ADVENT OF THE ARYANS

ADVENT OF THE ARYANS

According to generally accepted views,' by about 2000 Be the great steppeland from Poland to Central Asia was inhabited by semi-nomadic barbarians, who were tall, comparatively fair, and mostly long-headed. They had tamed the horse to pull light chariots with spoked wheels. They were mainly pastoral, but practised a little agriculture. They had adopted some Mesopotamian innovations, nota­bly the shaft-hole axe. In the early part of the second millenium Be, whether from pressure of population, des­iccation of pasture lands, or from both causes, these people were on the move. They migrated in bands westwards, southwards and eastWards, conquering local populations.

They brought with them their patrilineal family system, worship of sky-gods, and horses and chariots. Their original language gradually adapted itself to the tongues of .the conquered peoples. Some invaded Europe to become the ancestors of the Greeks, Latins, Celts and Teutons. Others moved southwards to the Caucasus and the Iranian table­land. The marauding tribesmen also gradually came to India. These invaders of India called themselves Aryas, a word generally anglicised into 'Aryans', The name was also used by the ancient Persians and survives in the word 'Iran'.

The Aryans spoke the Indo-European languages, which are currently prevalent in chang~d forms all over Europe, Iran and the greater part of the Indian subcontinent. Certain names of animals such as goats, dogs, horses, etc., and names of certain plants such as pine, maple, etc., are similar to one another in all the Indo-European languages. The Aryans did not lead a settled life, so, they could not leave behind any solid material remains.

Making their way to India, the Aryans first g'peared in Iran, where the Indo-Iranians lived for a long time. We learn about the Aryans in India from the Rigveda, which is the earliest specimen of the Indo-European languages, and has much in common with the 'Avesta'~ the oldest text in the Iranian language.
Date of Immigration In order to determine the date of the arrival of the Aryans in India we must first look for the age of the Rigveda. There is much difference of opinion in this regard. Some lay down the year 1000 BC as the that Jainism and Buddhism presuppose its exist­ence. Keeping this in mind we may conclude that the Aryans appeared in north-western India not later than 1500 BC. The early Vedic period is roughly dated from 150Q to 1000 BC. The later Vedic period extends from 1000-600 BC.