The Silmarillion: Ch.1 Of the beginning of days

[Artanis]

Time is up to discuss Quenta Silmarillion Chapter 1: Of the beginning of days This chapter tells the history about the rulers of the Earth and their shaping of the Earth in the beginning of days, and their war against Melkor. There is also section dealing with the gift from Iluvatar to Men.

Other useful reading would be:
HoME4 The Shaping of Middle-Earth:
Ch.V Ambarkanta (there are maps here, unfortunately I don't have access to a scanner now, perhaps somone else could scan them?)
Ch.VI The earliest annals of Valinor, up to V.Y.2000, with notes and commentaries

HoME5 The Lost Road:
Ch.II The later annals of Valinor, up to V.Y.1980, with notes and commentaries.
Ch.VI Quenta Silmarillion part 2: Of Valinor and the two trees

HoME10 Morgoth's Ring:
Part 2: The Annals of Aman, up to year 1050.
Part 3: The later Quenta Silmarillion, the first phase, ch.2: Of Valinor and the two trees
Part 5: Myths transformed

Pictures worth looking at (all from Rolozo Tolkien):
Ted Nasmith: The Sea
Ted Nasmith: The Light of Valinor on the Western Sea
Ted Nasmith: The first dawn of the sun
Ted Nasmith: The lamp of the Valar