— Ch. 1 · Names And Meanings —
Lothlórien.
~5 min read · Ch. 1 of 7
The forest held many names, each reflecting a different people's perception of the place. The Nandorin name Lindórinand meant Valley of the Land of the Singers. Later speakers called it Lórinand, which translated to Valley of Gold after the mallorn trees arrived. Sindarin speakers used Laurelindórenan for the Valley of Singing Gold. By the Third Age, the common name became Lothlórien, meaning The Dreamflower. A shortened form appeared as Lórien, matching the Gardens of Lórien in Aman. Rohirrim speakers called it Dwimordene, derived from Old English words for illusion and valley. The Common Speech simply referred to it as The Golden Wood.
Historical Development
Early in the First Age, some Eldar left the Great March to Valinor and settled east of the Misty Mountains. These elves became known as the Nandor and later as the Silvan Elves. Galadriel made contact with an existing Nandorin realm called Lindórinand. She planted golden mallorn trees there that Gil-galad had received as a gift from Tar-Aldarion. The culture and knowledge of the Silvan elves enriched by the arrival of Sindarin Elves from west of the Misty Mountains. Among these arrivals was Amdír, who became their first lord. Galadriel and Celeborn fled the destruction of Eregion during the War of the Elves and Sauron. In the Third Age, Amroth went south with his beloved Nimrodel but drowned in the Bay of Belfalas after she went missing. Control of Lothlórien passed to Galadriel and Celeborn. Galadriel's Ring of Power preserved the land from death and decay. As the War of the Ring loomed, the Company of the Ring emerged from Moria and entered the forest. They spent roughly a month in Lothlórien before leaving for their quest. After the fall of Sauron, Galadriel and Celeborn rid Dol Guldur of influence. Galadriel left for Valinor at the beginning of the Fourth Age. By the time Queen Arwen died, Lothlórien itself was deserted.