The Silmarillion: Ch.10. Of the Sindar

[Elanor Gamgee]

Of the Sindar
Brief summary of Chapter 10
This was the time when the Sindarin realm in Beleriand was founded and blossomed. Elwë Singollo had awoken after his long trance and together with Melian the Maia he gathered under their power all the Elves of Beleriand. Since the realm had been established Elwë became known as Elu Thingol (the King Greymantle); his subjects were his closest kin and friends who lived near him and Melian around and in the forest of Neldoreth, as well as the followers of Cirdan (the Falathrim; Cirdan himself acknowledged Thingol as his overlord) and the wondering hunters of the Blue Mountains. All these Elves were of Telerin origin, but as subjects of Thingol they became known as the Sindar, Grey elves.
The teaching of Melian brought great prosperity to her realm. Although the Sindar were, technically speaking, the Moriquendi (i.e. they never saw the light of the Two Trees), due to the teaching of Melian they became the most skilled and advanced in craft and knowledge of all the Elves of Middle-earth. Although Middle-earth still lay in the sleep of Yavanna, Melian brought life and prosperity to Thingol’s realm. Thingol himself was a lord of great power and knowledge and Tolkien compares him with a lord of the Maiar.
During this time Lúthien was born in the forest of Neldoreth. Also during this time the Dwarves crossed the Blue Mountains (Ered Luin) from the East and entered Beleriand, where they met the Sindar. As the text points out, from the beginning there was trade and collaboration between the two peoples, but the friendship with the Sindar was ever cool. The Dwarves informed Thingol of the dangers in the world around (Melian protected her realm with her power, even though the Girdle had not yet existed), and the royal couple decided that they would need a permanent dwelling. The cave palace of Menegroth (The Thousand Caves) was devised and built, with the help of the Dwarves and according to the designs of Melian. While it existed Menegroth remained the most beautiful of all the dwellings of the Elves east of the Sea.
During this period Daeron, the minstrel of Thingol, first of the Elves of Middle-earth devised the runes, Cirth. They were not much used by the Sindar but the Dwarves greatly appreciated them and kept using them throughout the history of Middle-earth.
As the time of captivity of Melkor was coming over, his servants, fell creatures and Orcs, started troubling Elves in Middle-earth. Because of these attacks (not yet very numerous) some of the Elves who had earlier forsaken the March and followed Lenwë back eastwards changed their minds, crossed the Misty Mountains and returned to Beleriand. Their chief was Denethor, son of Lenwë. Thingol welcomed them as kinsmen and they settled in Ossiriand. They acknowledged Thingol as their overlord but culturally remained people apart, different from the Sindar, and had a separate name, Laiquendi (Green elves), because of their green raiment.
Bearing in mind the warnings of the Laiquendi and the Dwarves, Thingol followed the advice of the Dwarves, bought armour and arms from them and armoured his people. This weapon he soon had to put to use.
Ungoliant came to Beleriand after her quarrel with Morgoth, but the power of Melian stopped her from entering the region of Neldoreth and she settled just south of Dorthonion; this region was since called Ered Gorgoroth, Mountains of Terror. Morgoth, upon returning to Angband, attacked the Elves. The Laiquendi suffered the greatest loss, and their leader, Denethor, was killed. The Elves mourned him so much as they never again took another king. Some of the Laiquendi since came to Doriath and mixed up with the Sindar.
The Thingol’s army was victorious; he finally aided both the Laiquendi and Cirdan’s people, but he realised that he was dealing with an extremely dangerous and powerful enemy. Melian, who possessed the foresight of the Maiar, also realised that they would need a better protection. Therefore Thingol assembled all his previously scattered people in one area in Neldoreth and Region, which Melian encircled by a magic protection wall, Girdle of Melian. Only a being whose power would exceed the power of Melian could come through the girdle against the will of Melian and Thingol. Since that time the region inside the girdle became known as Doriath, the Guarded Realm, and its people as Doriathrim.