Cosmography and Geography in Early Indian Literature c8.s2.t4: VI. Serike (Book VI, Chapter 16)
Cosmography and Geography in Early Indian Literature c8.s2.t4
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VI. Serike (Book VI, Chapter 16)
c8.s2.t4.1
Serike is bounded on the west by Scythia beyond Mount Imaos, along the line already mentioned, on the north by the unknown land along the same parallel as that through Thule, and, on the east, likewise by the unknown land along the meridian of which the extremities lie in 180°, 63°, and 180°, 55°, and on the south by the rest of India beyond the Ganges through the same parallel as far as the extremity lying in 173°, 55°, and also by the Sinai, through the line prolonged till it reaches the already mentioned extremity towards the unknown land.¹¹
c8.s2.t4.2
¹¹ The land of Serike seems to be located in the northern regions of China.
c8.s2.t4.3
2. Serike is girdled by the mountains called Anniba whose extremities lie in 153°, 60°, and 171°, 56°,and by the eastern part of the Auxakians, of which the extremity lies in 165°, 54°, and by the mountains called the Asmiraia whose extremities lie in 167°, 47° 30', and 174°, 47° 30', and by the eastern part of the Kasia range whose extremities lie in 162°, 44°, and 171°, 40°, and by Mount Thagouron whose centre lies in 173°, 43°, and also by the eastern portion of the mountains called Emoda and Serika, whose extremity lies in 165°, 36°, and by the range called Ottorokorrhas (Uttara-Kuru), whose extremities lie in 169°, 36°, and 176°, 38°.
c8.s2.t4.4
3. There flow through the far greatest portion of Serike two rivers, the Oikhardes, one of whose sources is placed with the Auxakioi, and the other which is placed in the Asmiraian mountain lies in 174°, 47° 30' and where it bends towards the Kasia range—160°, 48° 30' ; but the source in them lies in 161°, 44° 15' ; and the other river is called the Bautisos, and this has one of its sources in the Kasia range in 160°, 43°, and another in Ottorokorrha (Uttara-Kuru) in 176°, 39°, and it bends towards the Emoda in 168°, 39°, and its source in these lies in 160°, 37°.
c8.s2.t4.5
4. The most northern parts of Serike are inhabited by tribes of cannibals, below whom is the nation of the Anniboi who occupy the slopes and summits of the homonymous mountains. Between these and the Auxakioi is the nation of the Syzyges, below whom are the Damnai, then, as far as the river Oikhardes, the Pialai or Piaddai, and below the river the homonymous Oikhardai.
c8.s2.t4.6
5. And again farther east than the Anniboi are the Garinaioi and the Rhabannai or Rhabbanaioi, and below the country of Asmiraia, above the homonymous mountains. Beyond these mountains as far as the Kasia range—the Issedones, a great race, and further east than these—the Throanoi, and below these the Ithagouroi, to the east of the homonymous mountains, below the Issedones the Aspakarai, and still below those—the Bātai, and furthest south along the Emoda and Serika ranges—the Ottorokorrhai (Uttara-Kuru).
c8.s2.t4.7
6. The cities in Serike are thus named—
c8.s2.t4.8
| Damna | ... | 156°, | 51° | 20' |
| Piala or Piadda | ... | 160°, | 49° | 40' |
| Asmiraia | ... | 170°, | 48° | |
| Throana | ... | 174° 40', | 47° | 40' |
| 7. Issedon Serike | ... | 162°, | 45° | |
| Aspakara or Aspakaia | ... | 162° 30', | 41° | 40' |
| Drosakhe or Rhosakia | ... | 167° 40', | 42° | 30' |
| Paliana | ... | 162° 30', | 41° | |
| Abragana | ... | 163° 30', | 39° | 30' |
| 8. Thogara | ... | 171° 20', | 39° | 40' |
| Daxata | ... | 174°, | 39° | 30' |
| Orosana | ... | 162°; | 37° | 30' |
| Ottorokorrha (Uttara-Kuru) | ... | 165°, | 37° | 15' |
| Solana | ... | 169°, | 37° | 30' |
| Sera, the metropolis | ... | 177°, | 38° | 35' |