The Sindar and the Nandor, the two main branches of the Eldar who did not complete the Journey to Aman and were therefore considered Úmanyar, are shown here in bold text.
In the earliest days of the Elves, they were summoned by the Valar to leave Middle-earth and cross the Sea to Aman. This led to the first great division of that race, into the Eldar (who accepted the summons and set out for the West) and the Avari (who refused the summons). As the Eldar made their way across Middle-earth, however, many of them - especially of the Teleri - fell away from the Great Journey. Others reached as far as Beleriand, and even came to its western shores, but never set out across the Sea. These Elves, who originally set out for the West but never reached Aman, are collectively known as the Úmanyar, 'those not of Aman' (as contrasted with the Amanyar, the Eldar who did reach the Blessed Realm).
The term is not to be confused with the Moriquendi or Dark Elves, a term that refers to all the Elves who did not see the Light of the Two Trees. The Úmanyar included only those Elves who set out on the Great Journey towards the Light in the West. Thus, those Elves who refused the Journey - the Avari - were considered to belong to the Moriquendi but not to the Úmanyar. The main groups of the Úmanyar were the Sindar (the people of Thingol who dwelt in Beleriand) and the Nandor (a group that left the Journey east of the Misty Mountains), though it is implied that there were others of the Úmanyar to be found elsewhere in Middle-earth.
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- Updated 26 October 2018
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