Stone of Erech

Black spherical stone on a hilltop in the mountains, serving as the trysting place for Aragorn and the Shadow-men (Dead Men of Dunharrow).

The Stone of Erech, a massive black spherical stone perched on a hilltop in the mountains of Gondor, stands as an ancient and ominous landmark shrouded in mystery throughout The Lord of the Rings. Introduced in The Return of the King, it serves as the pivotal trysting place where Aragorn summons the Dead Men of Dunharrow, binding them to their oath with the eerie light of the stone illuminating their spectral host. Though appearing only in the final volume, its role underscores the resurgence of forgotten oaths and the wielding of ancient powers in the War of the Ring, marking a key site in Aragorn's path to kingship.