1. Indo-European Migrations
Focusing on the Hittites, Aryans and the Development of Hinduism

2. The Indo-Europeans Influential c. 3000-1000BCE
Common family of languages
Homeland in steppes around modern Ukraine, north of the Black and Caspian Seas
Domesticated horses c. 4000BCE
Acquired bronze working from Mesopotamia c.3000BCE
Developed wheeled vehicles for horses soon after 3000BCE
Economic and military advantages from the horse powered vehicles
This advantage facilitated Indo-European dominance when encountering other peoples
Aryo- Proto-Indo-European: Nobleman, Lord
Aryan (the Nobles/Lords), Iran, Eire (Land of the Nobles/Lords)

3. Indo-European languages

4. Modern Distribution of Indo-European Languages

5. Migrations Herding horses, cattle and sheep led to population increase
Proto-Indo-Europeans fan out over Eurasia
c. 3000BCE- First Indo-European Migrations begin
2300BCE- Central Europe (Germany, Austria)
2200BCE- Greece
2000BCE- Tarim Basin (East Asia)
1900BCE- Hittites in Anatolia
1500BCE- Medes & Persians in Iranian Plateau
1500BCE- Aryans in Northern India
1200BCE- Celts in Western Europe (France, British Isles, Iberian Peninsula)
1000BCE- Italy

6. Hittites
c. 2000BCE Hittites adopt spoked wheels for chariots and enter Anatolia
Late 19th Century BCE- Hittite names and loan words appear in Assyrian tablets
BCE Hittite kings begin unifying central Anatolia centered on the capital Hattusha
c. 1600BCE Hittite kings raiding as far south as Babylon, ending the Amorite Dynasty there
1500BCE Codification of Hittite Law

7. War Chariots

8. Height of Hittite Empire c. 1300BCE

9. Hittite Culture Agriculture – Staple crops: grain, grapes, olives
Husbandry- cattle, sheep, goats, horses, pigs, dogs
Writing- cuneiform adopted from Mesopotamia
Mining- Anatolia’s mountains are rich in mineral resources

10. Writing- cuneiform adopted from Mesopotamia

11. Hittite Culture
Mining was done in mountains, but raw materials were transported to cities to be fashioned into weapons, tools and other products
Hittite rule was somewhat benevolent compared to other Mesopotamian societies
King ruled directly rather than through administrators and his rule seems to have depended on personal charisma
Semi-feudal- The state, through the king, held title to all land. Military or tenant labor was demanded in exchange for grants of land

13. The Aryans and Hinduism
Aryan conquest of Northern India c. 1500BCE
Vedas- the earliest collections of Aryan Lore, Hymns, Prayers, and Songs
Vedas- originally passed down orally, later recorded in writing
Vedas- scriptural basis of Hinduism, considered the final authority by many Hindus
Rig Veda- earliest Vedic text, composed c BCE
Gods have counterparts in other Indo-European pantheons (esp. Iranian, Greek & Roman)
Varuna = Uranus – Both from P-Indo-European root, uer- to bind. Varuna binds the wicked, Uranus binds the Cyclopes.

14. Aryans Invade Northern India
Varna system set up by Aryans
Varna = color
Originally used to keep the dasa/dasyu, the native, dark skinned population, in subjugation
Dasa later comes to mean slave

15. Four Varnas Brahmin Kshatriya Vaishya Sudra
5th Group, which was outside of the system

16. Brahmin
Priests

17. Kshatriya
Warriors/Administrators

18. Vaishya
Farmers/merchants

19. Sudra
Peasants/Menial Laborers

20. Untouchables
5th Group, which was outside of the system- Untouchables

21. Dharma Core concept behind Varna System Duty, Virtue, Law
Dharma is specific to Varna
Fullfilling the Dharma of your Varna leads to good Karma

22. Reincarnation
Cycle of Rebirth

23. Two great Epic Poems in Hinduism
Ramayana
Mahabharata
In their final form c. 200CE
Provide common ideals for Hindu life
Reflect culture and civilization of ancient India