[[File:5thage.jpg|thumb|292px|possible map of Middle-Earth in the fifth Age]]Middle-earth, being set in a quasi-mythical prehistoric time at least 6,000 yeasrs ago, is thought to have slowly changed into our own world, today being set in the early part of the Seventh Age.The hypothetical Fifth Age presumably was the time in which the late-mythical Fourth Age finally changed into our historical world, it was the age of the early pre-historic or quasi-historical realms.
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[[Middle-Earth]], being set in a quasi-mythical prehistoric Age at least 6.000 years ago, is thought to have slowly changed into our own [[world]], today being set in the beginning of the [[seventh Age]].The hypothetical '''fifth Age''' presumably was the Age in which the late-mythical [[fourth Age]] finally changed into our historical world, it was the Age of the early pre-historic or quasi-historical Realms.
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*10,000 BC - End of the last Ice Age
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*10.000 BC - end of the last Ice-Age (First Age? Decrease of Morgoth's influence, climate becomes more pleasant?)
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*ca. 4000 BC - End of Fourth and beginning of fifth Age?
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*Some time after the last Ice Age, the few remaining [[Elves]] take refuge in Luthany (formerly [[Lindon]], later to be Great Britain), which is still connected to the continent. Their settlements include Kortirion and Tavrobel, named for locations in [[Eldamar]].
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*old kings found buried in the ice
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*The Elf Inwë, also known as Ing, is driven east over the sea by [[Ossë]], where he becomes the ruler of proto-Germanic tribes among whom he sires children. They are the ancestors of the Angles, the Saxons, and the Jutes. [[Ælfwine]] of England was one of his descendants.
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*2340 BC - The great flood. Luthanyisseparatedfromthecontinent, becominganisland. Beginningofthe[[Sixth Age]].
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*2340 BC - the great flood.Beginning of the [[Sixth Age]] (historical great Floods ca. 4000 BC - end of fourth Age? - and 1500 BC).
==Assumed realms==
==Assumed realms==
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[[File:5th_age.jpg|thumb|400px|Alternate History Map:
[[File:Middleeartheurope.jpg|thumb|400px|The Westlands of Middle-Earth in comparison to modern Europe]]
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Tolkien intended [[Middle-Earth]], or the [[Westlands]], to correspond to Europe but set in a fictional prehistoric Age. He even gave hints that he intended [[Minas Tirith]] to be set on the same degree of latitude as Florence and [[Hobbiton]] and [[Rivendell]] to lay on the same latitude as Oxford. However he never gave informations on any degree of longitude, but these could eventually be guessed by taking his early maps of [[Beleriand]] into account. His sketches in ''the Shaping of Middle-Earth'' show the northwestern Coasts of Beleriand to be parallel with the west coast of North Africa, taking into account that Beleriand measured roughly 600 miles in longitude, this would set the [[Nenuial]] approximately on the same degree of longitude as Dublin. On the other hand, in his early writings, Tolkien had concipated Great Britain and Ireland to be remnants of eastern [[Tol Eressëa]] which had broken off the greater part of the island and remained in the east after [[Ulmo]] had transferred the rest of the Island into the [[Bay of Eldamar]]. Concerning this, the progenitor of the later British Isles must have been part of an archipelago which lay west of the [[Ered Luin]] close to the remains of the [[Bay of Balar]] and ancient [[Beleriand]], which would place the coast of Lindon at least between the 0 and 10 degree of longitude.
Middle-Earth, being set in a quasi-mythical prehistoric Age at least 6.000 years ago, is thought to have slowly changed into our own world, today being set in the beginning of the seventh Age.The hypothetical fifth Age presumably was the Age in which the late-mythical fourth Age finally changed into our historical world, it was the Age of the early pre-historic or quasi-historical Realms.
10.000 BC - end of the last Ice-Age (First Age? Decrease of Morgoth's influence, climate becomes more pleasant?)
ca. 4000 BC - End of Fourth and beginning of fifth Age?
old kings found buried in the ice
2340 BC - the great flood.Beginning of the Sixth Age (historical great Floods ca. 4000 BC - end of fourth Age? - and 1500 BC).
The Westlands of Middle-Earth in comparison to modern Europe
Tolkien intended Middle-Earth, or the Westlands, to correspond to Europe but set in a fictional prehistoric Age. He even gave hints that he intended Minas Tirith to be set on the same degree of latitude as Florence and Hobbiton and Rivendell to lay on the same latitude as Oxford. However he never gave informations on any degree of longitude, but these could eventually be guessed by taking his early maps of Beleriand into account. His sketches in the Shaping of Middle-Earth show the northwestern Coasts of Beleriand to be parallel with the west coast of North Africa, taking into account that Beleriand measured roughly 600 miles in longitude, this would set the Nenuial approximately on the same degree of longitude as Dublin. On the other hand, in his early writings, Tolkien had concipated Great Britain and Ireland to be remnants of eastern Tol Eressëa which had broken off the greater part of the island and remained in the east after Ulmo had transferred the rest of the Island into the Bay of Eldamar. Concerning this, the progenitor of the later British Isles must have been part of an archipelago which lay west of the Ered Luin close to the remains of the Bay of Balar and ancient Beleriand, which would place the coast of Lindon at least between the 0 and 10 degree of longitude.
