At different points of the development of the human society, there were different views on the Aryans. They were seen as European nation’s ancestors, a mythological nation of half-people and half-deities. They were also a symbol of some nation’s superiority and certain justification of conquest. It is necessary to note that the theory concerning the existence of the Aryans was based on the linguistic analysis.
At present, the theory is supported by linguistic, archeological and archaeogenetic data. Modern researchers hold quite different views on the origins of the Aryans. For instance, there is a theory that the Aryans have Egyptian origins (Bernal 61). However, the major theory is still based on the belief that the nation of Aryans originated from Indo-European ancestors.
First, it can be helpful to trace the origins of the term “Aryan”. It originated from the Sanskrit word ắrya– and Iranian word arya– (Fortson 209). It is noteworthy that the two languages have a similar word meaning ‘a nobleman’. The word was used by Indic and Iranian tribes to “refer to themselves” (Fortson 209). It is important to add that it is also the source of the name of the country Iran, which has the meaning “kingdom of the Aryans” (qtd. in Fortson 209). Western researchers of the 19th century focused on one meaning of the word arya– (nobleman). This could also be one of the reasons why the Aryans were a subject of numerous myths and prejudice.
As has been mentioned above there are a number of theories concerning origins of the Aryans. Apart from Egyptian origins that are now proposed by some modern researchers, there were assertions that these tribes were originally located in northern Europe and a Nordic racial type developed on the basis of the Proto-Indo-Europeans (Fortson 209).
This view was not plausible and was soon abandoned though it gave rise to various racist theories that may be still alive and well in some parts of the world. One of the most notorious references to the theory was made by Hitler and his party. The theory was brought to the fore and became the basis of the Nazi Germany’s policies. Of course, the theory was soon abandoned as it did not have enough evidence.
At present, the most common and accepted theory is based on the assumption that the Aryans originated in southeastern areas of Europe, Iran and North India (Milisauskas 316). As has been mentioned above, the theory is based on evidence obtained with the help of linguistic, archeological and archaeogenetic analysis.
First, it is possible to trace the way linguistic basis of the theory was developed. In 1786, William Jones as well as other scholars noticed numerous similarities in European, Iranian and North Indian languages. They assumed that these languages were all derivatives of the Proto-Indo-European language (Milisauskas 316).
Linguists found many similarities in words having most important meaning in terms of life as well as religion. For instance, the words meaning fire are similar in Sanskrit agni, Lithuanian ugnis, Latin ignis and Polish ogień (Milisauskas 316). Other examples are the word to live, which is jivati in Sanskrit, živeti in Slovenian and jinâ in Hindi, or the word dying, which is mârana in Sanskrit, morejenje in Slovenian and mârana in Hindi.
Some researchers state that these similarities could appear in the course of trade and have nothing to do with migration of similar tribes. These scholars stress that there are parts in Europe where languages are totally different from the Indo-European group. However, proponents of the theory of Indo-European origins of the Aryans note that the migration and/or conquest could reach only certain territories and such distant areas as the land of Basques could remain intact. They also argue that so many borrowings could not become a result of the most extensive trade. Similarities of the languages are significant, which shows that they had s single origin.
As has been mentioned above, during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, western scholars tended to bring to the fore quite racist theories and assumptions. Thus, researchers tried to prove that the Aryans originated from North Germany and Scandinavia. Of course, it is necessary to remember that these ideas were developed during the times when nationalism was very popular in Europe. Later, the ideas were refuted with the help of particular archeological and archaeogenetic data.
Modern researchers have a significant bulk of evidence and can assume that there was migration from North India, Iran and southeastern part of Europe to other territories. It is necessary to add that different scholars provide different boundaries of the original territories of the Aryans (Milisauskas 318).
