Isildur's Tomb on the slopes of Methedras
Late in the Third Age Saruman's servants found, in their search for the One Ring in the Gladden Fields, what they believed was the body of Isildur Elendilion. They took it and all that they could find around it back to Saruman. When he did not find the One Ring on the body, Saruman gave the body to his servants to be disposed of. On that day, Nornëntir the Great Eagle happened to be flying above Orthanc and saw the body about to be thrown on a fire. Seeing the armor and trappings of a great old Dúnadan Lord, he swooped down and bore the body skyward. After looking it over and finding no identifying marks, he carried the body to a point on the southern slope of Methedras, dug a shallow grave, and buried the body as it was. No one except for his eldest son (who also died the same night) knew that Isildur was carrying a seed of the White Tree with him to plant in Annúminas. When the body was searched, this seed was not removed because it was of no use to Saruman and he wished it burned with the rest of the body. The seed remained in this dormant state until the year 3000 when it sprouted and began to grow. This drew the attention of Nornëntir, who reported this to Gwaihir, who in turn finally gave this information to Gandalf. Gandalf asked Norantir to watch after the grave and tree to see that they are not disturbed. After the War of the Rings, Gandalf told Elessar of the tree and a seed from it was obtained to grow the White Tree at Annúminas. The tree was the only marker of the grave. If a man of Numenórean descent came to this place or learned of it and came here he would most likely have stayed for a while to meditate or pray. After 3 day of this, his Self Discipline and Presence would increase by one point. This was not due to any magic but to the intense psychological uplift of the experience.