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  Today Razib talks to Laura Spinney, Paris-based British author of the forthcoming Proto: How One Ancient Language Went Global. A science journalist, translator and author of both fiction and non-fiction, she has written for Nature, National Geographic, The Economist, New Scientist, and The Guardian. Spinney is the author of two novels, Doctor and The Quick, and a collection of oral history in French from Lausanne entitled Rue Centrale. In 2017, she published Pale Rider, an account of the 1918 flu pandemic. She also translated Swiss writer Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz's novel Derborence into English. Spinney graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Sciences from Durham University and did a journalism residency at Berlin's Planck Institute. First, Razib asks Spinney how difficult it was to integrate archaeology, linguistics and paleogenetics into her narrative in Proto, which traces the rise and proliferation of Indo-European languages from its ancestral proto-Indo-European. She talks about why this was the time to write a book like this for a general audience, as paleogenetics has revolutionized our understanding of recent prehistory, and in particular the questions around the origin of the Indo-Europeans. Razib and Spinney talk about various scenarios that have been bandied about for decades, for example, the arguments between linguistics and archaeologists whether proto-Indo-European was from the steppe or had an Anatolian homeland, and the exact relationship of the Hittites and their language to other Indo-European branches. They also delve into how genetics has helped shed light on deeper connections between some branches, like Balto-Slavic and Indo-Iranian, or Greek and Armenian. Spinney also addresses how writing a book like Proto involves placing fields like historical linguistics and archaeology with charged political associations in their proper historical context

