The Encyclopedia of Arda - an interactive guide to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien
Dates
Sauron existed for many thousands of years before the first rising of the Sun; he was banished 25 March III 3019 (endured at least 16,000 years, and probably much longer)
Race
Division
Location
Sauron was known was the Unnamed especially during the time he occupied Barad-dûr in Mordor
Meaning
Referring the Gondorians' unwillingness to use Sauron's name
Other names
Title of

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 5 February 2021
  • This entry is complete

The Unnamed

A description of Sauron used in Gondor

A title or epithet used of the Dark Lord Sauron, apparently to avoid using his true name or title. It was evidently considered bad fortune to utter the name Sauron, and so among his foes it was common to hear him described as the Nameless One or the Nameless Enemy, or simply the Unnamed. This custom seems to have held particularly strongly in Gondor, and all the examples we have of Sauron being described as 'the Unnamed' come from the Gondorian soldiers who made up the Rangers of Ithilien. Boromir evidently held the same suspicion of Sauron's name, and at the Council of Elrond he described the Dark Lord simply as 'him that we do not name' (The Fellowship of the Ring II 2, The Council of Elrond).


Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 5 February 2021
  • This entry is complete

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

Original content © copyright Mark Fisher 2016, 2021. All rights reserved. For conditions of reuse, see the Site FAQ.

Website services kindly sponsored by Discus from Axiom Software Ltd.
Discus helps you create a completely customised candidate experience for your DISC personality testing portal.
The Encyclopedia of Arda
The Encyclopedia of Arda
Menu
Homepage Search Latest Entries and Updates Random Entry