Who lived in Mordor before Sauron?
William Taylor
Published May 02, 2026
Mordor was a relic of the devastating works of Morgoth, apparently formed by massive volcanic eruptions. It was given the name Mordor already before Sauron settled there, because of its volcano Mount Doom and its eruptions. Sauron however was the first to settle there with the exception of Shelob and her ancestors.
Who was before Sauron?
Prior to this, Tevildo was the name of the forerunner character to Sauron, a "Prince of Cats" who is a villain told of in the stories of The Book of Lost Tales. In Beren and Lúthien, Tevildo is presented as a separate character from Thû/Sauron, and one of Morgoth's other minions.Did humans live in Mordor?
14 Humans guarded and inhabited it for centuriesHowever, a plague broke out that devastated Gondor's population, and the garrisons guarding Mordor retreated to protect their cities. Once the plague had passed two centuries later, the population had recovered enough to return to Mordor and continue the watch.