This episode we are taking a trip down the Silk Road--or perhaps even the Spice Road--as we investigate references in this reign to individuals from "Tukara" who seem to have arrived in Yamato and stayed for a while. For photos and more, see our podcast webpage:  https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-119 Rough Transcript   Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  This is episode 119: The Question of “Tukara”   Traveling upon the ocean was never exactly safe.  Squalls and storms could arise at any time, and there was always a chance that high winds and high waves could capsize a vessel.  Most people who found themselves at the mercy of the ocean could do little but hold on and hope that they could ride out whatever adverse conditions they met with.  Many ships were lost without any explanation or understanding of what happened to them.  They simply left the port and never came back home. And so when the people saw the boat pulling up on the shores of Himuka, on the island of Tsukushi, they no doubt empathized with the voyagers' plight.  The crew looked bedraggled, and their clothing was unfamiliar.  There were both men and women, and this didn't look like your average fishing party.  If anything was clear it was this:  These folk weren't from around here. The locals brought out water and food.  Meanwhile, runners were sent with a message:  foreigners had arrived from a distant place.  They then waited to see what the government was going to do.     We are still in the second reign of Takara Hime, aka Saimei Tenno.  Last episode we talked about the palaces constructed in Asuka, as well as some of the stone works that have been found from the period, and which appear to be referenced in the Nihon Shoki—at least tangentially.   The episodes before that, we looked at the expeditions the court sent to the far north of Honshu and even past Honshu to Hokkaido. This episode we'll again be looking past the main islands of the archipelago to lands beyond.  Specifically, we are going to focus on particularly intriguing references to people from a place called “Tukara”.  We'll talk about some of the ideas about where that might be, even if they're a bit  far-fetched. That's because Tukara touches on the state of the larger world that Yamato was a part of, given its situation on the far eastern edge of what we know today as the Silk Road.  And is this just an excuse for me to take a detour into some of the more interesting things going on outside the archipelago?  No comment. The first mention of a man from Tukara actually comes at the end of the reign of Karu, aka Koutoku Tennou.  We are told that in the fourth month of 654 two men and two women of “Tukara” and one woman of “Sha'e” were driven by a storm to Hiuga.  Then, three years later, the story apparently picks up again, though possibly referring to a different group of people.  On the 3rd day of the 7th month of 657, so during the second reign of Takara Hime, we now hear about two men and four women of the Land of Tukara—no mention of Sha'e—who drifted to Tsukushi, aka Kyushu.  The Chronicles mention that these wayfarers first drifted to the island of Amami, and we'll talk about that in a bit, but let's get these puzzle pieces on the table, first.  After those six people show up, the court sent for them by post-horse.  They must have arrived by the 15th of that same month, because we are told that a model of Mt. Sumi was erected and they—the people from Tukara—were entertained, although there is another account that says they were from “Tora”. The next mention is the 10th day of the 3rd month of 659, when a Man of Tukara and his wife, again woman of Sha'e, arrived.  Then, on the 16th day of the 7th month of 660, we are told that the man of Tukara, Kenzuhashi Tatsuna, desired to return home and asked for an escort.  He planned to pay his respects at the Great Country, i.e. the Tang court, and so he left his wife behind, taking tens of men with him. All of these entries might refer to people regularly reaching Yamato from the south, from a place called “Tukara”.  Alternately, this is a single event whose story has gotten distributed over several years, as we've seen happen before with the Chronicles.  .  One of the oddities of these entries is that the terms used are not consistent.  “Tukara” is spelled at least two different ways, suggesting that it wasn't a common placename like Silla or Baekje, or even the Mishihase.  That does seem to suggest that the Chronicles were phonetically trying to find kanji, or the Sinitic characters, to match with the name they were hearing.   I would also note that “Tukara” is given the status of a “kuni”—a land, country, or state—while “sha'e”, where some of the women are said to come from, is just that, “Sha'e”. As for the name of at least one person from Tokara, Kenzuhashi Tatsuna, that certainly sounds like someone trying to fit a non-Japanese name into the orthography of the time.  “Tatsuna” seems plausibly Japanese, but “Kenzuhashi” doesn't fit quite as well into the naming structures we've seen to this point. The location of “Tukara” and “Sha'e” are not clear in any way, and as such there has been a lot of speculation about them.  While today there are placenames that fit those characters, whether or not these were the places being referenced at the time is hard to say. I'll actually start with “Sha'e”, which Aston translates as Shravasti, the capital of the ancient Indian kingdom of Kosala, in modern Uttar Pradesh.  It is also where the Buddha, Siddartha Gautama, is said to have lived most of his life after his enlightenment.  In Japanese this is “Sha'e-jou”, and like many Buddhist terms it likely comes through Sanskrit to Middle Chinese to Japanese.  One—or possibly two—women from Shravasti making the journey to Yamato in the company of a man (or men) from Tukara seems quite the feat.  But then, where is “Tukara”? Well, we have at least three possible locations that I've seen bandied about.  I'll address them from the most distant to the closest option.  These three options were Tokharistan, Dvaravati, and the Tokara islands. We'll start with Tokharistan on the far end of the Silk Road.  And to start, let's define what that “Silk Road” means.  We've talked in past episodes about the “Western Regions”, past the Han-controlled territories of the Yellow River.   The ancient Tang capital of Chang'an was built near to the home of the Qin dynasty, and even today you can go and see both the Tang tombs and the tomb of Qin Shihuangdi and his terracotta warriors, all within a short distance of Xi'an, the modern city built on the site of Chang'an.  That city sits on a tributary of the Yellow River, but the main branch turns north around the border of modern Henan and the similarly sounding provinces of Shanxi and Shaanxi.  Following it upstream, the river heads north into modern Mongolia, turns west, and then heads south again, creating what is known as the Ordos loop.  Inside is the Ordos plateau, also known as the Ordos Basin.  Continuing to follow the Yellow river south, on the western edge of the Ordos, you travel through Ningxia and Gansu—home of the Hexi, or Gansu, Corridor.  That route eventually takes to Yumenguan, the Jade Gate, and Dunhuang.  From there roads head north or south along the edge of the Taklamakan desert in the Tarim basin.  The southern route travels along the edge of the Tibetan plateau, while the northern route traversed various oasis cities through Turpan, Kucha, to the city of Kashgar.  Both routes made their way across the Pamirs and the Hindu Kush into South Asia. We've brought up the Tarim Basin and the Silk Road a few times.  This is the path that Buddhism appears to have taken to get to the Yellow River Basin and eventually to the Korean Peninsula and eastward to the Japanese archipelago.  But I want to go a bit more into detail on things here, as there is an interesting side note about “Tukara” that I personally find rather fascinating, and thought this would be a fun time to share. Back in Episode 79 we talked about how the Tarim basin used to be the home to a vast inland sea, which was fed by the meltwater from the Tianshan and Kunlun mountains.  This sea eventually dwindled, though it was still large enough to be known to the Tang as the Puchang Sea.  Today it has largely dried up, and it is mostly just the salt marshes of Lop Nur that remain.  Evidence for this larger sea, however, can be observed in some of the burials found around the Tarim basin.  These burials include the use of boat-shaped structures—a rather curious feature to be found out in the middle of the desert. And it is the desert that was left behind as the waters receded that is key to much of what we know about life in the Tarim basin, as it has proven to be quite excellent at preserving organic material.  This includes bodies, which dried out and naturally turned into mummies, including not only the wool clothing they were wearing, but also features such as hair and even decoration. These “Tarim mummies”, as they have been collectively called, date from as early as 2100 BCE all the way up through the period of time we're currently talking about, and have been found in several desert sites: Xiaohe, the earliest yet discovered; Loulan, near Lop Nur on the east of the Tarim Basin, dating from around 1800 BCE; Cherchen, on the southern edge of the Tarim Basin, dating from roughly 1000 BCE; and too many others to go into in huge detail. The intriguing thing about these burials is that  many of them don't have features typically associated with people of ethnic Han—which is to say traditional Chinese—ancestry, nor do they necessarily have the features associated with the Xiongnu and other steppe nomads.  In addition they have colorful clothing  made from wool and leather, with vivid designs.  Some bodies near Hami, just east of the basin, were reported to have blonde to light brown hair, and their cloth showed radically different patterns from that found at Cherchen and Loulan, with patterns that could reasonably be compared with the plaids now common in places like Scotland and Ireland, and previously found in the Hallstadt salt mine in Central Europe from around 3500 BCE, from which it is thought the Celtic people may have originated. At the same time that people—largely Westerners— were studying these mummies, another discovery in the Tarim basin was also making waves.  This was the discovery of a brand new language.  Actually, it was two languages—or possibly two dialects of a language—in many manuscripts, preserved in Kucha and Turpan.  Once again, the dry desert conditions proved invaluable to maintain these manuscripts, which date from between the late 4th or early 5th century to the 8th century.  They are written with a Brahmic script, similar to that used for Sanskrit, which appears in the Tarim Basin l by about the 2nd century, and we were able to translate them because many of the texts were copies of Buddhist scripture, which greatly helped scholars in deciphering the languages.  These two languages were fascinating because they represented an as-yet undiscovered branch of the Indo-European language family.  Furthermore, when compared to other Indo-European languages, they did not show nearly as much similarity with their neighbors as with languages on the far western end of the Indo-European language family.  That is to say they were thought to be closer to Celtic and Italic languages than something like Indo-Iranian.  And now for a quick diversion within the diversion:  “Centum” and “Satem” are general divisions of the Indo-European language families that was once thought to indicate a geographic divide in the languages.  At its most basic, as Indo-European words changed over time, a labiovelar sound, something like “kw”,  tended to evolve in one of two ways.  In the Celtic and Italic languages, the “kw” went to a hard “k” sound, as represented in the classical pronunciation of the Latin word for 100:  Centum.  That same word, in the Avestan language—of the Indo-Iranian tree—is pronounced as “Satem”, with an “S” sound.  So, you can look at Indo-European languages and divide them generally into “centum” languages, which preserve the hard “k”, or “Satem” languages that preserve the S. With me so far? Getting back to these two newly-found languages in the Tarim Basin, the weird thing is that they were “Centum” languages. Most Centum languages are from pretty far away, though: they are generally found in western Europe or around the Mediterranean, as opposed to the Satem languages, such as Indo-Aryan, Iranian, Armernian, or even Baltic Slavic languages, which are much closer to the Tarim Basin.  So if the theory were true that the “Centum” family of Indo-European languages developed in the West and “Satem” languages developed in the East, then that would seem to indicate that a group of a “Centum” speaking people must have migrated eastward, through the various Satem speaking people, and settled in the Tarim Basin many thousands of years ago. And what evidence do we have of people who look very different from the modern population, living in the Tarim Basin area long before, and wearing clothing similar to what we associated with the progenitors of the Celts?  For many, it seemed to be somewhat obvious, if still incredible, that the speakers of this language were likely the descendants of the mummies who, in the terminology of the time, had been identified as being of Caucasoid ancestry.  A theory developed that these people were an offshoot of a group called the Yamnaya culture, which may have arisen around modern Ukraine as an admixture between the European Hunter Gatherers and the Caucasian Hunter Gatherers, around 3300-2600 BCE.  This was challenged in 2021 when a genetic study was performed on some of the mummies in the Tarim basin, as well as several from the Dzungarian basin, to the northeast.  That study suggested that the people of the Dzungarian basin had genetic ties to the people of the Afanasievo people, from Southern Siberia.  The Afanasievo people are connected to the Yamnayan culture. It should be noted that there has long been a fascination in Western anthropology and related sciences with racial identification—and often not in a healthy way.  As you may recall, the Ainu were identified as “Caucasoid” by some people largely because of things like the men's beards and lighter colored hair, which differ greatly from a large part of the Japanese population.  However, that claim has been repeatedly refuted and debunked. And similarly, the truth is, none of these Tarim mummy burials were in a period of written anything, so we can't conclusively associated them with these fascinating Indo-European languages.  There are thousands of years between the various burials and the manuscripts. These people  left no notes stashed in pockets that give us their life story.   And Language is not Genetics is not Culture.  Any group may adopt a given language for a variety of reasons.  .  Still, given what we know, it is possible that the ancient people of the Tarim basin spoke some form of “Proto-Kuchean”, but it is just as likely that this language was brought in by people from Dzungaria at some point. So why does all this matter to us?  Well, remember how we were talking about someone from Tukara?  The Kuchean language, at least, is referred to in an ancient Turkic source as belonging to “Twgry”, which led several scholars to draw a link between this and the kingdom and people called Tukara and the Tokharoi.  This leads us on another bit of a chase through history. Now if you recall, back in Episode 79, we talked about Zhang Qian.  In 128 BCE, he attempted to cross the Silk Road through the territory of the Xiongnu on a mission for the Han court.  Some fifty years earlier, the Xiongnu had defeated the Yuezhi.  They held territory in the oasis towns along the north of the Taklamakan dessert, from about the Turpan basin west to the Pamirs. The Xiongnu were causing problems for the Han, who thought that if they could contact the remaining Yuezhi they could make common cause with them and harass the Xiongnu from both sides.  Zhang Qian's story is quite remarkable: he started out with an escort of some 99 men and a translator.  Unfortunately, he was captured and enslaved by the Xiongnu during his journey, and he is even said to have had a wife and fathered a child.  He remained a captive for thirteen years, but nonetheless, he was able to escape with his family and he made it to the Great Yuezhi on the far side of the Pamirs, but apparently the Yuezhi weren't interested in a treaty against the Xiongnu.  The Pamirs were apparently enough of a barrier and they were thriving in their new land.  And so Zhang Qian crossed back again through Xiongnu territory, this time taking the southern route around the Tarim basin.  He was still captured by the Xiongnu, who spared his life.  He escaped, again, two years later, returning to the Han court.  Of the original 100 explorers, only two returned: Zhang Qian and his translator.  While he hadn't obtained an alliance, he was able to detail the cultures of the area of the Yuezhi. Many feel that the Kushan Empire, which is generally said to have existed from about 30 to 375 CE,was formed from the Kushana people who were part of the Yuezhi who fled the Xiongnu. In other words, they were originally from further north, around the Tarim Basin, and had been chased out and settled down in regions that included Bactria (as in the Bactrian camel).  Zhang Qian describes reaching the Dayuan Kingdom in the Ferghana valley, then traveling south to an area that was the home of the Great Yuezhi or Da Yuezhi.  And after the Kushan empire fell, we know there was a state in the upper regions of the Oxus river, centered on the city of Balkh, in the former territory of the Kushan empire. known as “Tokara”.  Geographically, this matches up how Zhang Qian described the home of the Da Yuezhi.  Furthermore, some scholars reconstruct the reading of the Sinic characters used for “Yuezhi” as originally having an optional reading of something like “Togwar”, but that is certainly not the most common reconstructed reading of those characters.  Greek sources describe this area as the home of the Tokharoi, or the Tokaran People.  The term “Tukhara” is also found in Sanskrit, and this kingdom  was also said to have sent ambassadors to the Southern Liang and Tang dynasties. We aren't exactly certain of where these Tokharan people came from, but as we've just described, there's a prevailing theory that they were the remnants of the Yuezhi and Kushana people originally from the Tarim Basin.  We know that in the 6th century they came under the rule of the Gokturk Khaganate, which once spanned from the Liao river basin to the Black Sea.  In the 7th and 8th centuries they came under the rule of the Tang Empire, where they were known by very similar characters as those used to write “Tukara” in the Nihon Shoki.  On top of this, we see Tokharans traveling the Silk Road, all the way to the Tang court.  Furthermore, Tokharans that settled in Chang'an took the surname “Zhi” from the ethnonym “Yuezhi”, seemingly laying claim to and giving validation to the identity used back in the Han dynasty.   So, we have a Turkic record describing the Kuchean people (as in, from Kucha in the Tarim Basin) as “Twgry”, and we have a kingdom in Bactria called Tokara and populated (according to the Greeks) by people called Tokharoi.  You can see how this one term has been a fascinating rabbit hole in the study of the Silk Roads and their history.  And some scholars understandably suggested that perhaps the Indo-European languags found in Kucha and Turpan  were actually related to this “Tokhara” – and therefore  should be called “Tocharian”, specifically Tocharian A (Kuchean) or Tocharian B (Turfanian). The problem is that if the Tokharans were speaking “Tocharian” then you wouldn't expect to just see it at Kucha and Turpan, which are about the middle of the road between Tokhara and the Tang dynasty, and which had long been under Gokturk rule.  You would also expect to see it in the areas of Bactria associated with Tokhara.  However, that isn't what we see.  Instead, we see that Bactria was the home of local Bactrian language—an Eastern Iranian language, which, though it is part of the Indo European language family, it is not closely related to Tocharian as far as we can tell. It is possible that the people of Kucha referred to themselves as something similar to “Twgry”, or “Tochari”, but we should also remember that comes from a Turkic source, and it could have been an exonym not related to what they called themselves.  I should also note that language is not people.  It is also possible that a particular ethnonym was maintained separately by two groups that may have been connected politically but which came to speak different languages for whatever reason.   There could be a connection between the names, or it could even be that the same or similar exonym was used for different groups. So, that was a lot and a bit of a ramble, but a lot of things that I find interesting—even if they aren't as connected as they may appear.  We have the Tarim mummies, which are, today, held at a museum in modern Urumqi.  Whether they had any connection with Europe or not, they remain a fascinating study for the wealth of material items found in and around the Tarim basin and similar locations.  And then there is the saga of the Tocharian languages—or perhaps more appropriately the Kuchean-Turfanian languages: Indo-European languages that seem to be well outside of where we would expect to find them. Finally, just past the Pamirs, we get to the land of Tokhara or Tokharistan.  Even without anything else, we know that they had contact with the court.  Perhaps our castaways were from this land?  The name is certainly similar to what we see in the Nihon Shoki, using some of the same characters. All in all, art and other information suggest that the area of the Tarim basin and the Silk Road in general were quite cosmopolitan, with many different people from different regions of the world.  Bactria retained Hellenic influences ever since the conquests of Alexander of Macedonia, aka Alexander the Great, and Sogdian and Persian traders regularly brought their caravans through the region to trade.  And once the Tang dynasty controlled all of the routes, that just made travel that much easier, and many people traveled back and forth. So from that perspective, it is possible that one or more people from Tukhara may have made the crossing from their home all the way to the Tang court, but if they did so, the question still remains: why would they be in a boat? Utilizing overland routes, they would have hit Chang'an or Louyang, the dual capitals of the Tang empire, well before they hit the ocean.  However, the Nihon Shoki says that these voyagers first came ashore at Amami and then later says that they were trying to get to the Tang court. Now there was another “Silk Road” that isn't as often mentioned: the sea route, following the coast of south Asia, around through the Malacca strait and north along the Asian coast.  This route is sometimes viewed more in terms of the “spice” road If these voyagers set out to get to the Tang court by boat, they would have to have traveled south to the Indian Ocean—possibly traveling through Shravasti or Sha'e, depending on the route they chose to take—and then around the Malacca strait—unless they made it on foot all the way to Southeast Asia.  And then they would have taken a boat up the coast. Why do that instead of taking the overland route?  They could likely have traveled directly to the Tang court over the overland silk road.  Even the from Southeast Asia could have traveled up through Yunnan and made their way to the Tang court that way.  In fact, Zhang Qian had wondered something similar when he made it to the site of the new home of the Yuezhi, in Bactria.  Even then, in the 2nd century, he saw products in the marketplace that he identified as coming from around Szechuan.  That would mean south of the Han dynasty, and he couldn't figure out how those trade routes might exist and they weren't already known to the court.  Merchants would have had to traverse the dangerous mountains if they wanted to avoid being caught by the Xiongnu, who controlled the entire region. After returning to the Han court, Zhang Qian actually went out on another expedition to the south, trying to find the southern trade routes, but apparently was not able to do so.  That said, we do see, in later centuries, the trade routes open up between the area of the Sichuan basin and South Asia.  We also see the migrations of people further south, and there may have even been some Roman merchants who traveled up this route to find their way to the Han court, though those accounts are not without their own controversy. In either case, whether by land or sea, these trade routes were not always open.  In some cases, seasonal weather, such as monsoons, might dictate movement back and forth, while political realities were also a factor.  Still, it is worth remembering that even though most people were largely concerned with affairs in their own backyard, the world was still more connected than people give it credit for.  Tang dynasty pottery made its way to the east coast of Africa, and ostriches were brought all the way to Chang'an. As for the travelers from Tukhara and why they would take this long and very round-about method of travel, it is possible that they were just explorers, seeking new routes, or even on some kind of pilgrimage.  Either way, they would have been way off course. But if they did pass through Southeast Asia, that would match up with another theory about what “Tukara” meant: that it actually refers to the Dvaravati kingdom in what is now modern Thailand.  The Dvaravati Kingdom was a Mon political entity that rose up around the 6th century.  It even sent embassies to the Sui and Tang courts.  This is even before the temple complexes in Siem Reap, such as Preah Ko and the more famous Angkor Wat.  And it was during this time that the ethnic Tai people are thought to have started migrating south from Yunnan, possibly due to pressures from the expanding Sui and Tang empires.  Today, most of what remains of the Dvaravati kingdom are the ruins of ancient stone temples, showing a heavy Indic influence, and even early Buddhist practices as well.  “Dvaravati” may not actually be the name of the kingdom but it comes from an inscription on a coin found from about that time.  The Chinese refer to it as  “To-lo-po-ti” in contemporary records.  It may not even have been a kingdom, but  more of a confederation of city-states—it is hard to piece everything together.  That it was well connected, though, is clear from the archaeological record.  In Dvaravati sites, we see coins from as far as Rome, and we even have a lamp found in modern Pong Tuk that appears to match similar examples from the Byzantine Empire in the 6th century.  Note that this doesn't mean it arrived in the 6th century—similarly with the coins—but the Dvaravati state lasted until the 12th century. If that was the case, perhaps there were some women from a place called “Shravasti” or similar, especially given the Indic influence in the region. Now, given the location of the Dvaravati, it wouldn't be so farfetched to think that someone might sail up from the Gulf of Thailand and end up off-course, though it does mean sailing up the entire Ryukyuan chain or really running off course and finding yourself adrift on the East China sea.  And if they were headed to the Tang court, perhaps they did have translators or knew Chinese, since Yamato was unlikely to know the Mon language of Dvaravati and people from Dvaravati probably wouldn't know the Japonic language.  Unless, perhaps, they were communicating through Buddhist priests via Sanskrit. We've now heard two possibilities for Tukara, both pretty far afield: the region of Tokara in Bactria, and the Dvaravati kingdom in Southeast Asia.  That said, the third and simplest explanation—and the one favored by Aston in his translation of the Nihon Shoki—is that Tukara is actually referring to a place in the Ryukyu island chain.  Specifically, there is a “Tokara” archipelago, which spans between Yakushima and Amami-Oshima.  This is part of the Nansei islands, and the closest part of the Ryukyuan island chain to the main Japanese archipelago.  This is the most likely theory, and could account for the entry talking about Amami.  It is easy to see how sailors could end up adrift, too far north, and come to shore in Hyuga, aka Himuka, on the east side of Kyushu.  It certainly would make more sense for them to be from this area of the Ryukyuan archipelago than from anywhere else.  From Yakushima to Amami-Oshima is the closest part of the island chain to Kyushu, and as we see in the entry from the Shoku Nihongi, those three places seem to have been connected as being near to Japan.  So what was going on down there, anyway? Well, first off, let's remember that the Ryukyuan archipelago is not just the island of Okinawa, but a series of islands that go from Kyushu all the way to the island of Taiwan.  Geographically speaking, they are all part of the same volcanic ridge extending southward.  The size of the islands and their distance from each other does vary, however, creating some natural barriers in the form of large stretches of open water, which have shaped how various groups developed on the islands. Humans came to the islands around the same time they were reaching the Japanese mainland.  In fact, some of our only early skeletal remains for early humans in Japan actually come from either the Ryukyuan peninsula in the south or around Hokkaido to the north, and that has to do with the acidity of the soil in much of mainland Japan. Based on genetic studies, we know that at least two groups appear to have inhabited the islands from early times.  One group appears to be related to the Jomon people of Japan, while the other appears to be more related to the indigenous people of Taiwan, who, themselves, appear to have been the ancestors of many Austronesian people.  Just as some groups followed islands to the south of Taiwan, some appear to have headed north.  However, they only made it so far.  As far as I know there is no evidence they made it past Miyakoshima, the northernmost island in the Sakishima islands.  Miyako island is separated from the next large island, Okinawa, by a large strait, known as the Miyako Strait, though sometimes called the Kerama gap in English.  It is a 250km wide stretch of open ocean, which is quite the distance for anyone to travel, even for Austronesian people of Taiwan, who had likely not developed the extraordinary navigational technologies that the people who would become the Pacific Islanders would discover. People on the Ryukyu island chain appear to have been in contact with the people of the Japanese archipelago since at least the Jomon period, and some of the material artifacts demonstrate a cultural connection.  That was likely impacted by the Akahoya eruption, about 3500 years ago, and then re-established at a later date.  We certainly see sea shells and corals trade to the people of the Japanese islands from fairly early on. Unlike the people on the Japanese archipelago, the people of the Ryukyuan archipelago did not really adopt the Yayoi and later Kofun culture.  They weren't building large, mounded tombs, and they retained the character of a hunter-gatherer society, rather than transitioning to a largely agricultural way of life.  The pottery does change in parts of Okinawa, which makes sense given the connections between the regions.  Unfortunately, there is a lot we don't know about life in the islands around this time.  We don't exactly have written records, other than things like the entries in the Nihon Shoki, and those are hardly the most detailed of accounts.  In the reign of Kashikiya Hime, aka Suiko Tennou, we see people from Yakushima, which is, along with Tanegashima, one of the largest islands at the northern end of the Ryukyu chain, just before you hit Kagoshima and the Osumi peninsula on the southern tip of Kyushu.  The islands past that would be the Tokara islands, until you hit the large island of Amami. So you can see how it would make sense that the people from “Tokara” would make sense to be from the area between Yakushima and Amami, and in many ways this explanation seems too good to be true.  There are a only a few things that make this a bit peculiar. First, this doesn't really explain the woman from “Sha'e” in any compelling way that I can see.  Second, the name, Kenzuhashi Tatsuna doesn't seem to fit with what we generally know about early Japonic names, and the modern Ryukyuan language certainly is a Japonic language, but there are still plenty of possible explanations.  There is also the connection of Tokara with “Tokan”, which is mentioned in an entry in 699 in the Shoku Nihongi, the Chronicle that follows on, quite literally to the Nihon Shoki.  Why would they call it “Tokan” instead of “Tokara” so soon after?  Also, why would these voyagers go back to their country by way of the Tang court?  Unless, of course, that is where they were headed in the first place.  In which case, did the Man from Tukara intentionally leave his wife in Yamato, or was she something of a hostage while they continued on their mission?   And so those are the theories.  The man from “Tukara” could be from Tokhara, or Tokharistan, at the far end of the Silk Road.  Or it could have been referring to the Dvaravati Kingdom, in modern Thailand.  Still, in the end, Occam's razor suggests that the simplest answer is that these were actually individuals from the Tokara islands in the Ryukyuan archipelago.  It is possible that they were from Amami, not that they drifted there.  More likely, a group from Amami drifted ashore in Kyushu as they were trying to find a route to the Tang court, as they claimed.  Instead they found themselves taking a detour to the court of Yamato, instead. And we could have stuck with that story, but I thought that maybe, just maybe, this would be a good time to reflect once again on how connected everything was.  Because even if they weren't from Dvaravati, that Kingdom was still trading with Rome and with the Tang.  And the Tang controlled the majority of the overland silk road through the Tarim basin.  We even know that someone from Tukhara made it to Chang'an, because they were mentioned on a stele that talked about an Asian sect of Christianity, the “Shining Religion”, that was praised and allowed to set up shop in the Tang capital, along with Persian Manicheans and Zoroastrians.  Regardless of where these specific people may have been from, the world was clearly growing only more connected, and prospering, as well. Next episode we'll continue to look at how things were faring between the archipelago and the continent. Until then thank you for listening and for all of your support. If you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  

