A new study squelches a treasured theory about Indians’ origins [Aryan Invasion]

The Economist ^ | April 5, 2018 | Staff

[C19fan]

A CENTURY and a half ago linguists invented a new map of the world. Their research showed that a single family tree stretches its branches almost unbroken across most of Eurasia: from Iceland to Bangladesh, most people speak languages descended from “Proto-Indo-European”. The philologists had a theory to explain why Sanskrit, the ancient forebear of Hindi, has closer cousins in Europe than in south India. They speculated that at some point before the composition of the Vedas, the oldest texts of Hinduism, an Aryan people had migrated into India from the north-west, while their kin pushed westward into Europe. Long before the Nazis dreamed of an exalted master race, imperialists seized on what some dubbed the “Aryan invasion” theory to paint Britain’s rule of India as the extension of a “natural” order. Indians, too, found a use for it. Caste-bound Hindu conservatives declared that the paler-skinned intruders must be ancestors of higher-caste Brahmins and Kshatriyas. Such talk stirred a backlash in southern India, where generally darker-skinned speakers of Dravidian languages were urged to see themselves as a separate nation.

[C19fan]

Looks like the original story about Aryan invasion of India and the imposition of Hinduism and the caste system by the conquering people to keep power is true. There is a book about what genetics can tell us about human migration and history. India has the least amount of cross-breeding across class, caste, and ethnicity. Give credit to the Aryans for creating a religion that has kept their descendants on top across the millennia.

[Nationale7]

in the absence of an irony font, I’m not clear whether you’re saying the Indian caste system is a good thing or a bad.

[Popman]

in the absence of an irony font

LOL....actually a grand idea.

[RKV]

Linguistics and archeology are what we have had up until the last 10 years or so, and language does not equal genetics. As is usual in academic circles there are theories and politics and the Out of India theory of Aryan origins was politically correct. It just wasn’t supported by the ancient DNA evidence which has recently come to light. Frankly it wasn’t well supported by the earlier evidence either, but somebody in academia needed a job, and promoting a line of BS worked to get them paid. Suggest you read By Steppe, Desert and Ocean by Barry Cunliffe if you get interested in a good recap of ancient Eurasian archeology and early history.

[Candor7]

an Aryan people had migrated into India from the north-west, while their kin pushed westward into Europe.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Enough of this White Privilege Crap! Its NOT TRUE! ( sarc.)

The Brahmans were a superior class who actually built the higher cultures of India, and gave birth to a number of wonderful spiritual practice traditions , including Hinduism Buddhism, Yoga, Flight ( vimana), Irrigation hydrology, and the Karma Sutra.

Thank God for the Brahmans. The world would be extremely dull if they had not done and are still doing, their thing.
If you love humanity, yo cannot help but love the Brahmans. We have our own in the USA, look at “Nikki” Haley (née Randhawa):

https://www.biography.com/people/nikki-haley-20939217

[PapaBear3625]

Article summary: there were two major migrations:

7,000 BC: agriculturalists from what is now Iran and Turkey spread east into India and west into Europe.

3,000 BC: pastoralists (herders of cattle and sheep) spread from the steppes of Russia to both India and Europe.

[Savage Beast]

Yes, as I read this rather interesting article, I felt like screaming: "TRUTH ONLY! CUT OUT THE PC BALONEY!"

Those (and their number is legion) who cannot resist injecting politics and political correctness into EVERYTHING, don't realize that they are as foolish as the Nazis who made up all that racist baloney.

I don't care what the truth is; we can deal with it honestly and benevolently, but distortions of truth only get in the way.

[wmileo]

"3,000 BC: pastoralists (herders of cattle and sheep) spread from the steppes of Russia to both India and Europe."

Could this population also have included peoples from the far East with East Asian origins as well as peoples from the Aryan race?

[Savage Beast]

I will add that whoever established the Indian caste system did a serious disservice to a large number of people, possibly including themselves.

