Carnen

The Carnen flowed from its source in the Iron Hills about 250 miles to the south until it flowed into the Celduin, which flowed into the Sea of Rhûn.

It roughly formed the border between the "The North" (the northwestern region of Middle-earth) and the vast "East" (the area called Rhûn).

Between the time when Thráin I founded the dwarf-kingdom in the Lonely Mountain (in Third Age 1999) and the arrival of Smaug (in Third Age 2770) the Northmen living between the Celduin and Carnen grew strong and repelled all enemies from the East. It is possible that this military success was the result of the acquisition of weapons and armour from the Dwarves of Erebor. The area became depopulated after the arrival of the dragon but again filled with Northmen after Smaug's demise.

For a long time Easterlings, which were allied with Sauron threatened the borders of the Kingdom of Dale. On 14 March Third Age 3019, during the War of the Ring an army of these Easterlings host of Sauron crossed the Carnen and drove the forces of King Brand back to Dale. A great battle between the army of the Easterlings and the army of King Brand and their allies the Dwarves of Erebor lasted for three days at the feet of the Erebor. On 17 March Third Age 3019, the Easterlings defeated their opponents and killed King Brand and King Dáin Ironfoot. The surviving men of Dale and Dwarves retreated into the Lonely Mountain and were besieged by the Easterlings. The Easterlings were distressed when they received news that Sauron's army had been defeated in the south. On 27 March Third Age 3019, the defenders of the Lonely Mountain attacked and defeated the Easterlings. The surviving Easterlings feld back to the East and did no longer trouble Dale.

Carnen is a Sindarin name, which means "Redwater". Paul Strack suggests that it is a combination of caran ("red") and nen ("water").

It is possible that the river received its name, because the riverbed consisted of sediments, which contained iron from the Iron hills which gave the river a rusty reddish colour.

2018: The Lord of the Rings Online:

The origins of river Carnen can be found in the Ironfold region. It begins as six streams flowing into the Iron Hills from the nearby mountains, all shallow and rust-brown in colour. Across the Iron Hills, the streams eventually join into a single river, which then plummets down through several waterfalls into the area called "the Barding-lands", clearing it of sediment before it flows further to the south.

1. Esta ficha se ha importado inicialmente de TolkienGateway.net el día 08/06/2026.