07-31-2006, 09:33 AM
I would also like to add some questions to the ongoing debate and would appreciate if someone could comment on those.
As people have already mentioned, to replace AIT, another hypothesis needs to be put forward that explains all the discrepancies. In this regard, I think that it is equally important to look at indian historical texts for answers.
For example, is 3000 BC a valid date for the Mahabharata war. If so, that would mean that the vedic period existed way before the late Harappan period. So looking for clues in the SSVC sites for rigvedic history is bound to yield nothing of much significance.
The myth of Indra and vrita would place the rigvedic period just after the last ice age. In fact, I would argue that part of the rigvedic period may have overlapped with the ice age. It would also make sense that the last ice age, when europe was frozen, would have been the best time for development of the Indo-Iranian languages and culture.
The vedas are followed by the upanisads. If the bharata war was fought in 3000 BC, then the upanisads would have existed when the gita was recited. Does anyone know if the gita mentions the existence of other upanisads?
So with the above chronology, the late harappan period would coincide with the start of Kaliyuga, when the golden age was comming to an end - and that would coincide with the drying up of the Saraswati.
Next, is anyone aware of any genetic data where someone compared DNA samples from SSVC sites with DNA samples from current Indian populations. I would think that would be the absolute clincher that the current Indian genetic stock (at least north indian) are direct descendants of SSVC people.
Another aspect is the Hiittites-Mittanis in the middle east. Am I right to think that the current Kurds are descendants of these people.
As I understand, the jews are the original semetic people
the Arabs are sunnis,
the persians, after being converted to islam - broke off as a seperate sect - the shias
the turks - central asian nomads who were converted to islam and brought over by the arabs beacuse of their fighting skills
the Kurds are treated as second class muslims by the arabs, persians and the turks. What is their history, they apear to still practise some older pagan rituals (like fire worship), What does their history tell of their origins? Are they the people who were the last to come in the region, possible from the SSVC sites. Is that the reason they are treated poorly by the older inhabitants (arabs and persians) of the region.
As people have already mentioned, to replace AIT, another hypothesis needs to be put forward that explains all the discrepancies. In this regard, I think that it is equally important to look at indian historical texts for answers.
For example, is 3000 BC a valid date for the Mahabharata war. If so, that would mean that the vedic period existed way before the late Harappan period. So looking for clues in the SSVC sites for rigvedic history is bound to yield nothing of much significance.
The myth of Indra and vrita would place the rigvedic period just after the last ice age. In fact, I would argue that part of the rigvedic period may have overlapped with the ice age. It would also make sense that the last ice age, when europe was frozen, would have been the best time for development of the Indo-Iranian languages and culture.
The vedas are followed by the upanisads. If the bharata war was fought in 3000 BC, then the upanisads would have existed when the gita was recited. Does anyone know if the gita mentions the existence of other upanisads?
So with the above chronology, the late harappan period would coincide with the start of Kaliyuga, when the golden age was comming to an end - and that would coincide with the drying up of the Saraswati.
Next, is anyone aware of any genetic data where someone compared DNA samples from SSVC sites with DNA samples from current Indian populations. I would think that would be the absolute clincher that the current Indian genetic stock (at least north indian) are direct descendants of SSVC people.
Another aspect is the Hiittites-Mittanis in the middle east. Am I right to think that the current Kurds are descendants of these people.
As I understand, the jews are the original semetic people
the Arabs are sunnis,
the persians, after being converted to islam - broke off as a seperate sect - the shias
the turks - central asian nomads who were converted to islam and brought over by the arabs beacuse of their fighting skills
the Kurds are treated as second class muslims by the arabs, persians and the turks. What is their history, they apear to still practise some older pagan rituals (like fire worship), What does their history tell of their origins? Are they the people who were the last to come in the region, possible from the SSVC sites. Is that the reason they are treated poorly by the older inhabitants (arabs and persians) of the region.