S. Cirith Thoronath loc. “Eagles’ Cleft”
A pass through the mountains surrounding Gondolin, translated “Eagles’ Cleft” (S/243). This name is a combination of cirith “cleft, ravine” and the class plural of thoron “eagle” (SA/kir, thoron).
Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, this pass was called G. Cristhorn (LT2/191), a combination of G. cris(s) “cleft” and G. thorn “eagle” (GL/27, 73). In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, the name generally appeared as N. Cristhorn (SM/308, LR/142), but in the period Tolkien also considered various alternatives such as N. Cristhoron with N. thoron “eagle” (Ety/KIRIS), Cilthoron(dor) with N. cîl “cleft” (Ety/KIL) and in one place an early appearance of its later name Kirith-thoronath (SM/146).
The name was revised to Cirith Thoronath in the texts used for the published version of The Silmarillion, but the earlier form (Cristhorn) appeared in a late essay on Glorfindel (PM/379), so perhaps Tolkien had ongoing uncertainty about this name.
References ✧ LT2I/Cirith Thoronath, Cristhorn; PMI/Cristhorn; S/243; SA/kir, thoron; SI/Cirith Thoronath; SMI/Cristhorn, Kirith-thoronath
Glosses
Variations
Elements
| cirith | “cleft, ravine, defile” | ✧ SA/kir | |
| thoron | “eagle” | class-plural | ✧ SA/thoron (Thoronath) |
N. Cristhorn loc. “Eagle’s Cleft”
References ✧ Ety/KIRIS; EtyAC/KIR; LR/142, 405; LRI/Cristhorn, Cristhoron; PM/379; SM/145-146, 308; SMI/Cristhorn, Kirith-thoronath
Glosses
Variations
Related
Changes
Elements
| criss | “cleft, cut, slash; pass” | ✧ Ety/KIRIS; EtyAC/KIR (criss) |
| thoron | “eagle” | ✧ Ety/KIRIS |
ᴱN. Cristhorn loc. “Eagles’ Cleft”
References ✧ LB/142; LBI; SM/37
Glosses
G. Cristhorn loc. “Eagles’ Cleft”
References ✧ LT2/174, 191; LT2A/Cristhorn; LT2I; PE13/105; PE15/21; PMI
Glosses
Variations
Changes
Elements
| cris(s) | “cleft, gash, gully, ravine” | ✧ LT2A/Cris Ilbranteloth (criss); LT2A/Cris Ilbranteloth (criss); PE15/21 (Cris) |
| thorn | “eagle” | ✧ LT1A/Sorontur; LT1A/Sorontur |
Cognates