What is the opening section of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Silmarillion called?

The opening section of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Silmarillion is called Ainulindalë.

Ainulindalë means “The Music of the Ainur” and presents Tolkien’s creation account for his fictional universe. In it, Eru Ilúvatar introduces a musical theme, and the Ainur develop it through a vast harmony that becomes the foundation of the world.

The section establishes several central ideas in Tolkien’s mythology, including creation through music, the limits of rebellion, and the relationship between Eru and the Ainur. It functions as a cosmic prologue before the narrative moves into the history of Valinor and Middle-earth.

The Silmarillion was published in 1977, four years after Tolkien’s death. Its contents were assembled and edited from Tolkien’s extensive papers, but Ainulindalë had existed in multiple versions across his lifetime. The neighboring section, Valaquenta, describes the Valar and Maiar.