On Fri January 27 2006 07:40, Thaths wrote: > I agree that the scientific method needs to be applied to history as > well. The evidence for a Aryan migration to India comes from fields as > diverse as linguistics, genetics and archeology. What is the evidence > for non-migration?
What genetic and archaeological evidence are you referring to? As far as my knowledge goes genetic evidence speaks of continuous admixture of genes in India from people staring from Africa, to Europe and Central Asia. There is no genetic evidence of an "Aryan invasion" - and what is presented as evidence is as shaky as the arguments against it. I am willing to change my mind on this. I have links to (and hard-disk copies of ) at least two genetic studies of the people of India that (as far as I remember) do not unequivocally support an Aryan invasion theory. I will dig them up and post them on here. Archeology is another problem. Nothing archaeological in nature has been found of Aryan in the "original countries" that the came from. All the evidence seems to point to locals. The argument is "Surely if the Aryans came from somewhere and left archaeological traces in India they must have left similar traces in their place/s of origin. Where are those places and what traces are left?" None exist as far as I know. Linguistics is another area in which I would love to see some of the "evidence". The Indus valley civilization was supposedly part of the "advanced Aryan culture" that drove out Dravidians. But nobody has yet figured out the Indus valley/Harappan script - which has no known connections to support an Aryan invasion theory. Some people - and not necessarily the "Hindu right wing" types have speculated that the Indus valley civilization may well be the "Dravidians" - making "Aryan culture" and "Dravidian culture" one and the same. Nobody knows for sure. It is the brahminical (or mullahnic?) dogma and "unshakeable certainty" of existing beliefs and the culture of being offended when they are questioned that are making the issue a political storm. shiv
