<P> The term "Middle - earth" is sometimes incorrectly capitalised as "Middle - Earth", and the hyphen is sometimes incorrectly omitted as well, as in "Middle Earth", "Middle earth" and "Middleearth". </P> <P> Within the overall context of his legendarium, Tolkien's Middle - earth was part of his created world of Arda (which includes the Undying Lands of Aman and Eressëa, removed from the rest of the physical world), which itself was part of the wider creation he called Eä . </P> <P> Aman and Middle - earth are separated from each other by the Great Sea Belegaer (analogous to the Atlantic Ocean). The western continent, Aman, was the home of the Valar and the Elves called the Eldar . An uninhabited Eastern continent is also mentioned, but does not figure in the stories . </P> <P> Tolkien prepared several maps of Middle - earth and of the regions of Middle - earth where his stories took place . Some were published in his lifetime, though some of the earliest maps were not published until after his death . The main maps were those published in The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, and Unfinished Tales . </P>

Where does the name middle earth come from