Mount Doom

On the map, Mount Doom is the isolated peak roughly in the middle of the Gorgoroth plateau, between the inner ranges of the Ephel Dúath to the west and the Ered Lithui to the north, with the road called Sauron's Road running east from it to the gate of Barad-dûr. Its Elvish names are Orodruin, the mountain of red flame, and Amon Amarth, the Hill of Fate.

High on its eastern side is a doorway into the Sammath Naur, the Chambers of Fire, cut by Sauron so that he could work at the heart of the mountain. He forged the One Ring there in secret while the Elven-smiths of Eregion made the lesser rings, and because the Ring was made in that fire it could be destroyed nowhere else. No craft in Middle-earth could unmake it, and not even the hottest dragon fire left in the world would have marked it.

The mountain was not always active. It slept for long ages and woke whenever Sauron returned to Mordor, and it was burning again from TA 2954, which is when Gondor finally abandoned the last of eastern Ithilien. Ash from those eruptions drifted west over the river, and the Rangers judged how active Mordor had become by the glow on the clouds above the mountain at night.

Frodo and Sam crossed the ash plain in late March TA 3019, Sam carrying Frodo up the cone when he could no longer walk. At the Cracks of Doom Frodo claimed the Ring instead of casting it away. Gollum bit the finger from his hand and fell with the Ring into the fire, which ended Sauron, threw down Barad-dûr and set the mountain erupting behind the hobbits. Gwaihir, Landroval and Meneldor carried them off the burning slopes to safety in Ithilien.

Events at this place

1. SA 1600 · The Silmarillion

   The One Ring forged

   Sauron made the Ruling Ring in the Sammath Naur, pouring much of his own power into it in order to control the other Rings.

2. SA 3441 · The Lord of the Rings

   The Ring not destroyed

   Isildur cut the Ring from Sauron's hand and Elrond urged him to unmake it in the fire, but he kept it as weregild for his father and brother.

3. TA 2954 · Appendices

   The mountain wakes again

   Orodruin burst into flame once more as Sauron's power grew, and the last people of Ithilien fled west over the Anduin.

4. TA 3019, March 25 · The Lord of the Rings

   The Ring destroyed

   On 25 March Gollum seized the Ring at the Cracks of Doom and fell with it into the fire, ending Sauron's power.

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