cirith ninniach

place name. Rainbow Cleft

The pass that led Tuor to the sea, translated “Rainbow Cleft” (S/238). This name is a combination of cirith “cleft” and ninniach “rainbow”.

Conceptual Development: In the earliest Lost Tales, this pass was first called G. Cris a Teld Quing Ilon “Gully of the Rainbow Roof” (LT2A/Teld Quing Ilon), revised to G. Cris Ilbranteloth (same translation) in the narratives (LT2/150, 202). In Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, the name was changed again to N. Cris-Ilfing >> Cirith Helvin “Rainbow Cleft” (SM/141, 146). The name Cirith Ninniach emerged in Silmarillion revisions from the 1950s-60s (WJ/256, 299).

Cirith Ninniach

Cirith Ninniach

Cirith Ninniach means "Pass of the Slender Crossing" in Sindarin (from cirith = "cleft, pass", ninn = "slender", and iach = "ford, crossing"). An early (Gnomish) name for the pass was Glorfalc, the "Golden Cleft".

Cirith Ninniach

Pass of the Slender Crossing

Cirith Ninniach means "Pass of the Slender Crossing" in Sindarin (from cirith = "cleft, pass", ninn = "slender", and iach = "ford, crossing").