In this episode Chris brings Opinion Scholarship on the ancient Persian religion--Zoroastrianism. We discuss the Proto-Indo-European people, their culture and religion and how they came down through the Indo-Iranian tribes that became both Zoroastrianism in Iran and Hinduism in India. We discuss the influence Zoroastrian ideas had on both Judaism and Christianity and explore what Zoroaster meant when he claimed to be restoring monotheistic purity to their ancient, Indo-European faith. This brings us to the Christian idea of the Logos, which compare and contrast to the Zoroastrian idea of Vohu Mana.  Enjoy ;) 

Iranian Languages and Dialects In this episode (originally based on my lecture series on Indo-European Linguistics at the FSU Jena), I present a concise study of modern Iranian dialects, examining their historical development, linguistic features, regional differences, and sociolinguistic roles. The aim is to present these topics clearly for students, language enthusiasts, migrants with language heritage, and anyone curious about languages. I begin by clarifying the complex distinction between "languages" and "dialects." While contemporary linguistics often finds this distinction clear, historical contexts make it more challenging. Historically, what we consider a "dialect" might be viewed as a "language" today. For instance, Swedish and Norwegian, though separate languages, are mutually intelligible due to their shared North Germanic roots. Conversely, Mandarin and Cantonese, despite being called dialects of Chinese, are mutually unintelligible and use different writing systems. The Iranian language family, part of the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European family, includes diverse dialects spoken across the Iranian plateau and beyond. These languages are categorized into Old, Middle, and New Iranian stages. Persian, the only language documented across all three stages, evolved from Old Persian of the Achaemenid Empire to Middle Persian of the Sasanian era, and finally to New Persian influenced by the Arab conquest. Proto-Iranian, the precursor to these languages, originated from Proto-Indo-Iranian and is linked to Proto-Indo-European. Iranian languages have spread from Central Asia to Europe and beyond, with notable modern languages including Persian, Ossetic, Kurdish, Baluchi, and Pashto. This episode will explore various Iranian dialects, such as Lori, Baḵtiāri, and Baluchi, and discuss isoglosses—phonetic, grammatical, and lexical features that differentiate these dialects. Understanding these elements helps reveal the linguistic richness and sociolinguistic importance of modern Iranian dialects. Please feel free to send any comments or feedback to my email: grammaticafranca@gmail.com Thanks!

The Indo-European language family, encompassing languages like Greek, Latin, Sanskrit, and Proto-Indo-European, traces its origins to a complex interplay of migrations and cultural exchanges. The Anatolian branch, traditionally thought to have entered the region from Thrace, is supported by recent genetic findings in Bulgaria, revealing steppe ancestry similar to Sredny Stog as early as 4500 BC. This ancestry suggests that Anatolian may have developed from related groups in the region, potentially emerging from a dialect or sister language to Proto-Indo-European. The Hittite language, a member of the Anatolian branch, shows minimal connection to steppe ancestry, and this is also seen in other instances such as the Etruscans, who spoke a non-Indo-European language despite having a significant steppe genetic component. The historical spread of Indo-European languages is often linked to the influence of power and prestige rather than merely the number of speakers. In some cases, Indo-European languages became dominant as ruling elites imposed their languages over local populations, integrating with them while maintaining their linguistic and cultural identities. Contemporary theories face challenges, particularly regarding Indo-Iranian languages. The notion that Proto-Indo-Europeans migrated into Iran and subsequently into India contradicts evidence of high steppe ancestry among Indo-Iranians. The Rig Veda, for instance, describes migrating Indo-Iranians with physical traits distinct from the native Dravidians, undermining theories that suggest a late acquisition of steppe ancestry in India. The Yamnaya culture, a key player in this linguistic evolution, represents a fusion of steppe hunter-gatherers from the Pontic-Caspian region with Caucasian groups, resulting from aggressive expansion rather than peaceful integration. This complex interaction formed a cultural and linguistic unit that spread across Europe and Asia, shaping the diverse Indo-European languages we recognize today. Here are the earlier forms of the word "wheel" in Old Persian, Latin, Greek, and Sanskrit:‎ ‎1. **Old Persian**:

Episode 19 sees the show's first returning guest, as the maestro of Indo-Iranian languages, Dr. Sāmapriẏa Basu, joins me again, this time to introduce Kashmiri. Beginning with its geographical and political situation, our conversation explores the many distinct features of Kashmiri that, for Sāmapriẏa, make it a 'linguist's language'.Sample of spoken Kashmiri by Aakriti Khaibri, available here: ⁠https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:WIKITONGUES-_Aakriti_speaking_Kashmiri.webm⁠Sāmapriẏa's wonderful Twitter site: ⁠⁠https://twitter.com/avzaagzonunaada⁠⁠Host: Danny BateGuest: Dr. Sāmapriẏa BasuMusic: Bossa Nova by William_KingArtwork: William Marler Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Indians is a collection of essays by some of South Asia's foremost historians and scholars that maps the origins, evolution, and present-day reality of India's civilisation and people. The collection covers a period of some 12,000 years-from the last Ice Age to the twenty-first century. The book is divided into seven sections - the first part looks at the evolution of humans in South Asia through the lens of the early 'Indian' population, their migrations, and the climate. The second part focuses on the emergence of different civilisations in the region through the domestication of plants and animals and other factors and how these civilisations eventually begin to decline. The third part discusses the languages and philosophies that defined ancient India-Buddhism, Jainism, Sanskrit, Indo-Iranian languages, and Pali literature, among others. The fourth part is a detailed study of society and culture in various geographical regions--the North, South, Northeast, the Deccan, East, and West India. The fifth part looks at the advent of colonialism and its impact on the country's economy, social fabric, and knowledge systems. The sixth part looks at Adivasi movements, Ambedkarite politics, Gandhian resistance, and other events that would come to form the bedrock of the independent republic. And, finally, the seventh part looks at contemporary India--the workings of the Constitution and urbanism, liberalisation, and other aspects of the modern Indian experience. Taken together, the essays in the book provide remarkable insights into Indian history and society. An attempt has been made to reflect these sections to an extent in this seven part series. This BIC Talks mini series - Histories of a Civilisation - glimpses into the collection, presenting readings from selected essays, interspersed with conversations with the scholar who wrote them, providing a sampling of the various topical discourses that cover the epochs of the subcontinent and hopes to encourage our listeners to take a deep dive into what makes the Indians. In this seventh and final part of the series, Dr Arati Deshpande Mukherjee speaks about domestication of animals in India. Subscribe to the BIC Talks Podcast on your favourite podcast app! BIC Talks is available everywhere, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Castbox, Overcast, Audible and Amazon Music.

