In the fictional works of J. R. R. Tolkien, Cuiviénen is the land where the Quendi or Elves awoke. Its name (cuiviër+nen) means 'water of awakening,' and it is said to have been on the shore of a large gulf in the inland Sea of Helcar in the far east of Middle-earth. The Awakening of the Elves took place in very ancient times, during the Years of the Trees, and Cuiviénen is known to have been destroyed (perhaps by natural forces) since then. J. R. R. Tolkien in 1916. ... The Elves (always pluralized as such, never Elfs) are one of the races that appear in the work of J. R. R. Tolkien. ... In the fictional universe of Middle-earth by J. R. R. Tolkien, the Sea of Helkar (also spelt Helcar) was a great inland sea which existed during the First Age. ... A map of the Northwestern part of Middle-earth at the end of the Third Age, courtesy of the Encyclopedia of Arda. ... In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Awakening of the Elves is an event which took place long before the beginning of the First Age of Middle-earth. ... A map of Aman, courtesy of the Encyclopedia of Arda In J. R. R. Tolkiens Middle-earth legendarium, the Years of the Trees are one of the three great time-periods of Arda. ...

The first Sundering of the Elves took place when the Eldar departed from Cuiviénen to Valinor, leaving behind the Avari. In J. R. R. Tolkiens fictional Middle-earth, the Elves are a sundered people. ... Eldar is the name J. R. R. Tolkien in his fictional universe of Middle-earth gave to those of the Elves that accepted the summons of Oromë. ... A map of Aman and Valinor A fictional location from J. R. R. Tolkiens legendarium, Valinor (meaning Land of the Valar) is the realm of the Valar in Aman, the place to which they moved after being driven from Almaren by Melkor. ... The main part of this article relates to the version of Middle-earths history that is considered canon by most Tolkien fans who accept such labels (see: Middle-earth canon). ...

It is unknown how long the Avari remained at Cuiviénen during the First Age, but it is certain that the Sea of Helcar ceased to exist after the War of Wrath, so "to Cuiviénen there is no returning". In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, the First Age began with the rise of the Sun and the arrival of the Ñoldor in the land Beleriand in Middle-earth, and ended with the overthrow of Morgoth. ... In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, the War of Wrath, or the Great Battle was the final war against Morgoth at the end of the First Age. ...