What About the Other Continents? Explaining The Rest of Tolkien's Planet – LOTR Lore

Video Description

Ever wondered what lies beyond the maps of Middle-earth? Most fans know about the Shire, Gondor, and Mordor, but Tolkien's world of Arda was actually much larger than what we see in The Lord of the Rings. In this deep dive, we explore the forgotten continents that once existed on Tolkien's planet – the mysterious Lands of the Sun in the far east, the shadowy Dark Lands in the deep south, and the New Lands discovered in the west during the Third Age. From the ancient flat world with three major continents to the catastrophic reshaping that made Arda round, we'll uncover what happened to these lost lands, why the greatest Númenórean sailors could never reach them, and how Ilúvatar's divine intervention literally erased entire continents from existence. We'll also explore the terrifying possibility that Ungoliant fled to the Dark Lands, the discovery that proved the world was truly round, and the mysteries that remain even in the Fourth Age. This isn't just geography – it's about understanding how Tolkien's entire world worked, what was lost when Númenor fell, and why these forgotten places matter to the complete story of Middle-earth. Drawing from The Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales, The History of Middle-earth, and Tolkien's letters, this video reveals the parts of Arda that don't appear on any map you've seen.