The First Age is the first, and shortest, of the recorded ages of Middle-earth. It is difficult to nail down the exact start of the First Age, but it would appear that it began with the arrival of Fingolfin in Middle-earth, and the rising of the Sun and Moon, thus ending the Years of the Stars. Also around the same time, the race of Men awoke in the lands of Hildórien.

Until the rising of the Moon and Sun, there seems to have been no count of years in Middle-earth.

The First Age was the Age of Morgoth, during which he wreaked havoc upon the powerful Eldar. It was during this Age that the remainder of the Battles of Beleriand occurred and at last, the War of Wrath, after which Morgoth was cast out of and into the Void.

Other significant events which occurred during the First Age include: the Dagor-nuin-Giliath, the Dagor Aglareb, the completion and eventual destruction of Gondolin, the Dagor Bragollach, the Quest for the Silmaril, and the Nirnaeth Arnoediad.

The years of the First Age are also called the Elder Days and the Eldest Days.
Encyclopedia entry originally written by tarkena