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Dates
The Tower of Cirith Ungol was built after the end of the War of the Last Alliance at the end of the Second Age1
Location
Running under the earth from the Tower of Cirith Ungol into Shelob's Lair, high in the Mountains of Shadow
Race
Orcs
Culture
Orcs of Mordor
Settlements
Associated with the Tower of Cirith Ungol
Important peaks
Part of the guard of the High Pass in the heights of Ephel Dúath, the Mountains of Shadow
Passes
Associated with Cirith Ungol, the High Pass

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 9 February 2025
  • Updates planned: 1

Under-way

An underground entrance to the Tower of Cirith Ungol

A hidden passage that ran beneath the Tower of Cirith Ungol in Ephel Dúath on the western borders of Mordor. It led down under the tower and issued into the twisted tunnels of Shelob's Lair. Given the danger from Shelob herself, the Orcs of the Tower had secured the entrance to the Under-way with a huge stone slab, and it was through this Undergate that they passed with Frodo's poisoned form on 13 March III 3019, leaving Sam Gamgee locked out by the great stone that they used to guard the way.


Notes

1

The Tower of Cirith Ungol was raised by the early Gondorians as part of their guard on Mordor at the end of the Second Age. We do not know whether it was these original builders who also created the Under-way that connected the Tower to Shelob's Lair. On balance, it seems rather more likely that the tunnel was installed by the Orcs after the Tower fell into the hands of the Enemy, some two millennia after the Tower was originally raised.

See also...

Undergate

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 9 February 2025
  • Updates planned: 1

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

Original content © copyright Mark Fisher 2011, 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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Under-way

An underground entrance to the Tower of Cirith Ungol

Dates
The Tower of Cirith Ungol was built after the end of the War of the Last Alliance at the end of the Second Age1
Location
Running under the earth from the Tower of Cirith Ungol into Shelob's Lair, high in the Mountains of Shadow
Race
Orcs
Culture
Orcs of Mordor
Settlements
Associated with the Tower of Cirith Ungol
Important peaks
Part of the guard of the High Pass in the heights of Ephel Dúath, the Mountains of Shadow
Passes
Associated with Cirith Ungol, the High Pass

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 9 February 2025
  • Updates planned: 1

Under-way

An underground entrance to the Tower of Cirith Ungol

A hidden passage that ran beneath the Tower of Cirith Ungol in Ephel Dúath on the western borders of Mordor. It led down under the tower and issued into the twisted tunnels of Shelob's Lair. Given the danger from Shelob herself, the Orcs of the Tower had secured the entrance to the Under-way with a huge stone slab, and it was through this Undergate that they passed with Frodo's poisoned form on 13 March III 3019, leaving Sam Gamgee locked out by the great stone that they used to guard the way.


Notes

1

The Tower of Cirith Ungol was raised by the early Gondorians as part of their guard on Mordor at the end of the Second Age. We do not know whether it was these original builders who also created the Under-way that connected the Tower to Shelob's Lair. On balance, it seems rather more likely that the tunnel was installed by the Orcs after the Tower fell into the hands of the Enemy, some two millennia after the Tower was originally raised.

See also...

Undergate

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 9 February 2025
  • Updates planned: 1

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

Original content © copyright Mark Fisher 2011, 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.