Distance Traveled
 

In The Lord of the Rings they measure distance in leauges for the most part. About how many miles are in a leauge? Also about how large is Middle Earth, not counting the lands east of Mordor? I've always thought that it was a little bit larger than Europe, anyone know for sure?

I've often wondered the same thing. Here is something I stumbled across in The Atlas of Middle-Earth.

Fathom = 6 ft.

Ell = 27 to 45 inches

Furlong = 220 yards

League = almost 3 miles (in Numenorean reckoning, found in Unfinished Tales.

Thanks Rhudladion, I should really pick up a copy of The Atlas of Middle Earth, I've always loved the maps at the beginning of each book. Does the Atlas make any reference to how large ME actually is?

I own a copy, but can't tell you. Sad, huh.
I believe it does, though. It is fairly detailed.

Are you reading the LOTR for the first time?

If you are, I would recommend waiting to buy the Atlas, as there are certain landmarks and things in the Atlas that may give away some of the story.

The Reunited Kingdom in the 4th age takes up most of the area and it is 909,510 square miles according to the Atlas of middle Earth. Rohan is 52,763 sq. miles and the Shire is 21,400 sq. miles. add it all up and ya get most of the West of Middle earth.

Nah, I've read Lord of the Rings about 6 times, the geography and the description of the company's traveles is probably my favorite part, at least from The Fellowship. I've been meaning to buy the Atlas and the HoME series

Just to be picky, an Ell is 45 inches long. I dont know why the 27-45 inches thing is there. I think in parts of England an Ell could mean 27 inches and in other parts it means 45 inches.

The reason I think this is because the Numonereans were infamous (to the orcs) for their long steel bows. In the text it says they "used arrows a full ell long". Because a 27 inch arrow would be a kiddy arrow, I tend to say that the ell is used as its biggest length. A 45 in arrow is actually quite long. I drew it out on my desk at school and it was as long as my leg.

Just imagine a 3 foot long arrow peircing your leg.. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] Just asking.. do you think the Numonerean arrows were made of steel or wood? I think most likely they were wood, but a steel arrow would look so cool I have to ask.