Saerkland
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In Old Norse sources, such as Norse sagas and runestones, Særkland or Serkland is all of the African and Asian regions by the Mediterranean.
Despite obvious similarity to Saracen, the place-name is likely derived from serkr (shirt, modern Russian "sorochka") and land (land, country), referring to the clothes of the people that lived in the area. Another possible explanation is the Turkic word for "forty furs", which was an important currency during the Viking Age and resulted in the modern Russian word for "forty" - sorok.
The Gripsholm Runestone, raised circa 1040 at Gripsholm, commemorates a Varangian lost during an ill-fated raid in Serkland. For a detailed account of such raids, see Caspian expeditions of the Rus.
This article contains content from the Owl Edition of Nordisk familjebok, a Swedish encyclopedia published between 1904-1926 now in Public Domain.
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Garðaríki |
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| Volkhov-Volga trade route: Lyubsha | Aldeigja | Álaborg | Hólmgarðr | Sarskoe | Timerevo | |
| Dvina-Dnieper trade route: Pallteskja | Gnezdovo | Chernigov | Kænugarðr | |
| Other locations: Bjarmaland | Khortitsa | White Shores | Miklagarðr | Særkland | |
| Varangians | Slavs | Merya | Bulgars | Khazars |
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