The Indians is a collection of essays by some of South Asia's foremost historians and scholars that maps the origins, evolution, and present-day reality of India's civilisation and people. The collection covers a period of some 12,000 years-from the last Ice Age to the twenty-first century. The book is divided into seven sections - the first part looks at the evolution of humans in South Asia through the lens of the early 'Indian' population, their migrations, and the climate. The second part focuses on the emergence of different civilisations in the region through the domestication of plants and animals and other factors and how these civilisations eventually begin to decline. The third part discusses the languages and philosophies that defined ancient India-Buddhism, Jainism, Sanskrit, Indo-Iranian languages, and Pali literature, among others. The fourth part is a detailed study of society and culture in various geographical regions--the North, South, Northeast, the Deccan, East, and West India. The fifth part looks at the advent of colonialism and its impact on the country's economy, social fabric, and knowledge systems. The sixth part looks at Adivasi movements, Ambedkarite politics, Gandhian resistance, and other events that would come to form the bedrock of the independent republic. And, finally, the seventh part looks at contemporary India--the workings of the Constitution and urbanism, liberalisation, and other aspects of the modern Indian experience. Taken together, the essays in the book provide remarkable insights into Indian history and society. An attempt has been made to reflect these sections to an extent in this seven part series. This BIC Talks mini series - Histories of a Civilisation - glimpses into the collection, presenting readings from selected essays, interspersed with conversations with the scholar who wrote them, providing a sampling of the various topical discourses that cover the epochs of the subcontinent and hopes to encourage our listeners to take a deep dive into what makes the Indians. In this sixth part of the series, Professor Sunny Kumar speaks about Delhi in the last millennium. Subscribe to the BIC Talks Podcast on your favourite podcast app! BIC Talks is available everywhere, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Castbox, Overcast, Audible and Amazon Music.

The Indians is a collection of essays by some of South Asia's foremost historians and scholars that maps the origins, evolution, and present-day reality of India's civilisation and people. The collection covers a period of some 12,000 years-from the last Ice Age to the twenty-first century. The book is divided into seven sections - the first part looks at the evolution of humans in South Asia through the lens of the early 'Indian' population, their migrations, and the climate. The second part focuses on the emergence of different civilisations in the region through the domestication of plants and animals and other factors and how these civilisations eventually begin to decline. The third part discusses the languages and philosophies that defined ancient India-Buddhism, Jainism, Sanskrit, Indo-Iranian languages, and Pali literature, among others. The fourth part is a detailed study of society and culture in various geographical regions--the North, South, Northeast, the Deccan, East, and West India. The fifth part looks at the advent of colonialism and its impact on the country's economy, social fabric, and knowledge systems. The sixth part looks at Adivasi movements, Ambedkarite politics, Gandhian resistance, and other events that would come to form the bedrock of the independent republic. And, finally, the seventh part looks at contemporary India--the workings of the Constitution and urbanism, liberalisation, and other aspects of the modern Indian experience. Taken together, the essays in the book provide remarkable insights into Indian history and society. An attempt has been made to reflect these sections to an extent in this seven part series. This BIC Talks mini series - Histories of a Civilisation - glimpses into the collection, presenting readings from selected essays, interspersed with conversations with the scholar who wrote them, providing a sampling of the various topical discourses that cover the epochs of the subcontinent and hopes to encourage our listeners to take a deep dive into what makes the Indians. In this fifth part of the series, Professor GN Devy, thinker, writer, literary critic and cultural theorist speaking on Varna & Jati - consolidation of social hierarchy. Subscribe to the BIC Talks Podcast on your favourite podcast app! BIC Talks is available everywhere, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Castbox, Overcast, Audible and Amazon Music.

The Indians is a collection of essays by some of South Asia's foremost historians and scholars that maps the origins, evolution, and present-day reality of India's civilisation and people. The collection covers a period of some 12,000 years-from the last Ice Age to the twenty-first century. The book is divided into seven sections - the first part looks at the evolution of humans in South Asia through the lens of the early 'Indian' population, their migrations, and the climate. The second part focuses on the emergence of different civilisations in the region through the domestication of plants and animals and other factors and how these civilisations eventually begin to decline. The third part discusses the languages and philosophies that defined ancient India-Buddhism, Jainism, Sanskrit, Indo-Iranian languages, and Pali literature, among others. The fourth part is a detailed study of society and culture in various geographical regions--the North, South, Northeast, the Deccan, East, and West India. The fifth part looks at the advent of colonialism and its impact on the country's economy, social fabric, and knowledge systems. The sixth part looks at Adivasi movements, Ambedkarite politics, Gandhian resistance, and other events that would come to form the bedrock of the independent republic. And, finally, the seventh part looks at contemporary India--the workings of the Constitution and urbanism, liberalisation, and other aspects of the modern Indian experience. Taken together, the essays in the book provide remarkable insights into Indian history and society. An attempt has been made to reflect these sections to an extent in this seven part series. This BIC Talks mini series - Histories of a Civilisation - glimpses into the collection, presenting readings from selected essays, interspersed with conversations with the scholar who wrote them, providing a sampling of the various topical discourses that cover the epochs of the subcontinent and hopes to encourage our listeners to take a deep dive into what makes the Indians. In this fourth part of the series, Dr. Rinku Lamba, Associate Professor at National Law School of India University, talks about caste and reforms in the modern period. Subscribe to the BIC Talks Podcast on your favourite podcast app! BIC Talks is available everywhere, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Castbox, Overcast, Audible and Amazon Music.

The Indians is a collection of essays by some of South Asia's foremost historians and scholars that maps the origins, evolution, and present-day reality of India's civilisation and people. The collection covers a period of some 12,000 years-from the last Ice Age to the twenty-first century. The book is divided into seven sections - the first part looks at the evolution of humans in South Asia through the lens of the early 'Indian' population, their migrations, and the climate. The second part focuses on the emergence of different civilisations in the region through the domestication of plants and animals and other factors and how these civilisations eventually begin to decline. The third part discusses the languages and philosophies that defined ancient India-Buddhism, Jainism, Sanskrit, Indo-Iranian languages, and Pali literature, among others. The fourth part is a detailed study of society and culture in various geographical regions--the North, South, Northeast, the Deccan, East, and West India. The fifth part looks at the advent of colonialism and its impact on the country's economy, social fabric, and knowledge systems. The sixth part looks at Adivasi movements, Ambedkarite politics, Gandhian resistance, and other events that would come to form the bedrock of the independent republic. And, finally, the seventh part looks at contemporary India--the workings of the Constitution and urbanism, liberalisation, and other aspects of the modern Indian experience. Taken together, the essays in the book provide remarkable insights into Indian history and society. An attempt has been made to reflect these sections to an extent in this seven part series. This BIC Talks mini series - Histories of a Civilisation - glimpses into the collection, presenting readings from selected essays, interspersed with conversations with the scholar who wrote them, providing a sampling of the various topical discourses that cover the epochs of the subcontinent and hopes to encourage our listeners to take a deep dive into what makes the Indians. In this third part of the series, linguist Anvita Abbi talks about the language families of India other than Indo-Aryan. Subscribe to the BIC Talks Podcast on your favourite podcast app! BIC Talks is available everywhere, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Castbox, Overcast, Audible and Amazon Music.

The Indians is a collection of essays by some of South Asia's foremost historians and scholars that maps the origins, evolution, and present-day reality of India's civilisation and people. The collection covers a period of some 12,000 years-from the last Ice Age to the twenty-first century. The book is divided into seven sections - the first part looks at the evolution of humans in South Asia through the lens of the early 'Indian' population, their migrations, and the climate. The second part focuses on the emergence of different civilisations in the region through the domestication of plants and animals and other factors and how these civilisations eventually begin to decline. The third part discusses the languages and philosophies that defined ancient India-Buddhism, Jainism, Sanskrit, Indo-Iranian languages, and Pali literature, among others. The fourth part is a detailed study of society and culture in various geographical regions--the North, South, Northeast, the Deccan, East, and West India. The fifth part looks at the advent of colonialism and its impact on the country's economy, social fabric, and knowledge systems. The sixth part looks at Adivasi movements, Ambedkarite politics, Gandhian resistance, and other events that would come to form the bedrock of the independent republic. And, finally, the seventh part looks at contemporary India--the workings of the Constitution and urbanism, liberalisation, and other aspects of the modern Indian experience. Taken together, the essays in the book provide remarkable insights into Indian history and society. An attempt has been made to reflect these sections to an extent in this seven part series. This BIC Talks mini series - Histories of a Civilisation - glimpses into the collection, presenting readings from selected essays, interspersed with conversations with the scholar who wrote them, providing a sampling of the various topical discourses that cover the epochs of the subcontinent and hopes to encourage our listeners to take a deep dive into what makes the Indians. In this second part, historian Vinay Lal speaks to one of the editors of 'The Indians', GN Devy about the freedom movement, the impact MK Gandhi has had on the fate of the nation and the evolution of Independent India. Subscribe to the BIC Talks Podcast on your favourite podcast app! BIC Talks is available everywhere, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Castbox, Overcast, Audible and Amazon Music.

The Indians is a collection of essays by some of South Asia's foremost historians and scholars that maps the origins, evolution, and present-day reality of India's civilisation and people. The collection covers a period of some 12,000 years-from the last Ice Age to the twenty-first century. The book is divided into seven sections - the first part looks at the evolution of humans in South Asia through the lens of the early 'Indian' population, their migrations, and the climate. The second part focuses on the emergence of different civilisations in the region through the domestication of plants and animals and other factors and how these civilisations eventually begin to decline. The third part discusses the languages and philosophies that defined ancient India-Buddhism, Jainism, Sanskrit, Indo-Iranian languages, and Pali literature, among others. The fourth part is a detailed study of society and culture in various geographical regions--the North, South, Northeast, the Deccan, East, and West India. The fifth part looks at the advent of colonialism and its impact on the country's economy, social fabric, and knowledge systems. The sixth part looks at Adivasi movements, Ambedkarite politics, Gandhian resistance, and other events that would come to form the bedrock of the independent republic. And, finally, the seventh part looks at contemporary India--the workings of the Constitution and urbanism, liberalisation, and other aspects of the modern Indian experience. Taken together, the essays in the book provide remarkable insights into Indian history and society. An attempt has been made to reflect these sections to an extent in this seven part series. This BIC Talks mini series - Histories of a Civilisation - glimpses into the collection, presenting readings from selected essays, interspersed with conversations with the scholar who wrote them, providing a sampling of  the various topical discourses that cover the epochs of the subcontinent and hopes to encourage our listeners to take a deep dive into what makes the Indians. In this first part, journalist and editor Tony Joseph speaks to fellow editor 'The Indians', GN Devy while reflecting on migrations that shaped the demography of India. Subscribe to the BIC Talks Podcast on your favourite podcast app! BIC Talks is available everywhere, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Castbox, Overcast, Audible and Amazon Music.

