Isle of Balar

The island in the bay

Balar was a large island lying in the south-western part of the Bay of Balar, off the coast of Arvernien and within sight of the cape that bore its name. The Eldar told that it was the eastern horn of Tol Eressëa, broken off and left behind when Ulmo uprooted that island to ferry the Elves across the Sea to Aman. Whatever its origin, it was a fair and fertile place, and Ossë was said to visit its shores. Pearls were gathered in its waters, and it was from Balar that Círdan's people brought the pearls with which Thingol paid the Dwarves of Belegost for the delving of Menegroth, among them Nimphelos, the great pearl the size of a dove's egg.

The refuge

For most of the First Age the island was uninhabited, though the Falathrim knew it well. Its use as a refuge began when Turgon, after the Dagor Bragollach, sent Elves of Gondolin in secret to build ships at the mouths of Sirion and on Balar. The isle's real history begins in the year after the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, when Morgoth's armies destroyed Brithombar and Eglarest. Círdan escaped by sea with the remnant of the Falathrim and with Gil-galad son of Fingon, who had been sent to the Havens for safety, and they made a haven on Balar beyond the reach of the orcs. From there Círdan's ships still patrolled the coast and kept Morgoth's forces from crossing to the island, and Elves of every kindred who escaped the ruin of the north made their way to it. It was Círdan's shipwrights, working at Balar and at Sirion, who helped Eärendil build Vingilot, and when the sons of Fëanor destroyed the Havens of Sirion, the survivors fled to the island and joined Gil-galad's people. Balar was never attacked, and the host of the Valar found the last free Elves of Beleriand still living there. When the land was broken at the end of the war the island went under the sea with the mainland, and Círdan and Gil-galad led their people east to the new coast of Lindon.