What Brought About the First Age?
As we’ve previously written about, what is known as the “First” Age in Tolkien’s chronology isn’t actually the beginning of time on Arda—the world had already existed for thousands and thousands of years. It’s named for the fact that it’s the first period of time the days were marked by a sun and moon. Previous eras of time on Arda were defined by their own major sources of light created by the powerful Valar in generations prior, first the great lamps of llluin and Ormal, and then, when they were destroyed, the trees Laurelin and Telperion, which we know will make some kind of appearance in Rings of Power.
When they were destroyed, some of Laurelin’s fruit and Telperion’s leaves were rescued, and given to the Maiar Arien and Tilion, who used them to create the actual sun and moon, respectively. Thus began the First Age of the Years of the Sun. But wait, which asshole’s going around destroying lamps and trees like it’s nobody’s business, you ask?
