The Aryan Invasion: theories, counter-theories and historical significance

20 Outubro 2017, 16:00 • João Manuel de Almeida Teles e Cunha

The Aryan Invasion theory was first propounded when linguistic similarities between Sanskrit and the major European languages were discovered by European scholars during the colonial era. In an atmosphere of raging eurocentricism, it was inevitable that any explanation of this seemingly inexplicable discovery would taken on racial and ideological overtones. (See Refs.  
1)Colonial expositions of the Aryan Invasion Theory 
British intellectuals were particularly nonplussed by this apparent link between the languages of the conquerors and the conquered. In the earliest phases of British rule in India, the East India Company proceeded largely unconsciously - without moral dilemmas and without overt recourse to ideological or racial superiority. But as the rule of the East India Company expanded, and battles became more hard fought and the resistance to British occupation in India grew, the ideology of European racial superiority became almost essential in justifying British presence in India - not only to assuage British conscience, but also to convince the Indian people that the British were not mere colonial conquerors but a superior race on a noble civilizational mission. 
Arguments for and against the Invasion Theory

Opponents of the invasion theory make a somewhat plausible case that the sacrificial rites and rituals described in some of the Vedic texts bear a resemblance to practices that may have been common during the Harappan period. The similarity of Harappan and Vedic altars is indeed intriguing. This would bolster the argument that Brahmins of the Vedic age emerged from the Harappan priesthood, and not from any Aryan invasion. But a link between the Harappan priesthood and Vedic Brahmanism does not preclude the possibility of an invasion or foreign migration. It is not inconceivable that the Vedic Brahmin developed as a composite of the Harappan priest and the priest of an invading (or migrating) tribe or clan. Animal sacrifices were common amongst many tribes in that age - and it is not entirely implausible that some kind of synthesis may have taken place.

One consequence of this is that the debate on the Aryan question has been highly contentious, with historians adopting strident and extreme positions, not seeing that there can be both continuities and discontinuities in the development of Indian civilization. It has also diverted many of India's historians from equally (or more) important tasks - such as describing and integrating those periods of Indian history where considerable new archeological material is now available and needs to be incorporated into the presently known and documented view of Indian history.

Key aspects of Indian history remain poorly researched and documented. Many Sanskrit and vernacular texts have not been studied and assimilated by English speaking historians. Regional variations in Indian history have not been studied enough. A deeper understanding of some of the lesser known kingdoms all across India is required to correct false generalizations about Indian history. Much more effort is required in understanding social movements, gender and caste equations. 
References : 
Notes and References:

1. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, famous for his work on the Indian Constitution, as well as his campaign in support of the nation's dalit community noticed the racial overtones underlying the theory and described the British espousal of the Aryan Invasion theory in the following words: "The theory of invasion is an invention. This invention is necessary because of a gratuitous assumption that the Indo-Germanic people are the purest of the modern representation of the original Aryan race. The theory is a perversion of scientific investigation. It is not allowed to evolve out of facts. On the contrary, the theory is preconceived and facts are selected to prove it. It falls to the ground at every point."

b. British anthropologist, Edmund Leach also termed the Aryan invasion theory as being born out of European racism.

2.. "What has taken place since the commencement of the British rule in India is only a reunion, to a certain extent, of the members of the same family," John Wilson, a colonial missionary, declared with a straight face, and naturally this happy reunion had now brought India into contact "with the most enlightened and philanthropic nation in the world." - quoted by Sri Aurobindo: The Origins of Aryan Speech, (The Secret of the Veda, p. 554).

3. See Madhu Kishwar: Manusmriti to Madhusmriti

4. See Marija Gimbutas: The Civilization of the Goddess, The World of Old Europe on the philological commonalities of the Indo-European languages, and how these commonalities relate to the culture and ethos of pastoral nomadic patriarchal warrior clans.

5. P.T. Srinivasa Iyengar (History of the Tamils) makes a similar case emphasizing the essentially indigenous development of Tamil language and civilization. Although some of his conclusions appear to be somewhat conjectural (such as those pertaining to Tamil Nadu possibly being the "original" homeland of the Sumerians), his assertion that Tamil language and culture arose from the very geography of the Tamil country is well substantiated. He does this by citing the anthropological observations of the ancient Tamils and demonstrating how the distinct geographical features of the Tamil country influenced the development of distinct modes of production and patterns of living, which in turn, helped shape their culture and language.

