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Menfalas2

The Men Falas (S. "Coastal Way") went along the coast of Harondor, all the way to Tharven on north bank of Harnen river.It originated in the Second Age as a series of secondary roads connecting native communities to Númenórean tribute stations, this network of local roads was later expanded into a complete secondary road system to the west of the Hyarmentie.The Númenóreans left the road unpaved, but they did grade it and, as part of their tribute levies, required the local users of the road to maintain it. During the early Third Age, the men of Umbar improved the section of the Men Falas south of the Ethir Harnen by regrading most of the road and establishing permanent work crews to maintain it. It was left to the Gondorians to improve the Men Falas north of the Harnen after they seized Harondor. The Gondorians followed the Umbarean example, though between Barad Harn and Methir the Men Falas was paved. In the wars with Gondor aftet the Kin-strife, the men of Umbar paved the entire road between the Bay of Umbar and the Ethir Harnen.

The paved portions of the Men Falas were uniformly twelve feet wide and were made of locally quarried stone. The unpaved stretches of the road varied between ten and twenty feet in width, and were covered with gravel. An unpaved strip generally (though not always) ran to either side of the paved road. Widths varied, but rarely exceeded ten feet.

References[]

  • MERP:Southern Gondor:The Land
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