[PapaBear3625]

Could this population also have included peoples from the far East with East Asian origins

I would imagine that if genetic analysis indicated this, that it would have been mentioned.

The herding people, with their genes allowing digestion of milk from cows and sheep, probably led to a population boom, by reducing infant mortality through better diet.

[Louis Foxwell]

Thank you for posting the bio of Nikki Haley. She is a jewel and worthy of becoming the first female president.

[Candor7]

Louis, I think you’re right. Nikki has a very good chance at being POTUS.

[Grampa Dave]

The massive DNA sampling/testing that is coming for India, Europe, the UK, America and the rest of the world is a time bomb for the PCers and the diversity worshipers.

The lefties know that, and that is why they are pushing their white privilege BS. They are the new flat world idiots, pushing bs instead of reality.

Using DNA To Predict Intelligence | Front Line Genomics
www.frontlinegenomics.com/news/20419/using-dna-to-predict-intelligence/:

Mar 13, 2018 - Someone’s DNA could be used to predict their IQ for the first time, according to a new study. The research was the largest investigation into the link between intelligence and genetics ever, and was carried out by a collaboration of researchers at the University of Edinburgh, UK and Harvard University, USA.

[dsrtsage]

“Thank you for posting the bio of Nikki Haley. She is a jewel and worthy of becoming the first female president.”

Cant wait for the democrats to fall all over themselves explaining why she isnt a real woman or a real indian.

While I loath and despise democrats absurd obsession with first blah blah, I would like to see her president just to watch them twist themselves into pretzels pretending that she doesnt count

[blam]

GGG Ping.

[pacific_waters]

The article doesn’t squelch anything nor does it disprove the “Out of India” hypothesis. It simply disagrees with it. Though I would tend to agree with invasion hypothesis, one study a theory doth not make.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks C19fan, but this is not a new counterclaim, and it is entirely motivated by modern politics. Good one for the weekly digest ping, although I may have done that already, if so, apologies.

• Unearthed Aryan cities rewrite history [2010]
• Ancient nomads spread earliest domestic grains along Silk Road, study finds [2014]
• Archaeological finds reveal prehistoric civilization along Silk Road [2013]
• Rethinking the Thundering Hordes [2012]
• Mysterious tombs discovered on Pamirs Plateau [ interior of China ] [2011]
• In Ruin, Symbols on a Stone Hint at a Lost Asian Culture [2011]
• Turkmen capital is 8 thousand years old, archeologists say [2010]
• 2,000-Year-Old Treasures Tell Wild Story (Tillya Tepe) [2008]
• Beyond Mesopotamia: A Radical New View Of Human Civilization Reported In Science [2007]
• Turkmenistan: Making Bid For Cradle-Of-Civilization Bid [2007]
• Central Asia's Lost Civilization [2006]
• Tocharians [2006]
• Russian Archaeologist Says Merv Was Origin Of Zoroastrianism [2006]
• Archaeologist Tells Of Digs In Central Asia (Greeks) [2005]
• Archaeologist Says Central Asia Was Cradle Of Ancient Persian Religion [2005]
• The Sand Dune Forgotten By Time (Caucasian Mummies In China - More ) [2005]
• The Hidden History Of Men (Anthropology) [2004]
• The Hidden History of Men [2004]
• Ancient writing found in Turkmenistan [2004]
• Archaeologists tackle China mystery [2004]
• Discoveries Reveal A Flourishing Dunhuang 1,000 Years Ago [2004]
• Bactrian gold - A treasure hunt - The case of Afghanistan 's missing cache [2003]
• The Curse Of The Red-Headed Mummy [2002]

[null and void]

Perhaps a cousin of italics with little droplets hanging from it?

Could serve a dual purpose, for any written statement dripping with sarcasm or irony...

[Pelham]

She has zero chance.

[Nationale7]

Droplets. Yes. Very good.