Tharven (S. "Crossroads") was a small fortified town located at the junction of the Hyarmentië and Men Harnen, about a mile from the escarpments overlooking the Harnen and Carnen river valleys. The Númenóreans originally built this town as part of the construction effort on the two roads and the Iant Harnen. It was situated atop the ruins of a small city destroyed by the inhabitants of Korb Ugarta shortly before The Seventh of the Nazgûl's rebellion in S.A. 2280. Gobel Ancalimon's domination of the region around the Iant Harnen had kept Tharven small and relatively unimportant, even though it lay at a strategic point along the trade routes between Haradwaith, Khand, Umbar, and Gondor. Only when Gondor and Umbar had been at war had the town had a chance to flourish, but at such times its economic importance was eclipsed by its strategic importance. The proximity of the Iant Harnen and Iant Carnen required a sizable garrison to be based in Tharven to restrict usage of the two bridges. After the kings abandoned Harondor, the Umbareans reclaimed the town, placing a small garrison there for the same reasons the Gondorians had, though its task was now to check the movements of their Harûze neighbors rather than those of Gondor.
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- Fanmodules:UMBAR & NEAR HARAD GAZETTEER