Bright on Buddhism Episode 68 - What are devas in Buddhism? What is their status in the canon? How ought we understand them? Resources: Robert E. Buswell Jr.; Donald S. Lopez Jr. (2013). The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. pp. 232–233. ISBN 9781400848058. Retrieved 22 June 2015.; Trainor, Kevin (2004). Buddhism: The Illustrated Guide. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195173987. Retrieved 22 June 2015.; Norman, K. R. (1981). "Devas and Adhidevas in Buddhism," Journal of the Pali Text Society 9, 145-155; The Basic Concept of Vedic Religion FBJ Kuiper (1975), History of Religions, Vol. 15, No. 2, pages 107–120 (on roots of Devas and Asuras); The Proto-Indoaryans T Burrow (1973), Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain & Ireland, Vol. 105, Issue 2, pages 123–140 (on roots of Devas and Asuras in Indo-Iranian versus Indo-European history); Indo-European Deities and the Rigveda ND Kazanas (2001), The Journal of Indo-European Studies, Vol. 29, No. 3 & 4; The Vedic Gods of Japan S Kak (2004), Brahmavidyā: The Adyar Library Bulletin (on the spread of Vedic Devas such as Indra, Agni, Vayu outside India); On Translation: Māyā, Deva, Tapas Ananda Coomaraswamy, Isis, Vol. 19, No. 1, pages 74–91 (on alternate meanings of Devas); Ritual, Knowledge, and Being: Initiation and Veda Study in Ancient India Brian K. Smith (1986), Numen, Vol. 33, Fasc. 1, pages 65–89 (on the role of knowledge in empowering the Deva nature in man) Do you have a question about Buddhism that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by finding us on email or social media! https://linktr.ee/brightonbuddhism Credits: Nick Bright: Script, Cover Art, Music, Voice of Hearer, Co-Host Proven Paradox: Editing, mixing and mastering, social media, Voice of Hermit, Co-Host --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/brightonbuddhism/message

https://www.patreon.com/GnosticInformant Please Consider joining my Patreon to help finding scholars to bring on. Any amount helps me. Thank you existing Patrons. 2nd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@LateNiteGnosis Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NealSendlak1 Discord: https://discord.com/invite/uWBZkxd4UX Proto-Indo-European mythology is the body of myths and deities associated with the Proto-Indo-Europeans, the hypothetical speakers of the reconstructed Proto-Indo-European language. Although the mythological motifs are not directly attested – since Proto-Indo-European speakers lived in preliterate societies – scholars of comparative mythology have reconstructed details from inherited similarities found among Indo-European languages, based on the assumption that parts of the Proto-Indo-Europeans' original belief systems survived in the daughter traditions. The Proto-Indo-European pantheon includes a number of securely reconstructed deities, since they are both cognates – linguistic siblings from a common origin – and associated with similar attributes and body of myths: such as *Dyḗws Ph₂tḗr, the daylight-sky god; his consort *Dʰéǵʰōm, the earth mother; his daughter *H₂éwsōs, the dawn goddess; his sons the Divine Twins; and *Seh₂ul, a solar goddess. Some deities, like the weather god *Perkʷunos or the herding-god *Péh₂usōn, are only attested in a limited number of traditions – Western (European) and Graeco-Aryan, respectively – and could therefore represent late additions that did not spread throughout the various Indo-European dialects. Some myths are also securely dated to Proto-Indo-European times, since they feature both linguistic and thematic evidence of an inherited motif: a story portraying a mythical figure associated with thunder and slaying a multi-headed serpent to release torrents of water that had previously been pent up; a creation myth involving two brothers, one of whom sacrifices the other in order to create the world; and probably the belief that the Otherworld was guarded by a watchdog and could only be reached by crossing a river. Various schools of thought exist regarding possible interpretations of the reconstructed Proto-Indo-European mythology. The main mythologies used in comparative reconstruction are Indo-Iranian, Baltic, Roman, and Norse, often supported with evidence from the Celtic, Greek, Slavic, Hittite, Armenian, Illyrian, and Albanian traditions as well. One of the earliest attested and thus one of the most important of all Indo-European mythologies is Vedic mythology, especially the mythology of the Rigveda, the oldest of the Vedas. Early scholars of comparative mythology such as Friedrich Max Müller stressed the importance of Vedic mythology to such an extent that they practically equated it with Proto-Indo-European myths. Modern researchers have been much more cautious, recognizing that, although Vedic mythology is still central, other mythologies must also be taken into account. Another of the most important source mythologies for comparative research is Roman mythology. The Romans possessed a very complex mythological system, parts of which have been preserved through the characteristic Roman tendency to rationalize their myths into historical accounts. Despite its relatively late attestation, Norse mythology is still considered one of the three most important of the Indo-European mythologies for comparative research, due to the vast bulk of surviving Icelandic material. Baltic mythology has also received a great deal of scholarly attention, as it is linguistically the most conservative and archaic of all surviving branches, but has so far remained frustrating to researchers because the sources are so comparatively late. Nonetheless, Latvian folk songs are seen as a major source of information in the process of reconstructing Proto-Indo-European myth. #4k #religion #documentary --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gnosticinformant/message

"Pakistan Pakistan, populous multiethnic country of South Asia. Having a predominately Indo-Iranian speaking population, Pakistan has historically and culturally been associated with its neighbours Iran, Afghanistan, and India. Since Pakistan and India achieved independence in 1947, Pakistan has bee" "--START AD- #TheMummichogblogOfMalta Amazon Top and Flash Deals(Affiliate Link - You will support our translations if you purchase through the following link) - https://amzn.to/3CqsdJH Compare all the top travel sites in just one search to find the best hotel deals at HotelsCombined - awarded world's best hotel price comparison site. (Affiliate Link - You will support our translations if you purchase through the following link) - https://www.hotelscombined.com/?a_aid=20558 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets."""" #Jesus #Catholic. Smooth Radio Malta is Malta's number one digital radio station, playing Your Relaxing Favourites - Smooth provides a ‘clutter free' mix, appealing to a core 35-59 audience offering soft adult contemporary classics. We operate a playlist of popular tracks which is updated on a regular basis. https://smooth.com.mt/listen/ Follow on Telegram: https://t.me/themummichogblogdotcom END AD---" "n distinguished from its larger southeastern neighbour by its overwhelmingly Muslim population (as opposed to the predominance of Hindus in India). Pakistan has struggled throughout its existence to attain political stability and sustained social development. Its capital is Islamabad, in the foothills of the Himalayas in the northern part of the country, and its largest city is Karachi, in the south on the coast of the Arabian Sea. Pakistan Pakistan Mohammed Ali Jinnah Mohammed Ali Jinnah tomb of Mohammed Ali Jinnah tomb of Mohammed Ali Jinnah Pakistan was brought into being at the time of the partition of British India, in response to the demands of Islamic nationalists: as articulated by the All India Muslim League under the leadership of Mohammed Ali Jinnah, India's Muslims would receive just representation only in their own country. From independence until 1971, Pakistan (both de facto and in law) consisted of two regions—West Pakistan, in the Indus River basin in the northwestern portion of the Indian subcontinent, and East Pakistan, located more than 1,000 miles (1,600 km) to the east in the vast delta of the Ganges-Brahmaputra river system. In response to grave internal political problems that erupted in civil war in 1971, East Pakistan was proclaimed the independent country of Bangladesh. Gilgit-Baltistan: Hunza River valley Gilgit-Baltistan: Hunza River valley Pakistan encompasses a rich diversity of landscapes, starting in the northwest, from the soaring Pamirs and the Karakoram Range through a maze of mountain ranges, a complex of valleys, and inhospitable plateaus, down to the remarkably even surface of the fertile Indus River plain, which drains southward into the Arabian Sea. It contains a section of the ancient Silk Road and the Khyber Pass, the famous passageway that has brought outside influences into the otherwise isolated subcontinent. Lofty peaks such as K2 and Nanga Parbat, in the Pakistani-administered region of Kashmir, present a challenging lure to mountain climbers. Along the Indus River, the artery of the country, the ancient site of Mohenjo-daro marks one of the cradles of civilization. Yet, politically and culturally, Pakistan has struggled to define itself. Established as a parliamentary democracy that espoused secular ideas, the country has experienced repeated military coups, and religion—that is to say, adherence to the values of Sunni Islam—has increasingly become a standard by which political leaders are measured. In addition, parts of northern Pakistan—particularly the areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa formerly designated as Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA)—have become a haven for members of several

More than a billion people around the world speak a language of the Indo-Iranian family today. These languages all trace their origin to a group of innovative people living on the steppes of southern Russia more than 4000 years ago, people who inhabited a surprisingly far-flung, complex, and mutable world.Patrick's book is now available! Get The Verge: Reformation, Renaissance, and Forty Years that Shook the World in hardcopy, ebook, or audiobook (read by Patrick) here: https://bit.ly/PWverge Listen to new episodes 1 week early, to exclusive seasons 1 and 2, and to all episodes ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/tidesofhistory.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Mitanni Empire covered what is now known as Iraq, Turkey Syria, Lebanon,Egypt and included Italy. They were the ancestors of these people. Mitanni were the ancestors of the Egyptians as well. These Kings and even a Roman Emperor sported Thiruman, The Vaishnavite marks on their Body.   The Sun King Akhenaten of Egypt who ruled between 1352-1336 BC was a son-in-law of Tushratta, the Mitanni king. The name Tushratta has been recorded in the Hittite cuneiform script.   Some have suggested that the Sanskrit origin of Tushratta is Dasaratha, a few others that it is Tvesaratha (having splendid chariots), a name which is attested in the Rigveda. “The first Mitanni king was Sutarna I (good sun). He was followed by Baratarna I (or Paratarna great sun), Parasuksatra(ruler with axe),…. Saustatar (Sauksatra, son of Suksatra, the good ruler), Artadama (abiding in cosmic law)..Tushratta (Dasaratha), and finally Matiwazza (Mativaja, whose wealth is thought) during whose lifetime the Mitanni state appears to have become a vassal to Assyria”. Subhash Kak traces the ‘arna' syllable in the names of the kings to ‘araNi' (अरणि) meaning ‘sun'… Akhenaten, Surya, and the Rigveda', Prof Subhash Kak (an Indian American computer scientist, previous Head of Computer Science Department, Oklahoma State University) ‘ “A number of Indo-European sounding words have been identified in the cuneiform documents of the Mitanni kingdom (1500-1200 BC). In addition to nouns and adjectives with parallels in Sanskrit this Hurrian speaking kingdom had kings with Indo-Aryan names and two documents even list the main Gods of the Indian pantheon….”   The kingdom of the Mitanni Indo-Iranian dynasty that ruled in the land of the Hurrians was in the upper Euphrates-Tigris basin – land that is now part of northern Iraq, Syria and south-eastern Turkey. At its greatest extent (for a brief period at the height of its dynastic power), Mitanni territory extended to the Mediterranean coast and into northern Assyria / Mesopotamia, it's south-eastern neighbour. Mitanni's north-western border with theHattian kingdom of the Hittites was fluid and constantly subject to aggression except when the two rivals concluded a peace treaty – one that invoked the Indo-Iranian pantheon of Mitra, Varuna, Indra and the Nasatyas – but also one that marked the decline of the Mitanni kingdom and a decrease in size. The Mitanni and Hittites were closely related. The Hittites used the Hurrian language extensively in their inscriptions. They also shared in the development of the light chariot whose wheels used spokes . The Hurrian lands are today a part of Greater Kurdistan….   Despite Tusratta's problems, he was not beyond offering his daughter Tadukhipa in marriage to the King Amenhotep III of Egypt for a large quantity of gold. The tablet seen to the right is a letter from Tusratta to Amenhotep in which he asks for “gold in very great quantity” as a bride price, supporting his request with the comment, “Gold is as dust in the land of my brother.” The beleaguered Tusratta was then murdered by his son in a palace coup. Tusratta's other son, Prince Shattiwaza, fled Mitanni and was eventually given sanctuary by the Hittite King Suppiluliuma with whom he concluded a treaty c. 1380 BCE, which we know as the Suppiluliuma-Shattiwaza Treaty (discovered in 1907 CE in Hattusa, near present-day Bogazkale(Boğazkale, formerly Bogazköy) in north-central Turkey. In the treaty, the Hittite King Suppiluliuma agreed to assist Shattiwaza gain the Mitanni throne and invaded Mitanni. The Hittites captured the Mitanni capital Wassukanni after a second attempt and installed Shattiwaza as a vassal king. https://ramanisblog.in/2015/06/12/hindu-kings-of-iraq-turkey-syria-lebanon-egypt-italy-mitanni-empire/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/ramanispodcast/message

