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Arda

Arda is the Earth, the terrestrial world within Tolkien's legendarium. It is the world within the larger cosmos called Ea, created by Eru Ilúvatar and shaped by the Valar. In early myth, Arda was lighted by two great lamps, Illuin and Ormal; after Melkor's rebellion, the Lamps were removed, and long after the awakening of the Trees in Valinor, the Sun and Moon were given to illuminate Arda.

Geography: Arda comprises Aman, the Blessed Realm, to the west of Middle-earth; Middle-earth itself includes the

History and ages: Arda's history is told across the First Age (when the Elves first awoke and

Etymology and usage: "Arda" comes from Quenya and is used in Tolkien's works to denote the terrestrial

lands
of
Eriador,
Rhovanion,
Gondor,
and
Mordor.
The
western
seas
bound
the
known
world,
and
there
are
various
other
lands
and
seas
beyond.
fought
Morgoth),
the
Second
Age
(the
rise
and
fall
of
Númenor,
the
forging
of
the
Rings),
and
the
Third
Age
(the
events
of
The
Hobbit
and
The
Lord
of
the
Rings).
The
Elves
gradually
depart
to
Valinor,
and
Men
come
to
dominion
over
the
world;
the
end
of
the
Third
Age
marks
a
turning
point
in
Arda's
history,
with
the
waning
of
Elvish
presence
and
the
rise
of
the
dominion
of
Men.
realm
of
the
World,
distinct
from
Ea,
the
universe
as
a
whole.
The
term
is
widely
used
in
scholarly
and
fan
discussions
to
refer
specifically
to
the
World
that
contains
Middle-earth.