Middle-earth chronology

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James the Just
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Joined: Fri May 13, 2011 12:22 am

Middle-earth chronology

Post by James the Just »

I was wondering if anyone might be interested in a bit of research I did. Being very curious to find a precise date for the events in the books I had conducted a lengthy internet search only to come up with one result; 3102 BC for the start of the Fourth Age. This did not square with a Tolkien quote that the Fall of Barad-dur occured about 6,000 years ago(in a 1958 interview).
Knowing a little about astronomy I decided to do my own calculation. There are 1,000 different years that may be considered as about 6,000 years before 1958 so the task might seem impossible. But this was not the case. About 90% of the dates can be eliminated by looking at when the phases of the moon occured in that year. And of those 95% can be taken out due to the scene of the Mirror of Galadriel where Venus is described as being high and bright in the evening sky. This left only the years 4000, 4008, 4016, 4494, 4502, and 4510 BC. The second group of three could only barely be described as "about 6,000" years ago. Of the remaining three the years of 4000 and 4016 BC would be difficult, albeit possible, fits. This left a quite likely candidate of 4008 BC for the year of 3019 of the Third Age. To be even more precise, Midsummer's Day in that year would have been July 22 (Julian calendar) or June 20(Gregorian) 4008 BC.
No other date seems a good match.
So there you have it. Could this be it?
MastrLOTRELF
Posts: 114
Joined: Wed Nov 04, 2009 11:36 pm

Post by MastrLOTRELF »

dude, i dont know how you figured it all out. and im not sure if your right or not...to me you sound perfectly d@m^ right. but you are freakin' smart. nice. i give you 4008 thumbs up. haha, the number just sounded cool. anyway awsome. and i mean it.
James the Just
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri May 13, 2011 12:22 am

Post by James the Just »

Thanks, MastrLOTRELF.
Now you know what year this is. It's 6016 of the Fourth Age. Just add 4005 to whatever year it is to find out. So, what year were you born?
MastrLOTRELF
Posts: 114
Joined: Wed Nov 04, 2009 11:36 pm

Post by MastrLOTRELF »

1982
James the Just
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri May 13, 2011 12:22 am

Post by James the Just »

So you were born in the year 5987 of the Fourth age.
MastrLOTRELF
Posts: 114
Joined: Wed Nov 04, 2009 11:36 pm

Post by MastrLOTRELF »

awsome what about you
James the Just
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri May 13, 2011 12:22 am

Post by James the Just »

5969 of the Fourth Age.
3963 of the Fifth Age.
1969 of the Sixth Age.
19 of the Seventh Age.
MastrLOTRELF
Posts: 114
Joined: Wed Nov 04, 2009 11:36 pm

Post by MastrLOTRELF »

nice
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