tavrobel

place name. Tavrobel

Village in Tol Eressea where Ælfwine record the tales of the Elves in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s (SM/263), an idea that disappeared from later versions of the Silmarillion. In The Etymologies, it was given as a combination of tavor “woodpecker” and the lenited form of gobel “village” (Ety/PEL(ES), TAM).

Conceptual Development: This village G. Tavrobel appeared in the earliest Lost Tales, though it was the earlier character Eriol who did the recording rather than Ælfwine (LT1/25). At this stage the name translated “Wood Home” and was a combination of tavros “forest” and the lenited form of pel “village” (GL/64, 69) and sometimes appeared in the variant form G. Tavrost (LT2/292). In The Etymologies of the 1930s, it was reinterpreted as noted above. In its final mention in Silmarillion drafts from the 1930s, it was written Tathrobel (LR/203); this last form might be Old English (SM/282 note #3).

This name was also used as an early name of Ephel Brandir (LR/412-3, WJ/157).

Changes

• Tavrobel → Tathrobel ✧ LR/203
• Tavrobel → Bar Haleth ✧ WJ/157

Elements

Word	Gloss
tavor	“woodpecker, knocker, woodpecker, knocker; [G.] wood fay”
gobel	“walled house or village, town”

Variations

• Tathrobel ✧ LR/203; LRI/Tavrobel