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Originally posted by molly bloom
The first mention of Aryan gods occurs (as far as I can recall) in a treaty from Boghazkoi, which was then the capital of the Hittites- in Western Asia. Mitra, Indra, and Varuna are called upon to witness as deities, the document.
Vedic hymns praise Indra as the 'purandara', the one who destroys forts, the forts, moreover, of the Dasas.
Agni the firegod also assisted in weakening the walls of the forts of the 'dark-skinned' races- who scattered abroad, deserting their former strongholds and leaving their possessions behind.
With literature like that, what is emphasized or deserves particular mention, is usually a clue as to what is new, or foreign- why mention the dark skins, if you are already familiar with them, or if you are of similar complexion ?
In Christian Europe, for instance, Jews were made to wear distinguishing clothing or yellow patches, not presumably because they physically appeared notably different from non-Jews, but precisely because they didn't.
The first mention of Aryan gods occurs (as far as I can recall) in a treaty from Boghazkoi, which was then the capital of the Hittites- in Western Asia. Mitra, Indra, and Varuna are called upon to witness as deities, the document.
Vedic hymns praise Indra as the 'purandara', the one who destroys forts, the forts, moreover, of the Dasas.
Agni the firegod also assisted in weakening the walls of the forts of the 'dark-skinned' races- who scattered abroad, deserting their former strongholds and leaving their possessions behind.
With literature like that, what is emphasized or deserves particular mention, is usually a clue as to what is new, or foreign- why mention the dark skins, if you are already familiar with them, or if you are of similar complexion ?
In Christian Europe, for instance, Jews were made to wear distinguishing clothing or yellow patches, not presumably because they physically appeared notably different from non-Jews, but precisely because they didn't.
Which is not to say that some of Ansheem's lengthy quote isn't true. It makes an immense amount of sense that the "Aryans" could well have taken advantage of the decline in the Harrapan civilization much like the Sea Peoples did to Egypt under similar circumstances. Unlike the Sea Peoples however the Aryans were moving into a vast decentralized cultural area rather than a temporarily distraught but highly centralized state. They probably had been living at the fringes of the Harrapan civilization and both peoples had a good deal of prior knowledge of one another, much as the Greeks did about the Minoans. The Aryans who are mentioned in the Hittite treaty were highly prized mercenaries who were paid to create a chariot corps for the Hittites. People in such positions have been known throughout history to take advantage by seizing the crown for themselves if given an opportunity.
Other evidence suggests the sort of minority rule we've seen most recently in South Africa. With the ruling class itself a tiny proportion of the population you get a very rigid social structure not unlike say the caste system. There is still a surprising degree of color consciousness in India, and from what I hear it is considered better to be lighter skinned. It seems most likely that there was a hostile takeover that gave the Indo-European language speakers (ie the Aryans) a much greater say than their numbers would otherwise have allowed in the creation of a hybrid society. The process may have taken centuries, by which time the "Aryans" may have been indistinguishable from the people we know as the Indians.
Oops, time to go. Have a nice weekend all.
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