Home > Sarkel
Sarkel (or Sarkil; Turkic for "White Fortress") was a large limestone-and-brick fortress built by the Khazars and Byzantines in the 830s.Sarkel was located on the left bank of the lower Don River. The surrounding city served as a bustling commercial center. Caravans from many lands arrived in Sarkel.
Sarkel's fortress and city were captured by the Kievan Rus' prince Sviatoslav I in 965. The city was renamed as Belaya Vezha (Slavic for "White Tower") and settled by Slavs until the 12th century. Then, the district was taken over by the Kipchaks.
In recent times archaeological excavations found Byzantine columns were used in Sarkel construction. It has been submerged by the Tsimlyansk reservoir before more excavations could be completed. Sarkel was built to protect Khazar's northern border from the Vikings, who much later became known as the Rus and settled in western Russia.
From: The Thirteenth tribe by Arthur Koestler
Gil Levy, July 25, 2004
