The very mention of “Aryan” or “Aryan people” in modern times perhaps immediately and understandably conjures up images of swastikas, iron crosses and other associated Nazi apparel. It is indeed a fact that since the defeat of Nazi Germany, the term “Aryan” has largely been replaced in scholastic circles by what is perceived as being the more politically correct, “Indo European.” But to find the true details of these people, their origins and their culture, we have to delve much further back in to history than the 20th century.
The commonalities in many European and Eastern languages was what first led historians to believe that they all must have derived from the same proto-language, perhaps that spoken by a migratory or imperialistic people of a previous millennia. This would be a language that predated and fathered even the likes of Latin and Ancient Greek. It is widely attested that these people, or “Aryans -” a derivation of the word, “arya,” meaning noble or spiritual – originated in what is now Southern Russia and specifically the Caucasus Mountains – from whence the term “Caucasian” is derived – perhaps as early as 5000 BC. They spread from there throughout Europe and the Indian sub-continent, where their intervention and inter-breeding with the indigents may explain the Indian caste system and why those of the highest caste are traditionally paler in complexion than their lower ranked kinsmen. In Europe, the physical effects of these invasions would have been less noticeable given the similar hue of the existing tribes’ and peoples’ skin but the cross-cultural exchanges were just as pronounced, beliefs, practices and rituals becoming just as inter-mingled as the languages.
The story may assume a slightly different slant, however, if we are to view it from an Iranian point of view. It is the assertion of M Sadeq Nazmi-Afshar, writing on the Iran Chamber Society website, that the ancient scribe of Darius I, in which he declares himself both a Persian and, “Aryan, from the Aryan race,” proves that the Iranians of an even earlier time period were already Aryan. In addition, he claims that paleontological studies prove Iran to be the true fatherland of Aryans whereas all alternative theories are based purely upon speculation.
There is one further twist in the tale perhaps worthy of brief examination. It had long been argued – perhaps not too convincingly – by some European scholars that the Aryans originated in North and Central Europe, but in the late 19th century, Helena Blavatsky took it one step further. Joint founder of the Theosophical movement, she proposed the theory that the peoples of the Semitic culture were but an inferior offshoot of the Aryan race, “degenerate in spirituality and perfected in materiality.” Might just a certain Austrian corporal have read of this in the 1920’s or 1930’s…? It may be fortunate that we will never know.
Partially sourced from:
www.wikipedia.org
www.indhistory.com
www.iranchamber.com