Hence, some believe that Neolithic people who lived in Central Europe spoke Indo-European languages, while some assume that people who inhabited eastern parts of Europe were the bearers of the Aryans’ tribes. There are views that the Aryans originated from “the Caucasus Mountains between 4500-3000 BC” (Milisauskas 318). Of course, to identify the true origins of the Aryans, linguistic data are far from being enough and the theories have to be supported with the help of other types of evidence.
Thus, apart from linguistic data, there are numerous archeologic evidence. Thus, archeologists found numerous settlements of Indo-European tribes. It has been proved that these tribes were very mobile and could move to quite distant territories. Various cultures or rather traces of these cultures (found on the territories mentioned above) bear numerous similar characteristics.
Thus, people who lived in the areas in southeastern Europe, Iran and North India were nomads and had pastoral life. Archeological excavations in North India “found evidence of the cultivation of cereal crops such as barley, einkorn, emmer and bread wheat preceding 6000 BC” (Skulj et al. 6). Clearly, people’s experience and knowledge spread from generation to generation, from area to area.
The Ancient Greek historian Herodotus mentioned inhabitants of (and newcomers from) North India and noted that those people were quite numerous and some of them were nomads while others were farmers but all of them spoke similar languages (Skulj et al. 6). It is important to stress that the population of people who inhabited North India was significant at the times of Herodotus (and this trend still persists). This fact suggests that North Indian tribes moved to less populous territories in their search of resources since the tribes were nomadic as well as pastoral.
One of the most recent and most interesting areas is the field of genetic comparisons that provides a great amount of evidence. Researchers have implemented numerous researches that compared “the human genetic markers on the Y-Chromosome” (Skulj et al. 14). It has been found that haplogroup R1a1 is the most common in population living in the areas mentioned above (Klyosov and Rozhanskii 2).
Thus, it is identified in 47% of Slavic populations, 30% of population of North India (Skulj et al. 14). It is noteworthy that 51% of Punjab population bear this genetic information. Researcher state that these similar genetic characteristics could not be acquired during recent decades or even centuries as there would be other haplogroups (with genetic markers of Finno-Ugric population, for instance).
It is important to note that genetic data acquired by modern researchers suggest that migration from North India to Europe took place (not vice versa). As has been mentioned above, scholars have different views on the direction of migration. According to the archaeogenetic evidence, tribes from North India moved to western areas about 9000 years ago (Skulj et al.). After that, the Aryans spread across vast territories of North India, Iran and southeastern Europe.
In conclusion, it is possible to note that the Aryans had Indo-European origins, which is proved with the help of linguistic, archeological and genetic analysis. Notably, researchers’ attention towards the Aryans and their origins was drawn after a linguistic analysis. Some scholars noticed certain similarities and the theory was born.
There were periods when the theory was distorted by various trends occurring in western societies. However, at present, scholars are more concerned with facts and evidence rather than with myths and desires. Analysis of genetic markers as well as archeological discoveries have shown that the Aryans had Indo-European origins. Their ancestors moved from northern parts of India and traveled westward. This led to their spread across the vast territories of North India, Iran and southeastern Europe.
Works Cited
Bernal, Martin. Black Athena: The Afroasiatic Roots of Classical Civilization. London: Random House, 2012. Print.
Fortson, Benjamin W. Indo-European Language and Culture: An Introduction. Malden, MA: John Wiley & Sons, 2011. Print.
Klyosov, Anatole A., & Rozhanskii, Igor L. “Haplogroup R1a as the Proto Indo-Europeans and the Legendary Aryans as Witnessed by the DNA of Their Current Descendants.” Advances in Anthropology 2.1 (2012): 1-13. Print.
Milisauskas, Sarunas. European Prehistory: A Survey. Buffalo, NY: Springer Science & Business Media, 2011. Print.
Skulj, Joseph, Jagdish C. Sharda, Snejina Sonina and Ratnakar Narale. Indo-Aryan and Slavic Linguistic and Genetic Affinities Predate the Origin of Cereal Farming. 2008. Web.