6. See, for instance, Wikipedia's on-line article on Indian and other Syllabic/Abugida scripts.

Os indo-europeus e a migração dos indo-arianos

17 Outubro 2017, 16:00 • João Manuel de Almeida Teles e Cunha

A descoberta dos indo-europeus, o nascimento do conceito linguístico e étnico no século XIX, os seus desenvolvimentos com aproveitamentos nacionalistas, o caso extremo do nazismo. As teses actuais sobre o berço dos indo-europeus, as sucessivas vagas migratórias, entre as quais a dos que viriam a ser os indo-arianos, as culturas a que deram origem, a importância da domesticação do cavalo e do carro com rodas raiadas para a sua migração, o seu estabelecimento numa ampla frente geográfica que vai do Próximo Oriente (Mitanni) até à Índia, onde as vagas migratórias entram a partir de 1700-1500 a. C.

The Indus Valley Civilization

13 Outubro 2017, 16:00 • João Manuel de Almeida Teles e Cunha

One of the ancient Civilizations

One of the ancient civilizations is the Civilization of Indus Valley, which is also most commonly known as Harappa Civilization. This relies, at the first excavations that were made, for the cradle discovery of the civilization, which were held at the city Harappa-Pakistan. It was developed around 2600 B.C.-1500 B.C. Archaeological findings show that it probably significantly affected the Hindu culture. Being forgotten from the history until its discovery in 1920, this civilization is being filed among its contemporary civilizations, Mesopotamian and Egyptian, as the one of the three most ancient cultures on our planet, according to the elements of cities appearance, agriculture, architecture and writing.

We have indications for gradual culture reduction around 1800 B.C. Until 1700 B.C. most of the towns were abandoned. But the civilians were not disappeared completely. And many elements of their culture can be found in later civilizations. Indus Valley Civilization was mainly located around Indus River at the Indian subcontinent. Ruins discovered among Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan and Iran. Based on the excavations, it is estimated that its population fluctuated around 200,000 inhabitants.

The Discovery…

The discovery of Indus Valley Civilization happened while manufacturing railway line, to connect the cities Karachi and Lahore. The brothers John and William Brunton were constructing that project. They searched for the ancient town, as they needed stones for the line quarry. They weren’t aware of being in front of a great discovery. And, when John Brunton visited the ruins, for the first time, he said that: here is the grand quarry for the ballast I want. This had as a result of caring away the city walls, for the needs of the railway constructions.

That happened in 1856. But excavations started in 1920, with the most important discoveries in 1999. That was the discovery of ceramics, with the first samples of writing. That fact brought up, the dispute of the theory that the discovery of writing, belonged to the Mesopotamians or Egyptians.

Other important findings in the excavations of Harappa were Krishna’s grave, and ceramics with the symbol of swastika.

Cultivation, harvesting and trade

Indus Valley Civilization, like every civilization of that era, was dealing with trade, mostly with the most important civilizations of that period, Mesopotamians and Egyptians. Its main source for trading raw materials was lapis lazuli and other materials for bead-making. Except trading they also had farms. Their main cultivation products, amongst others, were the peas, sesame seed and cotton. They also domesticated wild animals in order to use them for harvesting their farms. One of them is the water buffalo, which is still used in some provinces of Asia.

Architecture

Another important thing in Indus Valley Civilization is their architecture. They used to create their houses, by using a unique urban characteristic, for that era. And, by saying urban, we mean the way of town planning in order to create a society, founding cities.

A house in Harappa is an amazing example of traditional people, without the advantages of technology with adaption to the local conditions and sensed to product a proper architecture for the climate. It was designed with cyclical rooms, which their doors faced in a central yard. This yard worked as source of light for the rooms, and because of the climate it absorbed the heat in the summer and worked also as radiator in the winter. It also provided space for external activities.

There were no openings towards the road for the safety of the private life. Literally, whatever openings they used to have at rooms, were small and were used for avoiding the heat-wave of the summer. That specific architectural type is contemporary for that era, having for typical example the Romans, who were the next people using that type, while an interval of 2500 years elapsed.

What we will never find…

Although the importance of Indus Valley civilization and the very important findings, we may not know anything more about this civilization and we may never find out what the scripts are written about, or any findings that have graphic elements. The reason is because this language does not exist anymore and it cannot be deciphered. Unfortunately, for the historians, the scholars and generally for all of us, this leads to acknowledge of an important civilization, which was the basis for several features of the current lifestyle.

A civilização do Vale do Indo

10 Outubro 2017, 16:00 • João Manuel de Almeida Teles e Cunha

A descoberta tardia da civilização do Vale do Indo, as suas principais características (e a forma como estas evoluíram desde 1921 até hoje) e as causas do seu fim abrupto, descartando-se a razão clássica da entrada dos indo-arianos na Índia.

De Merhgarh ao Vale do Indo

6 Outubro 2017, 16:00 • João Manuel de Almeida Teles e Cunha

O começo da primeira cultura neolítica na Índia em Mehrgarh, as suas principais características e causa do seu fim quando aparecem as primeiras fases de Harappa, o início da civilização do Vele do Indo.