Ephel Dúath

Ephel Dúath
Type:	Mountain Range
Region:	The Plateau of Gorgoroth
Area:	Lhingris
Location:	[53.0S, 0.3E]

Location and Lore

The Ephel Dúath (Sindarin for Mountains of Shadow, literally Fence of Shadow) is a landmark within Lhingris in the Plateau of Gorgoroth.

Ephel Dúath (Sindarin) - the Mountains of Shadow - form the borders of Mordor on the west and south.

Pronunciation:

e'ffel doo'ath

Woods and Mountains

Bordering North Ithilien and South Ithilien of Gondor on the west, they swing east to form the southern border of Mordor, separating Mordor from the Harad lands to the south. They were breached midway by the Morgulduin, a river of Gondor, forming the pass of Cirith Ungol.

In the north-west corner of Mordor, the northern end of the Ephel Dúath forms one side of the pass of Cirith Gorgor. A narrow pass with sheer cliffs on either side where the two mountain ranges meet -- the Ephel Dúath coming up the west side of Mordor, and Ered Lithui across the north of Mordor -- across which the Morannon (Black Gate) was constructed by Sauron.

A pass in their middle, Cirith Ungol, the Morgul Vale, originally led from the Crossroads outside of Osgiliath to Minas Ithil.

Cirith Ungol is Sindarin for "Spider's cleft", from cirith ("cleft, pass") and ungol ("spider")

In their northern parts, the mountains had a series of ridges and hills on their eastern side, known as the Morgai.

A spur forms one side of the pass of Carach Angren (also called "the Isenmouthe") which encircles the valley of Udûn.

Maegond Spur

South of that, the Maegond Spur is the spur of mountains coming out from the Morgai (Ephel Duath), south of Orodruin.

The Maegond Spur forms part of the southern boundary of the Plateau of Gorgoroth. ^{[66.6S, 17.6E]}

Mithram Spur

On the opposite side of the valley, through which a road passes into the Gorgoroth region, is the Mithram Spur.

Together these two mountain spurs close off the Plateau of Gorgoroth from Nurn and Lithlad.