ST_20171022_Trade_Jiroft_and_Indo-Iranian_Continuum_Sanjeev_Sa.mp3

In this episode of SBS Kurdish Podcast series; My Kurdish Language is My Identity we discuss the expression of the Kurdish language in the Arabic script verses the Latin script. Farman Hidait, a Kurdish author and researcher of Kurdish history, argues that linguistically speaking the Latin script can better express the sounds and the phonetics of the Kurdish language. Kurdish, an Indo-Iranian language of the Indo-European family of languages, is not suited for the Arabic script, which is best designed for the Sematic languages. Then, why hasn't there been any serious effort to reform Sorani Kurdish script, and who is responsible? - Le em beşey zincîrey podkastî SBS Kurdî; Ziman Nasnamey Mine, ême rênûsî Erebî berawird dekeyin le gell rênûsî Latînî bot debirrînî zimanî Kurdî. Berêz Feram Hîdayet, ke nûser û lêkollewerî mêjûyî Kurde, gengeşe dekat ke le rûy zimanewanî ye we rênûsî Latînî şîyaw tire bo debirrînî dengekanî zimanî Kurdî. Rênûsî Erebî bo zimane Samêkan dirust kirawe, û Kurdî zimanêkî Hindo-Êranî ye ke le binemalley zimanekanî Hindo-Ewrupî ye. Başe, kê berpirse le yekgirtinî rênûsî Kurdî û rêformî rênûsî Soranî?

In this episode of SBS Kurdish Podcast series; My Kurdish Language is My Identity we discuss the expression of the Kurdish language in the Arabic script verses the Latin script. Farman Hidait, a Kurdish author and researcher of Kurdish history, argues that linguistically speaking the Latin script can better express the sounds and the phonetics of the Kurdish language. Kurdish, an Indo-Iranian language of the Indo-European family of languages, is not suited for the Arabic script, which is best designed for the Sematic languages. Then, why hasn't there been any serious effort to reform Sorani Kurdish script, and who is responsible? - Le em beşey zincîrey podkastî SBS Kurdî; Ziman Nasnamey Mine, ême rênûsî Erebî berawird dekeyin le gell rênûsî Latînî bot debirrînî zimanî Kurdî. Berêz Feram Hîdayet, ke nûser û lêkollewerî mêjûyî Kurde, gengeşe dekat ke le rûy zimanewanî ye we rênûsî Latînî şîyaw tire bo debirrînî dengekanî zimanî Kurdî. Rênûsî Erebî bo zimane Samêkan dirust kirawe, û Kurdî zimanêkî Hindo-Êranî ye ke le binemalley zimanekanî Hindo-Ewrupî ye. Başe, kê berpirse le yekgirtinî rênûsî Kurdî û rêformî rênûsî Soranî?

Mitanni's north-western border with theHattian kingdom of the Hittites was fluid and constantly subject to aggression except when the two rivals concluded a peace treaty – one that invoked the Indo-Iranian pantheon of Mitra, Varuna, Indra and the Nasatyas – but also one that marked the decline of the Mitanni kingdom and a decrease in size. The Mitanni and Hittites were closely related. The Hittites used the Hurrian language extensively in their inscriptions. They also shared in the development of the light chariot whose wheels used spokes . The Hurrian lands are today a part of Greater Kurdistan….   Despite Tusratta's problems, he was not beyond offering his daughter Tadukhipa in marriage to the King Amenhotep III of Egypt for a large quantity of gold. The tablet seen to the right is a letter from Tusratta to Amenhotep in which he asks for “gold in very great quantity” as a bride price, supporting his request with the comment, “Gold is as dust in the land of my brother.” The beleaguered Tusratta was then murdered by his son in a palace coup. Tusratta's other son, Prince Shattiwaza, fled Mitanni and was eventually given sanctuary by the Hittite King Suppiluliuma with whom he concluded a treaty c. 1380 BCE, which we know as the Suppiluliuma-Shattiwaza Treaty (discovered in 1907 CE in Hattusa, near present-day Bogazkale(Boğazkale, formerly Bogazköy) in north-central Turkey. In the treaty, the Hittite King Suppiluliuma agreed to assist Shattiwaza gain the Mitanni throne and invaded Mitanni. The Hittites captured the Mitanni capital Wassukanni after a second attempt and installed Shattiwaza as a vassal king. The Suppiluliuma-Shattiwaza Treaty is a source of considerable information about the Mitanni. In addition, it gives us some astonishing information about the religious practices of the Mitanni for it invokes the Indo-Iranian pantheon of asuras and devas Mitras(il) (Mitra), Uruvanass(il) (Varuna), Indra .More at www.ramanisblog.in --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/ramanispodcast/message

This week, Jada's taking us back to pre-Christian Rome, to talk about the ancient cult of “Mithraism”, the Mithraic Mysteries. The Mithraic Mysteries and the cult that kept them has been mostly forgotten by the modern world. Mithra, or Mithras, was an Indo-Iranian sun god, also associated with kings, warriors, war, justice, and contracts.Disclaimer: Anything in this podcast is based on our research and our own opinions. Content is not acceptable for children. Listener discretion is advised.To view all sources and notes, visit www.twosisterscult.com/episodesFor a full list of show sponsors, visit www.twosisterscult.com/savingsSupport the show (http://www.patreon.com/twosisterscult)

(Pinned comment by Flat Water - The 'Shem" discussed is shemyaza, or semyaza, one of the first fallen angels. Not shem of adam and eve.) The Real Book Of Giants, also known as The Book Of Og. Real Giants found by farmers, 100% proof they're real, many 30 foot tall giants found: https://youtu.be/6BKqLoN2Fkg Using several reconstructions in full from ancient fragments from the oldest scriptures: Syriac to the Dead Sea Scrolls. The Book of the Giants was published in not less than six or seven languages. From the original Syriac, the Greek and Middle Persian versions were made. Also known as The Book of Giants or the Book Of Og (Vir-Og-dad) it's about the Giborim, the sons of the Nephilim, the Fallen Angels, and features a full summary of the "Dream Sequences" of the giants, via the Interpretations of several theologians. Reading from The Book of Giants found in the Qumran Caves, the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Ka-Wan of the Manichaeans, we'll reconstruct the full story, and examine several key aspects. GIANTS AT THE NORTH POLE / EDEN? The book of giants, or known as the book of Og (King Og), states that 32 or 36 towns were built for the wicked sons of the giants near Mt Sumeru, at the North Pole. They were taken there to spare them from the war between the Giants and the Four Angels. Another name for the area is Aryan - Vedan,'Aryan - Weyzan' in Indo-Iranian. According to the ancient texts, these people originated the arts and crafts and built weapons for a war between the Giants and the Angels. The book of Enoch, and the Apocalypse of Baruch (and many other texts) are considered 'Apocrypha', and are kept out of the modern bible. Enoch is part of the original bible. From Wikipedia: "The Book of Enoch (also 1 Enoch, Ge'ez: መጽሐፈ ሄኖክ mätṣḥäfä henok) is an ancient Jewish religious work, ascribed by tradition to Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah, although modern scholars estimate the older sections (mainly in the Book of the Watchers) to date from about 300 BC, and the latest part (Book of Parables) probably to the first century BC, some believe it is aoreflood, antideluvian text. Although it is not part of the biblical canon used by Jews, apart from Beta Israel, it is regarded as canonical by the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church, and it is wholly extant in the Ge'ez language, with Aramaic fragments from the Dead Sea Scrolls and a few Greek and Latin fragments. For this and other reasons, the traditional Ethiopian belief is that the original language of the work was Ge'ez. The books author was Enoch himself, before the Biblical Flood. The authors of the New Testament were familiar with the content of the story and influenced by it: a critical part of the bible, a section of 1 Enoch (1 En 1:9 or 1 En 2:1 depending on the translation) is quoted in the New Testament (Epistle of Jude 1:14–15), and is attributed there to "Enoch the Seventh from Adam" (1 En 60:8). The text was also used by the community that originally collected the Dead Scrolls Canonicity and was evidently widely known during the development of the Hebrew Bible Canon. The biblical story revolves completely around the book of giants and the book of Enoch... and without these tales the bible lacks context. Note the mention of the Kephalaia, the monstrosity that controls the ebb and flow of tides and weather. Thank you for watching and commenting, Please remember to like, share and subscribe! God bless you. Glen. ~~~~~~~ Contact or Follow me @ BeGoodBroadcast@gmail.com Twitter @WinInHim --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/begoodbroadcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/begoodbroadcast/support

For four decades, UCLA’s Stephanie Jamison has been somewhat defiantly seeking the stories of women among some of the oldest texts in the world. Jamison shares some of what she has unearthed, the names and stories of women we have likely never heard of before. Jamison’s expertise lies in Indo-Iranian, especially Sanskrit and middle Indo-Aryan languages with an emphasis on linguistics, literature and poetics, religion and law, mythology and ritual, and gender. Series: "UCLA Faculty Research Lectures" [Humanities] [Show ID: 34409]

For four decades, UCLA’s Stephanie Jamison has been somewhat defiantly seeking the stories of women among some of the oldest texts in the world. Jamison shares some of what she has unearthed, the names and stories of women we have likely never heard of before. Jamison’s expertise lies in Indo-Iranian, especially Sanskrit and middle Indo-Aryan languages with an emphasis on linguistics, literature and poetics, religion and law, mythology and ritual, and gender. Series: "UCLA Faculty Research Lectures" [Humanities] [Show ID: 34409]

For four decades, UCLA’s Stephanie Jamison has been somewhat defiantly seeking the stories of women among some of the oldest texts in the world. Jamison shares some of what she has unearthed, the names and stories of women we have likely never heard of before. Jamison’s expertise lies in Indo-Iranian, especially Sanskrit and middle Indo-Aryan languages with an emphasis on linguistics, literature and poetics, religion and law, mythology and ritual, and gender. Series: "UCLA Faculty Research Lectures" [Humanities] [Show ID: 34409]

