The Encyclopedia of Arda - an interactive guide to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien
Location
Flowing southeastwards out of the Misty Mountains and through Lórien
Culture
This name was given to the river by the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm
Source
The lake of Kheled-zâram in the valley of Azanulbizar, beneath the Mountains of Moria
Tributaries
Outflow
Pronunciation
ki'bil-na'la
Meaning
'Silver channel'1
Other names

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 31 January 2024
  • This entry is complete

Kibil-nâla

The Dwarves’ name for the River Silverlode

Map of Kibil-nâla
" 'Dark is the water of Kheled-zâram,' said Gimli, 'and cold are the springs of Kibil-nâla.' "
The Fellowship of the Ring II 3
The Ring Goes South

The Dwarvish name for the river that ran through Lórien, known to the Elves as Celebrant and to Men as the Silverlode. It rose in the mysterious lake known as the Mirrormere (or, in Dwarvish, Kheled-zâram - hence Gimli's words quoted above).

Kibil is one of several words that the Dwarves used for silver (zirak in the name Zirakzigil is also a reference to that metal). The meaning of the Khuzdul word nâla is not known for sure, but Tolkien suggested that it might mean 'course' or 'path', a meaning it would share with Elvish rant. The river's name seems to come originally from the workings of the Dwarves: the notes in volume VII of The History of Middle-earth suggest that they were the ones responsible for discovering silver in the river.


Notes

1

In his detailed but unfinished index to The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien interpreted the name Kibil-nâla as 'silver-channel'. In later notes he makes it clear that the meaning of Dwarvish nâla is not specifically known, but on the assumption that the meaning of Kibil-nâla mirrors Elvish Celebrant or Mannish Silverlode, then kibil would mean 'silver', and nâla would mean 'channel' or 'course'.

It might be noted that the Dwarvish mountain name Zirakzigil ('Silvertine') also contains an element meaning 'silver'. Evidently, as Tolkien himself observed, the Dwarves had more than one word with that meaning. He further suggested that in the case of Zirakzigil, the relevant name-element perhaps referred to the silver-grey colour of the mountain, rather than literally to the metal, traces of which were indeed to be found in the river named Kibil-nâla.

Indexes:

About this entry:

  • Updated 31 January 2024
  • This entry is complete

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