Middle Earth topography

[Eowyn Cwper]

I had a hard time believing that Middle Earth had almost never been done in topography. That's a huge incentive to give it a try myself!

WIP:
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[Eowyn Cwper]

Me: should I start by the higher layers or the lower ones?
Mountains: do us first, we're prettier when you start with us!
Rivers: well, we are prettier when done first.
Me: okay, you know what? What about starting from both ends?

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[Redrobes]

Thats a good start and I think starting at both ends is also a good idea. In fact you kinda have to do the bits that have been specified in the books and Thrors map first because they define the landscape.

One of the really really hard things to do about this particular map is that Tolkien himself said that he didn't incorporate a lot of real geography into it. So getting Anduin to flow over the whole thing and keeping all of the rivers where he specified them and keeping all of the mountains and hills where he specified them and having them play nice together is quite hard. There is supposed to be a big drop in height at the falls of Rauros but the landscape there looks rather flat.

So its interesting so see your take on it and good luck having a go. Some people have had a go at getting the height map of Middle Earth and there is a map on the guild here with it if you can find it !

[Eowyn Cwper]

Thanks Redrobes! I'd be curious to see that map! I'm using this one as reference; it's not bad but it has its defaults (the first altitude layer is practically unused, the rivers follow altitude curves sometimes and the Anduin flows upwards from the Emyn Muil).

I have a version of the LotR books with topographic maps of the Osgiliath and Minas Tirith region but I couldn't find them onl--- Oh, I just found it, actually.

All in all, any material to help increase the faithfulness of my map to Tolkien's vision is appreciated!

[Kellerica]

I don't think I've seen Middle-Earth done in topographic style either, so I'm interested to see where you take this.

[Redrobes]

We have a zoomy map of that one to be found here:
https://www.cartographersguild.com/l...php?type=medem

...any material to help increase the faithfulness of my map to Tolkien's vision is appreciated !

Well thats the rub of it all really. Aside from Thrors map plus the text in the book and the occasional extra text in his letters and so on relating to the landscape there is no more to go on. Everything beyond that is speculation and inference. The usual reference guide to the tolkien map is the Fonstad Atlas but it is no more authoritative than any other speculation - just very well done.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Atlas-Middl.../dp/0618126996

[Eowyn Cwper]

Thanks guys!

This map is incredible Redrobes, I'll use it as inspiration too. ^^ I think this project will take a loooot of redrawing things.