In Old Norse sources, such as sagas and runestones, Serkland (also Særkland, Srklant, Sirklant, Serklat, etc.) was the "land of the Serkir", usually identified with the Saracens.
The exact etymology is disputed. Serk- may derive from "Saracen"; from sericum, Latin for "silk", implying a connection with the Silk Road; from the Khazar fortress of Sarkel; or from serkr, shirt or gown, i.e., "land of the gown-wearers". In all cases it refers to a land in the East. Originally, it referred to the land south of the Caspian Sea, but it gradually expanded to cover all Islamic lands, including parts of Africa (and possibly even Muslim Sicily).[1][2]
^Judith Jesch, Ships and Men in the Late Viking Age: The Vocabulary of Runic Inscriptions and Skaldic Verse (Boydell, 2001), p. 104ff.
^Stefan Brink, "People and land in Early Scandinavia", in Ildar H. Garipzanov, Patrick Geary and Przemyslaw Urbanczyk (eds.), Franks, Northmen, and Slavs: Identities and State Formation in Early Medieval Europe (Brepols, 2008) p. 98.
This article contains content from the Owl Edition of Nordisk familjebok, a Swedish encyclopedia published between 1904 and 1926, now in the public domain.
Ture Johnsson Arne. Austr i Karusm och Särklandsnamnet. In Fornvännen 42, pp 290–305. Stockholm 1947.
Sven B. F. Jansson. Runinskrifter i Sverige. Stockholm 1963.
Carl L. Thunberg. Särkland och dess källmaterial. University of Gothenburg 2011.
Carl L. Thunberg. Ingvarståget och dess monument University of Gothenburg 2010.
External links
The Ingvar Runestones on Google Maps (after Carl L. Thunberg 2010)
This article about sagas is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
serkland, norse, sources, such, sagas, runestones, also, særkland, srklant, sirklant, serklat, land, serkir, usually, identified, with, saracens, srklant, tillinge, runestone, raised, memory, varangian, return, from, church, tillinge, uppland, sweden, exact, e. In Old Norse sources such as sagas and runestones Serkland also Saerkland Srklant Sirklant Serklat etc was the land of the Serkir usually identified with the Saracens srklant on the Tillinge Runestone raised in memory of a Varangian who did not return from Serkland at the church of Tillinge in Uppland Sweden The exact etymology is disputed Serk may derive from Saracen from sericum Latin for silk implying a connection with the Silk Road from the Khazar fortress of Sarkel or from serkr shirt or gown i e land of the gown wearers In all cases it refers to a land in the East Originally it referred to the land south of the Caspian Sea but it gradually expanded to cover all Islamic lands including parts of Africa and possibly even Muslim Sicily 1 2 Notably one of the Ingvar runestones the So 179 raised circa 1040 at Gripsholm Castle commemorates a Varangian loss during an ill fated raid in Serkland The other remaining runestones that talk of Serkland are So 131 So 279 So 281 the Tillinge Runestone and probably the lost runestone U 439 For a detailed account of such raids see Caspian expeditions of the Rus Several sagas mention Serkland Ynglinga saga Sorla saga sterka Sorla thattr Saga Sigurdar Jorsalafara Jokulsthattur Buasonar 3 and Hjalmthes saga ok Olvis It is also mentioned by the 11th century skald THorgils Fiskimadr 4 and the 12th century skald THorarinn Stuttfeldr 5 See also EditGardariki Names of Istanbul Old Norse VinlandReferences Edit Judith Jesch Ships and Men in the Late Viking Age The Vocabulary of Runic Inscriptions and Skaldic Verse Boydell 2001 p 104ff Stefan Brink People and land in Early Scandinavia in Ildar H Garipzanov Patrick Geary and Przemyslaw Urbanczyk eds Franks Northmen and Slavs Identities and State Formation in Early Medieval Europe Brepols 2008 p 98 Kennsluleidbeiningar THorgils fiskimadr Nordmand 11 arh AI 400 1 BI 369 THorarinn stuttfeldr Islandsk skjald 12 arh AI 489 92 BI 461 4 Literature Edit This article contains content from theOwl Editionof Nordisk familjebok a Swedish encyclopedia published between 1904 and 1926 now in the public domain Ture Johnsson Arne Austr i Karusm och Sarklandsnamnet In Fornvannen 42 pp 290 305 Stockholm 1947 Sven B F Jansson Runinskrifter i Sverige Stockholm 1963 Carl L Thunberg Sarkland och dess kallmaterial University of Gothenburg 2011 Carl L Thunberg Ingvarstaget och dess monument University of Gothenburg 2010 External links EditThe Ingvar Runestones on Google Maps after Carl L Thunberg 2010 This article about sagas is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte This African history related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Serkland amp oldid 1074324356, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
