Investigation: Northern Waste or Forodwaith - what is at the top of the Middle-earth map?
Looking at the maps of Middle-earth, both created by famous Tolkien-based authors as well as Christopher Tolkien himself, we can see differences in the nomenclature of the extreme northern part of Middle-earth. Once the northern region is signed Forodwaith, sometimes Northern Waste, and sometimes both at once. So what is at the "top" of the Middle-earth map? … and how should this region be correctly named? Northern Waste is basically cold polar region (Arctic tundra alike) placed on uttermost north part of Middle-earth, whereas Forodwaith (S. forod = "north" and gwaith = "people") is named after the hardy Forodwaith folk, who inhabited this part of land since 1st. Age. By the 3rd Age, last remnants of Forodwaith folk migrated near the Icebay of Forochel, theirs descendants are Lossoth. In the first published map of Middle-earth by Christopher Tolkien : General Map of Middle-earth (Fig.1), Forodwaith is labelled in smaller letters next to Nor