For four decades, UCLA’s Stephanie Jamison has been somewhat defiantly seeking the stories of women among some of the oldest texts in the world. Jamison shares some of what she has unearthed, the names and stories of women we have likely never heard of before. Jamison’s expertise lies in Indo-Iranian, especially Sanskrit and middle Indo-Aryan languages with an emphasis on linguistics, literature and poetics, religion and law, mythology and ritual, and gender. Series: "UCLA Faculty Research Lectures" [Humanities] [Show ID: 34409]

For four decades, UCLA’s Stephanie Jamison has been somewhat defiantly seeking the stories of women among some of the oldest texts in the world. Jamison shares some of what she has unearthed, the names and stories of women we have likely never heard of before. Jamison’s expertise lies in Indo-Iranian, especially Sanskrit and middle Indo-Aryan languages with an emphasis on linguistics, literature and poetics, religion and law, mythology and ritual, and gender. Series: "UCLA Faculty Research Lectures" [Humanities] [Show ID: 34409]

For four decades, UCLA’s Stephanie Jamison has been somewhat defiantly seeking the stories of women among some of the oldest texts in the world. Jamison shares some of what she has unearthed, the names and stories of women we have likely never heard of before. Jamison’s expertise lies in Indo-Iranian, especially Sanskrit and middle Indo-Aryan languages with an emphasis on linguistics, literature and poetics, religion and law, mythology and ritual, and gender. Series: "UCLA Faculty Research Lectures" [Humanities] [Show ID: 34409]

Welcome/Disclaimer/Support the show Thanks to Calypso CBD Use Discount Code BAKEDANDAWAKE at checkout for 30% off your first order of high quality CBD products of all kinds.  Visit www.calypsocbd.com today to check out their offerings. Let me know what your experience was like because I love hearing about it! talktous@bakedandawake.com.  Thanks are also owed to my friend from the Tartary Xirtus Discord Community, Stellium 7.  Stellium makes some really thought provoking videos to say the least and publishes them to YouTube, and he is the person who put me on to the Norb Theory and for that we all owe him our gratitude. At least I do, and I think once you hear a little bit about this model of the universe, you’ll agree that its one worth pondering as I have found it to be. But also by all means go with wide open mind and imagination and watch Stellium 7’s 4 part series called Unveiling a Titan, where he makes an incredibly compelling case for gigantic, no- titanic life forms not only having lived on earth once, but having left behind their bodies to be seen in, and eventually become part of the earth itself. The Norb Theory https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jH44AfehEdY   **Note: This is my heads up to everyone listening, but especially to members of the audience who are people of color other than white. One or two of the terms we will be using today may be surprising to hear at first, and seem to indicate a wrong turn on my part into territory verging on being racist in tone in some fashion.  The words I refer to are tow names for so called “Root Races” of humanity- The Polarians, and the Aryans. It’s weird how strange and anxiety inducing it is to spell those words out myself and prepare to go in on explaining the context in which the words are being used and how somehow that isn’t secretly some way for me to work as an apologist for a dark and nefarious White Supremacist Agenda. The last words all capitalized as a way of driving the point home to myself.  I mean, heck- we’re gonna find out one way or the other before we’re through, but I really hope you all give me the benefit of the doubt knowing I was up front with you about it, so we can work through the material together. Let’s remember first off that the word itself, Aryan- as opposed to the simply sort of weird “Polarian” that I’m only encountering now in the Norb Theory for the first time- that Aryan as a designation for humans, as even Wikipedia notes, was, and I’ll go ahead and quote “"Aryan" (/ˈɛəriən/)[1] has as its root a term that was used as a self-designation by Indo-Iranian people.[note 1] The term was used by the Indic people of the Vedic period in India as an ethnic label for themselves and to refer to the noble class as well as the geographic region known as Āryāvarta, where Indo-Aryan culture is based.[2][3] The closely related Iranian people also used the term as an ethnic label for themselves in the Avesta scriptures, and the word forms the etymological source of the country name Iran.[4][5][6][7] It was believed in the 19th century that Aryan was also a self-designation used by all Proto-Indo-Europeans, a theory that has now been abandoned.[8] Scholars point out that, even in ancient times, the idea of being an "Aryan" was religious, cultural and linguistic, not racial.   Episode Credits LINKS: Website: www.bakedandawake.com (http://www.bakedandawake.com)   Email: talktous@bakedandawake.com   Rss: http://bakedandawake.libsyn.com/rss   YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/BakedAndAwakePodcast   Libsyn Podcast Page: http://bakedandawake.libsyn.com/  (http://bakedandawake.libsyn.com/)   Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/bakedandawakepodcast   Twitter:  https://twitter.com/stevecominski (@baked_and_awake)   Insta: https://www.instagram.com/baked_and_awake/   Teepublic: https://www.teepublic.com/user/bakedandawake   Episode ambient Music generously provided by Antti Luode (http://www.soundclick.com/AnttiLuode),http://www.soundclick.com/_mobileFrame.cfm?bandID=1277008   Baked and Awake is proudly affiliated with the Dark Myths Collective. Visit www.darkmyths.org for more @baked_and_awake @daddyissuezshow @damagedgoodstheshow @claymiles #bakedandawakeshow #smokeindicadoshitanyway #podcastbuildersleague

Welcome/Disclaimer/Support the show Thanks to Calypso CBD Use Discount Code BAKEDANDAWAKE at checkout for 30% off your first order of high quality CBD products of all kinds.  Visit www.calypsocbd.com today to check out their offerings. Let me know what your experience was like because I love hearing about it! talktous@bakedandawake.com.  Thanks are also owed to my friend from the Tartary Xirtus Discord Community, Stellium 7.  Stellium makes some really thought provoking videos to say the least and publishes them to YouTube, and he is the person who put me on to the Norb Theory and for that we all owe him our gratitude. At least I do, and I think once you hear a little bit about this model of the universe, you’ll agree that its one worth pondering as I have found it to be. But also by all means go with wide open mind and imagination and watch Stellium 7’s 4 part series called Unveiling a Titan, where he makes an incredibly compelling case for gigantic, no- titanic life forms not only having lived on earth once, but having left behind their bodies to be seen in, and eventually become part of the earth itself. The Norb Theory **Note: This is my heads up to everyone listening, but especially to members of the audience who are people of color other than white. One or two of the terms we will be using today may be surprising to hear at first, and seem to indicate a wrong turn on my part into territory verging on being racist in tone in some fashion.  The words I refer to are tow names for so called “Root Races” of humanity- The Polarians, and the Aryans. It’s weird how strange and anxiety inducing it is to spell those words out myself and prepare to go in on explaining the context in which the words are being used and how somehow that isn’t secretly some way for me to work as an apologist for a dark and nefarious White Supremacist Agenda. The last words all capitalized as a way of driving the point home to myself.  I mean, heck- we’re gonna find out one way or the other before we’re through, but I really hope you all give me the benefit of the doubt knowing I was up front with you about it, so we can work through the material together. Let’s remember first off that the word itself, Aryan- as opposed to the simply sort of weird “Polarian” that I’m only encountering now in the Norb Theory for the first time- that Aryan as a designation for humans, as even Wikipedia notes, was, and I’ll go ahead and quote “"Aryan" (/ˈɛəriən/)[1] has as its root a term that was used as a self-designation by Indo-Iranian people.[note 1] The term was used by the Indic people of the Vedic period in India as an ethnic label for themselves and to refer to the noble class as well as the geographic region known as Āryāvarta, where Indo-Aryan culture is based.[2][3] The closely related Iranian people also used the term as an ethnic label for themselves in the Avesta scriptures, and the word forms the etymological source of the country name Iran.[4][5][6][7] It was believed in the 19th century that Aryan was also a self-designation used by all Proto-Indo-Europeans, a theory that has now been abandoned.[8] Scholars point out that, even in ancient times, the idea of being an "Aryan" was religious, cultural and linguistic, not racial.[9][10][11] So, all that out of the way, we can try to begin to unpack the monster that is the Norb Theory!  Themes you’ll perhaps see shades of ahead in the cosmogony about to be presented include, but are not limited to, as mentioned elsewhere, The Globe Earth and Big Bang, something very much like the Flat Earth model, A version of a Hollow Earth, The Notion of a Cosmic Egg, and that egg being one of countless numbers of eggs coexisting at the same time- a Multiverse model if you will. There’s parts of this that call to mind lots of things I’ve watched from the Thunderbolts Project and Electric Universe folks. See my episodes about The Ganymede Hypothesis and The Purple Dawn Theory to hear a lot more about them by the way. You may even pick up a matrix vibe, or as the Ancients Meso Americans called it- The Maya or “Illusion” that is this material existence. Transient, ephemeral, and perhaps to be experienced over and over again until some form of enlightenment or ascendance is achieved, thus freeing the soul from it’s labors in the material realm. All this and I’m sure more will hint at its inclusion in the model we are about to explore.    Norb’s Theory, as I understand it today, having the existing context I do from many years of reading and studying, at a casual but somewhat consistent pace- all sorts of mythologies and fringe theories Brings together the Globe Earth, Flat Earth, Hollow Earth, and both the Big Bang and Cosmic Egg models into one somewhat agreeable framework. Uses ancient myths and scriptures to make the connections between all of Earth’s existing cultures, and the epochs of human civilization that came before, as detailed over and over again in different oral and written traditions. Explains better than any other source I have encountered, who and what the so called “Root Races” are, and therefore who we are within that family tree. For a great primer on the Root Race Theory, See Spirit Science Channel on YouTube and start with this video: The core tenet of the model rests upon a literal point.  The so named Zero point axis, located crossing the earth’s poles, is the origin of all material existence and can be likened to a droplet of water or better, a bubble that instantiates at the zero point, expands, and periodically “bursts”, allowing for a new pulse to grow from the zero point, and slowly displacing the former waveform, or realm, to the outer perimeter. Think of a pebble being dropped from a modest height straight into still waters, like from a footbridge into a pond. We’ve all seen and enjoyed watching the ripples form and emanate out from the (zero) point of impact In this model, the terms extra terrestrial, and outer space refer not to far flung regions of the interstellar void. Rather, they imply peoples and lands that exist beyond the edges of our current, Atlantean (We’ll get to that) realm. This edge of our realm is currently encountered by traveling to Antarctica, and would look a lot like the Flat Earth model’s “Ice Wall” at the base of the domed firmament. (See a US Government Antarctic expedition named Operation fishbowl for seeming corroboration of the existence of an impenetrable dome).   The model posits that there have been four full time ripples, or epochs including this one, each lasting 24,000 years, each of which also had its own realm and root race starting with the Polarians, at the Zero Point Axis. Think of the Polarians as the Master Human Race, and it would seem, where our souls originate. They continue to exist and emanate the subsequent races from their MIND, throughout all our Epochs, though they are more or less cut off from us and not detectable or able to be communicated with. The Polarians first era was one of pure consciousness, with no earth to speak of or at least not the land masses we know of today. These mostly ethereal, or astral beings remain at the center and are the source code or originators of each of the Human Root Races, beginning with the Hyperboreans (Epoch/Wave 2), followed by the Lemurians(Wave 3), and then our Human Root Race, the Atlanteans(Wave 4), who have been recently displaced by the so called (Wave 5)“Aryans” (Try hard not to get hung up on this term as it really, truly applies to beings of multiple hues and races, not just Jack Booted thugs from Germany)   During the transition between ripples/epochs, the then currently preeminent race and realm experience cataclysms of varying sorts. Invariably there is great loss of life, followed by a long and laborious rebuilding period during which Mankind is forced to go through a new Stone Age, then continuing on through Iron, Bronze, Silver, and Golden Ages of development with the Golden Age being something resembling the height of the late 18th and 19th Centuries, especially in so called Western Cultures.  That’s right, our own beloved, industrial and technologically driven 20th and 21st Centuries probably represent post peak human development in a number of key aspects, but crucially also when viewed through the lens of the cosmic, 24,000 year epoch calendar and cycle.   It was in Poor Richard’s Almanac that Ben Franklin wrote about astrology, saying: “Oh the wonderful knowledge to be found in the stars. Even the smallest things are written there…if you had but skill to read.”   Donald Reagan, formerly Ronald Reagan’s Chief of Staff said: “It’s common knowledge that a large percentage of Wall Street brokers use astrology.” Physicist Albert Einstein said : “Astrology is a science in itself and contains an illuminating body of knowledge. It taught me many things and I am greatly indebted to it.”   BELOW NOTES TAKEN FROM NORB'S YT CHANNEL PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO HIM AND WATCH THE FULL PRESENTATIONS THANK YOU!  Infographics and frames: https://www.patreon.com/posts/norb-th... Reverse engineering the globe. EDIT: I'm getting asked a lot if people can re-upload this and or translate it to their language. The answer is YES - please do - all I ask is that you do not monetize it, do not name it the OFFICIAL video in your title, state that it's MIRRORED with a link back to the original. It has already been translated to Russian, and Spanish is coming up next. Feel free to do the short version of this as well as that is aimed more at the crowd that likes small byte sized content bits vs the 36min version. Thanks for watching! Here's the soundtrack :: https://soundcloud.com/norbzworld/i-h... Here's the SHORT version :: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iigUB... - - - - - Here are some other cool related videos - - - - - FlatEarth Universe Martin Kenny :: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PJ1_... The History Of Humans/Our Times: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swe3E... Frequency / Cymatics / Bio-Sonoluminescence https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJJ_z... ^ This is beautiful - greatly goes into the sine wave/sonar Confessions Of A Music Industry Insider https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FsH8... ^ This is how music really influences masses History Of Flat Earth :: Eric Dubay https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcZMP... Under The Dome :: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk4Yq... 200 Proofs Earth Is Flat :: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ax_Y... It all starts with Magnetism :: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1nv0... ------------------------------------------ Quick Search :: https://www.youtube.com/results?searc... ------------------------------------------ Hi, thanks again for taking time out to watch this. I know, it's abstract, and is meant as a thought exercise vs a definitive belief (hence 'theory'). First time I heard the term 'flat earth' or 'geocentric vs heliocentric earth', I thought 'hmmmm kinda crazy but it wouldn't surprise me'. The ancient Greek, Hebrew, Norse, Hindu and other cosmology all use the ORB theory. A lot of the theories mix well with 'some' parts of modern science, and 'some' parts of major religions. I tried to model this after watching Martin Kenny's video (linked above). Episode Credits LINKS: Website: www.bakedandawake.com (http://www.bakedandawake.com)   Email: talktous@bakedandawake.com   Rss: http://bakedandawake.libsyn.com/rss   YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/BakedAndAwakePodcast   Libsyn Podcast Page: http://bakedandawake.libsyn.com/  (http://bakedandawake.libsyn.com/)   Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/bakedandawakepodcast   Twitter:  https://twitter.com/stevecominski (@baked_and_awake)   Insta: https://www.instagram.com/baked_and_awake/   Teepublic: https://www.teepublic.com/user/bakedandawake   Episode ambient Music generously provided by Antti Luode (http://www.soundclick.com/AnttiLuode),http://www.soundclick.com/_mobileFrame.cfm?bandID=1277008   Baked and Awake is proudly affiliated with the Dark Myths Collective. Visit www.darkmyths.org for more

