Girdle of Melian
The Girdle of Melian was the fence of enchantment set by Melian around the kingdom of Doriath, preventing anyone from entering without her or King Thingol's consent. It encompassed the forests of Neldoreth and Region, Nivrim west of the river Sirion, and Aelin-uial south of the river Aros.
The name of Doriath meant "Land of the Fence" or "Land of the Girdle". Accordingly, the Sindar who dwelt inside Doriath were called Iathrim, the "People of the Fence" (iâth meaning fence in Sindarin).
History
Upon the return of Morgoth from Valinor he sent his Orcs in a great army to assail King Thingol. Although the Elves defeated the eastern host of Orcs it was a costly victory (his ally, Denethor of Ossiriand, was killed with all his kin) and the western force of Orcs were successful in driving Círdan to the shores. Thingol therefore withdrew his people into Neldoreth and Region, and Melian used her power to encircle this dominion with an invisible wall of shadows and bewilderment. The land of Eglador was thereafter called Doriath, the guarded kingdom.
After years of outlawry in Dorthonion, in First Age 464, Beren passed through the Girdle of Melian, able to do so because (as Melian had foretold) his doom was greater than her power. After the Quest for the Silmaril Beren was in Doriath when the Girdle was again breached, this time by Carcharoth the Wolf, who penetrated the Girdle due to his fate and the power of the Silmaril he had swallowed.
Upon the death of King Thingol in First Age 503, Melian departed from Middle-earth and with her departure the Girdle vanished.
Other names
The Sindarin name for "Girdle of Melian" was Lest Melian, first written by Tolkien as List Melian.
Referencias
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