Essos
Essos is the largest of the three known continents in the world. It lies east of Westeros and north of Sothoros and Ulthos, stretching from the Shivering Sea in the north to the Summer Sea in the south, and from the narrow sea in the west to the lands surrounding the Jade Sea in the east. Essos is populated by many different peoples and has a vast and varied geography.
In the novels of A Song of Ice and Fire, the continent is simply called the eastern continent, beyond the narrow sea, or the east; George R. R. Martin first referred to it as Essos in mid-2008 in an interview,[1] and latter officially confirmed it.
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Geography
Essos is roughly the size of Eurasia with similar latitudinal and longitudinal dimensions. It is considerably larger than Westeros, though its true extent is unknown as no map of the entire continent currently exists. The north coast of the mainland is separated from the polar cap by the Shivering Sea. To the south, across the Summer Sea, lies the uncharted continent of Sothoryos. In the extreme east, across the Jade Sea, sit Asshai, Yi Ti, and the mysterious region called the Shadow Lands. South of the Shadow Lands is the continent of Ulthos.[2]
Essosi geography and climate vary greatly. Being separated from the polar cap of the Land of Always Winter and located farther to the south, it is affected by winters to a lesser extent then Westeros. [3]
The western coastline appears to be temperate in the north, becoming drier and hotter to the south, and is characterized by green rolling hills, the massive Forest of Qohor, and extensive island chains such as Braavos and Lys. The middle of the continent is covered by the flat grasslands plains of the Dothraki Sea and, to the east, the arid wasteland of red sand known as the red waste, where nothing grows. Beyond this desert, the city of Qarth sits beside straits that lead to the Jade Sea. The south is dominated by dry rolling hills and has a Mediterranean climate with a coastline along the Summer Sea connecting Volantis with the Valyria peninsula and the great inlet known as Slaver's Bay. Essos is dominated by the Bone Mountains and the Krazaaj Zasqa, longitudinal mountain ranges separating the western half more familiar to the Westerosi and an exotic eastern half of which less is known.[2]
See Also Map of the Free Cities from A Dance with Dragons and its locations.
Regions
Essos is divided into several regions, each of which are home to distinct cultural groups.
The Free Cities
The Free Cities are nine independent city-states located on the western coast of Essos. Seven of the cities are coastal (Braavos, Myr, Pentos and Volantis) or island ports (Lorath, Lys and Tyrosh), lying on the Narrow Sea, whilst two others (Norvos and Qohor) are located inland. Except for Braavos, which was founded by refugee slaves, these cities are former colonies of the extinct empire of Valyria; as such they retain elements of its culture. They are more developed and mercantile than the cities of Westeros, even King's Landing. Each of the Free Cities controls a certain amount of territory surrounding it, including smaller towns and villages. The region of the Free Cities extends from the western coastline to the Forest of Qohor and River Rhoyne in the east, which separate them from the Dothraki Sea.
In the northwestern corner of this region, between Braavos and Pentos, are the Hills of Andalos, the ancient homeland of the Andals and, according to legends the source of the Faith of the Seven.
The Dothraki Sea
East of the Free Cities, the vast grassland plain known as the Dothraki Sea covers much of the Essosi inland. It is inhabited by the Dothraki people, a copper-skinned race of warlike nomads with their own language and unique equestrian culture. While the Dothraki do not trade, their slave raids are a driving force of the Essosi economy.
Valyrian peninsula
The Valyrian peninsula is a large headland extending south from Essos into the Summer Sea. Once the heartland of the Valyrian Empire and the location of the city of Valyria, it was partially destroyed in the Doom of Valyria, during which many islands formed, low-lying areas flooded, and Valyria fell into ruin. The peninsula and the Smoking Sea that surround its remnants are considered to be demon-haunted and rife with poisonous fumes; with few exceptions, those who travel there seeking the ruins of Valyria or its treasures never return.
Slaver's Bay
South of the Dothraki Sea, east of Valyria, and west of Lhazar is Slaver's Bay. The region holds many small city-states and the three great slaver port cities of Yunkai, Meereen, and Astapor. The cities were built from the rubble of Old Ghis, an ancient rival of the Valyrian Freehold which crushed and superseded it thousands of years ago. The slaver cities are still connected to the Free Cities by the Valyrian road network. The city of New Ghis sits on an island in the Bay, but the novels reveal little about it.
Lhazar
Lhazar is located south-east of the Dothraki Sea and north-east of Slaver's Bay. It is a semi-arid land of pastures and hills. The horselords consider its shepherding people as easy targets and good slaves, calling them haesh rakhi ("Lamb Men").
Qarth
Qarth is an ancient city in the distant east, beyond the 'Red Wastes', on the shores of the Jade Sea. It is home to warlocks and merchant princes. Its position makes it the gateway of commerce and culture between the east and west (such as the Free Cities and Slaver's Bay), and more eastern lands (such as Asshai, the Shadow Lands, and Yi Ti). Brimming with wealth, and priding themselves on their sophistication, the Qartheen engage in unending intrigue between the many powerful factions of their society.
People
Essos is home to a much larger and more diverse set of races and cultures than Westeros. They are descendants of old cultures ranging from the Andals, the Rhoynar, old Ghis, and Valyrian Freehold. Unlike Westeros, which is unified under the Seven Kingdoms, Essos is divided into many different sovereign regions and city-states and has had no single government since the Valyrian Freehold fell almost four centuries ago. Its peoples include:
- Dothraki, a copper-skinned race of warlike nomads with their own language and unique culture.
- Ghiscari, a mongrel race that populates most of Slaver's Bay, that speak a bastardized version of High Valyrian. Descendants of old Ghis.
- Peoples of the Free Cities, they speak a distinct form of High Valyrian, though the Common Tongue of Westeros is also used. Descendants of Valyrian Freehold.
- Lhazareen, a peaceful people with bronze skin, flat faces, and almond eyes. They are predominantly shepherds, worshipping the Great Shepherd and are called the 'Lamb Men' by the Dothraki, who frequently prey on them.
- Qartheen, the inhabitants of Qarth
- Ibbenese fishing colonies in the north.
- Jogos Nhai, renowned for capturing zorses.
References and Notes
- ↑ The Citadel. "Asshai.com Forum Chat" (July 27, 2008) So Spake Martin
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Lands of Ice and Fire
- ↑ SSM
This page uses content from the English Wikipedia. The original content was at Across the narrow sea. The list of authors can be seen in the page history of Across the narrow sea. As with A Wiki of Ice and Fire, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.
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