R. Gwathló. It was originally a Númenórean harbour, long deserted by the time of the War of the Ring. Though it was indeed within a reasonable striking distance from Dunland, I can't recall any mention of elves ever dwelling there.

No, there were no Elves there. It was a long deserted harbour, from the days of the great Númenoreans, and it had nothing to do with Elves at all. Maybe Ghazi had mixed it up with Edhellond in Gondor, which was the harbour from where Elves (Nimrodel among others) were leaving before it eventually too became abandoned and forgotten.

[Ghazi]

Originally Posted by Legate of Amon Lanc

...Maybe Ghazi had mixed it up with Edhellond in Gondor, which was the harbour from where Elves (Nimrodel among others) were leaving before it eventually too became abandoned and forgotten.

I had it confused with Dol Amroth. In UT, it is mentioned that Celeborn and Galadriel moved there for awhile before returning to Lorinand. Where is Edhellond on the map? Is it another name for Dol Amroth.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Ghazi

I had it confused with Dol Amroth. In UT, it is mentioned that Celeborn and Galadriel moved there for awhile before returning to Lorinand. Where is Edhellond on the map? Is it another name for Dol Amroth.

According to the UT index, Edhellond was "the 'Elf-haven' in Belfalas near the confluence of the rivers Morthond and Ringló, north of Dol Amroth."