The Encyclopedia of Arda - an interactive guide to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien
Dates
Established in the early days of Gondor, possibly before the end of the Second Age1
Location
The eastern shores of Nen Hithoel, above the Falls of Rauros
Origins
Used as the counterpart of the Hill of Sight, Amon Hen, by the ancient Gondorians
Race
Division
Culture
Other names

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 5 February 2025
  • Updates planned: 1

Hill of Hearing

A name for Amon Lhaw

A tall hill of the Emyn Muil, known in Elvish as Amon Lhaw, that stood on the eastern bank of Anduin at the southern end of Nen Hithoel. Its twin on the west bank was Amon Hen, the Hill of Sight, that had a seat at its summit that enhanced the powers of vision; the Hill of Hearing had a similar seat that presumably granted unusual powers of hearing, though it is never described in detail.

The seats on the Hills of Hearing and of Sight were placed there by the Kings of Gondor, and at the height of Gondor's power both hills were fortified. As Gondor waned, the power of Sauron grew, and by the time of the War of the Ring, the Hill of Hearing lay under his control. It was on the slopes of this hill that Frodo and Sam landed after they left the Company, and took their first steps into the domain of the Enemy.


Notes

1

We have no direct dating for the establishment of the Hill of Hearing and its counterpart, the Hill of Sight across the Great River to the west. Aragorn mentioned at one point that these hills were chosen as the Hills of Hearing and of Sight in the time of the great kings, but he was not specific about which great kings he has in mind. This would perhaps most naturally be taken as a reference back to Isildur and Anárion, joint Kings at the time of the founding of Gondor, but this is by no means certain. The great statues of the Argonath, close to the Hills of Hearing and Sight, were raised by King Rómendacil II much later in Gondor's history, in about the year III 1250, and it may be that the Hill of Hearing was also created at that later date.

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 5 February 2025
  • Updates planned: 1

For acknowledgements and references, see the Disclaimer & Bibliography page.

Original content © copyright Mark Fisher 2012, 2025. All rights reserved. For conditions of reuse, see the Site FAQ.

Website services kindly sponsored by Axiom Discovery aptitude and skill testing.
Personality is one part of understanding a candidate's suitability, but aptitudes and skills are also key.
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Hill of Hearing

A name for Amon Lhaw

Dates
Established in the early days of Gondor, possibly before the end of the Second Age1
Location
The eastern shores of Nen Hithoel, above the Falls of Rauros
Origins
Used as the counterpart of the Hill of Sight, Amon Hen, by the ancient Gondorians
Race
Division
Culture
Other names

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 5 February 2025
  • Updates planned: 1

Hill of Hearing

A name for Amon Lhaw

A tall hill of the Emyn Muil, known in Elvish as Amon Lhaw, that stood on the eastern bank of Anduin at the southern end of Nen Hithoel. Its twin on the west bank was Amon Hen, the Hill of Sight, that had a seat at its summit that enhanced the powers of vision; the Hill of Hearing had a similar seat that presumably granted unusual powers of hearing, though it is never described in detail.

The seats on the Hills of Hearing and of Sight were placed there by the Kings of Gondor, and at the height of Gondor's power both hills were fortified. As Gondor waned, the power of Sauron grew, and by the time of the War of the Ring, the Hill of Hearing lay under his control. It was on the slopes of this hill that Frodo and Sam landed after they left the Company, and took their first steps into the domain of the Enemy.


Notes

1

We have no direct dating for the establishment of the Hill of Hearing and its counterpart, the Hill of Sight across the Great River to the west. Aragorn mentioned at one point that these hills were chosen as the Hills of Hearing and of Sight in the time of the great kings, but he was not specific about which great kings he has in mind. This would perhaps most naturally be taken as a reference back to Isildur and Anárion, joint Kings at the time of the founding of Gondor, but this is by no means certain. The great statues of the Argonath, close to the Hills of Hearing and Sight, were raised by King Rómendacil II much later in Gondor's history, in about the year III 1250, and it may be that the Hill of Hearing was also created at that later date.

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 5 February 2025
  • Updates planned: 1

For acknowledgements and references, see the Disclaimer & Bibliography page.

Original content © copyright Mark Fisher 2012, 2025. All rights reserved. For conditions of reuse, see the Site FAQ.

Website services kindly sponsored by Axiom Discovery aptitude and skill testing.
Personality is one part of understanding a candidate's suitability, but aptitudes and skills are also key.