Warnabi

The Warnabi, Warnavi, Warnahi, Wranovi, Wranefzi, Wrani, Varnes, or Warnower were a West Slavic tribe of the Obotrite confederation in the ninth through eleventh centuries.

They were one of the minor tribes of the confederation living in the Billung Mark on the eastern frontier of the Holy Roman Empire.

Etymologically their name is related to the river, the Warnow (also Warnof, Wrana, or Wranava), along which they settled in the region of Mecklenburg.

In Lithuanian language Varna -Varnas, Varnai - Varnos (plural) means Crow.

In the second half of the ninth century the chief town of the Warnabi was on an island in Lake Sternberg at the site of the castle of Gross Raden.