[Manuscript Map of Middle-Earth]

A custom hand-drawn interpretation of Tolkien’s cartography of Middle-earth.

This collage of handwritten maps captures a large portion of the western end of Middle-Earth. The geography closely follows the maps created by J.R.R./Christopher Tolkien for The Lord of the Rings trilogy, but updated toponyms (including the use of Elvish), improved symbols, and a handful of additional features in the south show that the anonymous creator had a deep understanding and appreciation for the lore.

Based on the nature of the piece (pinholes, a penciled outline, precisely mapped features), I suspect that the piece was lovingly created for use in a Lord of the Rings Middle-earth Roleplaying Game, or perhaps even a homebrew campaign using the MERPG setting. This is supported by the addition of Umgard, south of Gondor, with its City of Corsairs.