Timeline of Arda

The History of Arda
Ainulindalë
Years of the Lamps
Years of the Trees
Years of the Sun
First Age
Second Age
Third Age
Fourth Age
Timeline of Arda

This article includes several timelines relating to J. R. R. Tolkien's fiction.

Contents
1 With Respect to Real Events

1.1 "Sixth and Seventh Ages"

2 Arda Events

2.1 Before the creation of Eä
2.2 Creation of Arda
2.3 c. 5000: Years of the Lamps
2.4 c. 10000: Years of the Trees
2.5 c. 30000: Years of the Sun

2.5.1 First Age
2.5.2 Second Age
2.5.3 Third Age
2.5.4 Fourth Age

3 Battles

3.1 First Age
3.2 Second Age
3.3 Third Age
3.4 End of the World

4 Other Timelines of Interest
5 Notes
6 See also
7 External Links

With Respect to Real Events

Tolkien has often mentioned that after the War of the Ring the ages went on and now we are likely in the beginning of the Seventh Age, a bridge that connects this fantasy to reality. This following section is a list of events related to this entire mythology.

"Sixth and Seventh Ages"

Spoiler warning: Plot or ending details follow.

Arda Events

Before the creation of the Sun few dates can be given, and those dates given are in Valinorean Years, which are about a century in length.

Before the creation of Eä

Creation of Arda

c. 5000: Years of the Lamps

endured 5 ages, or 15,000 years approx.

c. 10000: Years of the Trees

— endured six Ages

c. 30000: Years of the Sun

From this time on years are of normal length. Events from Valinor during the Years of the Sun cannot be accurately dated.

First Age

— 583 years long

Second Age

— 3441 years long

Third Age

— 3021 years long

Note on Shire Reckoning: Year 1601 of the Third Age, in which the Shire was founded, is year 1 of the Shire Reckoning. Thus, Third Age years can be converted into their Shire equivalents by deducting 1600.

- Fastred and Folcred, the twin sons of king Folcwine, were killed during the Battle of Crossings of Poros
- Fengel, 15th king of Rohan, dies. His son Thengel returns to Rohan to succeed him

Fourth Age

— length uncertain

In the reckoning of Gondor, the Fourth Age began on March 25, T.A. 3021. Since most of the following events were dated according to the Shire-reckoning, their years in the Fourth Age cannot be stated with certainty. Some events may have occurred in the following year of the Fourth Age.

Battles

First Age

See also Battles of Beleriand.

Second Age

Third Age

End of the World

Other Timelines of Interest

Notes

1Silmariën was definitely the eldest child of Tar-Elendil, and her birthdate is given several times as S.A. 521. In the Tale of Years, the entry of Silmariën's birthdate is given as 548, a date that goes back to the first drafts of that text (see Silmariën's article for details).

2In the Tale of years, it says in S.A. 2251 "Tar-Atanamir takes the sceptre", however, Atanamir died in 2221. 2221 is itself an emendation of 2251, and the former (2221) appears in the later tables, while the latter (2251) in the earlier tables: therefore 2251 (properly 2221) should have read "Death of Tar-Atanamir. Tar-Ancalimon takes the sceptre."

3In one table (probably an earlier draft) of the Kings of Gondor, Castamir's birthdate is given at T.A. 1159, however this is clearly impossible: Eldacar was born in 1255, and they are in the same generation, so 1259 is more correct.

4The date of Sam's birth in the genealogies is S.R. 1380 (equivelant to T.A. 2980), however the Tale of Years gives it as T.A. 2983, which is incorrect; in S.R. 1476, Sam is said to have been ninety-six years old, so 2980 is more correct than 2983.

5 Lalia (b. S.R. 1283) only appears in The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien. Pearl is the older sister of Pippin. See Took clan.

See also

External Links



J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium

Works published during his lifetime
The Hobbit | The Lord of the Rings | The Adventures of Tom Bombadil | The Road Goes Ever On

Posthumous publications
The Silmarillion | Unfinished Tales | The History of Middle-earth (12 volumes) | Bilbo's Last Song

Lists of Wikipedia articles about Middle-earth
by category | by name | writings | characters | peoples | rivers | realms | ages

See also: Timeline of Arda, 1892, 1914, 1919, 1924, 1931, 1937