aglarond

place name. Glittering Cavern

The caverns of Helm’s Deep, translated “Glittering Caves” (LotR/548) or “Glittering Cavern” (RC/421). It is a compound of aglar “brilliance” and rond “vault, high roofed cavern” (RC/421; SA/aglar, rond).

Conceptual Development: This name first appeared as N. Aglarond “Caves of Splendour” in Lord of the Ring drafts from the 1940s (WR/76), probably already with the etymology given above.

Cognates

• Roh. Glæ̂mscrafu “Caves of Radiance” ✧ UT/371; UTI/Glæ̂mscrafu

Elements

Word	Gloss
aglar	“glory, brilliance, splendour, radiance”
rond	“(vaulted or arched) roof; vaulted chamber or cavern; heavens [as a roof of the world]”

Aglarond

noun. the glittering cavern

aglar (“glory, brilliance”) + rond (“dome-roofed hall”)