Of Galadriel, the Teleri, and Swans

[Notes on continuing research]

Olwe was the king of the Teleri who came last to Aman and dwelled in Tol Eressea before coming to Alqualonde, the Haven of the Swans, on the east coast of Aman.

Olwe had one daughter, Earwen, who married the Noldo prince Finarfin, son of Finwe and half-brother of Feanor. It is also said he had sons, but their names are not recorded.

Galadriel, of whom so much is written elsewhere, was the last child and only daughter of this marriage of Finarfin and Earwen, so that she was of the Noldor on her father's side, but the Teleri on her mother's.

Thus we see that the massacre of the Kinslaying at Alqualonde would have been particularly hurtful for her, since these were her mother's kin.

Likewise, we now suddenly see why Galadriel appears to the Fellowship in a ship shaped like a swan -- the swan ships of the Teleri were legendary. It was some of these ships which were taken by Feanor and eventually burnt when he reached Middle-earth, and it was swan-ships which took the Teleri from Tol Eressea to Aman, in that case pulled by actual swans, the Swans of Osse, which appear to be a magical race akin to Eagles.

The connection yet to be made is the one from Galadriel to Dol Amroth, which bore the swan upon their standard. However, we do know that Galadriel resided for a time in the Elf Haven of Edhellond only 50 miles north of Dol Amroth, leaving that place for Lorien upon Amroth's death.