The Seventh of “7 Ways to Take a Deep Breath”: You Are Enough Have you ever felt like there wasn't room for you in your life?  Let's take a deep breath and look at the seventh of seven ways..... Oh (inhale...exhale....), that feels better.....  Thank you for joining us for the seventh of “7 Ways to Take a Deep Breath”. We'll take a step back:  You are Enough. There is an idea in the wisdom traditions of India. It is found in Mahayana Buddhist philosophy.   It was taught by the historic Gautama Buddha himself. It is part of the Vedic tradition, and the Rig-Veda, that early Sanskrit text I work on from 1500 BCE.  It goes back into Indo-Iranian tradition, of about 5000 BCE, and probably back to the domestication of horses in about 10,000 BCE among what we call the peoples of Indo-European tradition.  I expect that it comes into this old wisdom tradition from ancient times when people understood that we, as humans, are part of a natural world.  The idea:  You Are Enough.    You are enough in the way that any sunrise is a perfect sunrise, and any plant is a perfect plant.  We don't look at a mountain and say, “Our east coast Canadian mountains, they're old:  they are rounder in their shoulders. They are not like the mountains on the west coast of Canada:  they are young, and tall and spikey”. A mountain is a mountain.  The mountain does not apologize for being a mountain.   It does not try to hide or make itself smaller so that other people, or other mountains, will feel more comfortable.   Every sunrise is a perfect sunrise. The sound that a pebble makes when it drops in the stream is the perfect sound of a pebble as it drops in the stream. It is inherently enough. A Tibetan expression that names this would be rendered in English as "primordial purity".  You Are Enough.  You are good, in a way that is so far beyond any kind of a distinction between good or bad, and this since the time before time. In the way that oxygen is good, in the way that gravity is fundamentally good:  You Are Enough. In our suggestions of seven ways to take a deep breath, what is the seventh suggestion? Let's step back, and take a deep breath. What we have here is a menu of suggestions of ways that we can begin to deepen and strengthen the connection that we have with ourselves, and the connection that we have with others, in order that we will grow to find more meaningful ways to better contribute to our world. It's about deeply nourishing ourselves and one another, so that we are better able to give as part of the whole. Let's look at the menu. Is there something here which feels like it might be helpful for you?  Then, let's just take another step back.  I bet there's something that's not on the menu which really is what is better for you. Take a deep breath. Maybe you want to have a keyboard, a pencil or pen in hand. Let's just take a pause. What do you most need to increase the sense of relaxation and space in your life?  Are you finding yourself in an intimate personal, or some other kind of relationship, which isn't what you need in your life?  Do you need to think about re-defining, or re-negotiating, or just simply stepping out of that relationship? How about your housing situation? Is that working well for you?  Do you have a circle of friends that are behaving in a way which is helping you to discover the best part of yourself?  Are the friends that you're spending time with drawing out qualities and aspects of yourself that leave you feeling - well? -  you can do better?  What do you actually need in order to increase the space that you offer yourself to more deeply discover the selves that we are constantly in the process of becoming?   Let's name that.  If you need to reach out and find some resources in order to be able to identify and then act on that, please check out the Resources page of justbreathyouareenough.com.   There are also other ways that you could reach out and find the resources that you need; if you listen to yourself, you know what they are.  First, do that.  Then, when that has been given the space it needs, maybe you will find it useful to come back and look at our menu. For students who are working with me on campus, when we have about three months together, my warm suggestion is:  why not pick something off the menu and try that?  Once you've done what you most need to do first, then pick something off the menu, and try that for a month. See how that goes. If that's useful and helpful for you, you might wish to continue that while you are trying something else off the menu that you think might be helpful or useful for you. By the time our semester together is finished, you might have tried three of these things.   You can check in with yourself and ask:  is this increasing my delight in being alive and my ability to discover who I am as a person?  If yes, please consider continuing. For people who are with me for two semesters in a same year – over a period of six months - well, they'd be able to go through six items off our menu.  Try it. See if it's useful for you. Then, if it's useful, please do that. It may be helpful for you to put in place supports to help to sustain you through this experience of deepening your relationship with yourself.  You could set reminders in your phone.  You could book appointments with yourself even right now.... What were those items on our menu?  First, we could figure out what we most need and then do that.  If we're ready, the menu items that we saw in items one through six of seven ways to take a deep breath were as follows.   First, meet with yourself.  Second,  track your finances, and explore the possibility that discipline brings joy. Third,  find a professional mind or body care person, like a massage therapist, or some other professional who will support you in the process of coming home to yourself.  Work with someone who is a good fit for you, who can witness your journey and help you to increase the alignment that you experience between mind and heart, body and spirit.  Fourth, relax with yourself in a spirit of play. What kind of activity can you bring into your life, just because it is fun! Is it yoga? Is it tai chi? Is it playing a musical instrument?  It is “playing” inside competitive sport?  One day, I really will take those kayaking lessons.  What can you do to increase your ability to listen to your body's own inner wisdom by giving it space inside a spirit of play? Fifth: gratitude practice. Heighten our awareness of what we already have, and grow in our appreciation of that, as part of our process of being able to receive and also to give. Finally, sixth: enjoy food with a friend. The space that you need is there for you all the time.  To remember what that feels like, take a deep breath. The quality of the relationship that you have with the outside world directly relates to the quality of relationship you have with yourself.  For a free list of the full menu of “7 Ways to Take a Deep Breath”, come see us at “justbreatheyouareenough.com”.  I'm Adela, and you've been listening to Just Breathe....You Are Enough™.  You can follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. If you haven't yet, please subscribe, rate and review this podcast. Join us next time, and thank you for listening. Copyright © 2018, Adela Sandness    

The ram which you saw with two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.  (Dan 8:20) As the Aryans migrated to the lands of their neighbours, they did not displace the original inhabitants. When the Persian Aryans eventually settled the southern Iran plateau, the area was populated by the Elamites with whom the Persians integrated. An examination of the present linguistic composition of Iran reveals that other, non Indo-Iranian linguistic groups are interspersed among Persian linguistic groups. Where was the original honeland of the Persians? Aria? Time for a closer look.

srijan talk 20171022 0052: Trade, Jiroft and Indo-Iranian Continuum.mp3

Mundofonías #3 Feb 2016 - Jazz & + Con músicas que unen jazz con imaginación y músicas de diversos parajes, recalamos también en Brasil, el Océano Índico, recorriendo también África para desembocar en Dinamarca y encuentros indo-iraníes. With music that gathers together very imaginative jazz with sounds from different places, we also travel to Brazil and the Indian Ocean, going through Africa to end in Denmark and listening Indo-Iranian encounters. Metismatic - Bad safari [+ Amina Mezaache & Michael Havard] (Bad safari) Naïssam Jalal & Rhythms of Resistance - Nomades (Osloob hayati) Sociedade Recreativa - Boa noite - (Sociedade Recreativa) M'Toro Chamou - Kawassi vanu (Punk Islands) Vivalda Dula & Cheick Hamala Diabaté - Je t'aime (Je t'aime) Aziza Brahim - Calles de Dajla (Abbar el Hamada) Dieuf-Dieul de Thiès - Ariyo (Aw sa yone vol. 2) Niss Stricker - Der lå en lysning gemt (Under himmelhavet) Shujaat Husain Khan & Katayoun Goudarzi - Adrift (Ruby)

This talk examines the life and work of Dinshah Irani, a prominent Parsi scholar, lawyer, and philanthropist who was a key intellectual intermediary between the Parsi community of Bombay and the intellectual community of Iranian nationalists during the 1920s and 1930s. Dr. Marashi details the role played by Irani in patronizing the publication of Zoroastrian-themed printed works in Bombay that were intended for export to the reading market in Iran, and the important role the Parsi community of Bombay played in the revival of Iranian antiquity during the early twentieth century. He will also highlight the transnational cultural and intellectual history of Iranian nationalism during the Reza Shah period. Afshin Marashi is the Farzaneh Family Chair in Iranian Studies and Associate Professor in the Department of International and Area Studies at the University of Oklahoma. His area of specialization is the cultural and intellectual history of nationalism in nineteenth and twentieth century Iran. He also writes and teaches in the field of comparative nationalism studies. In addition to his teaching and research efforts, Professor Marashi is also the director of Iranian Studies programming in the College of International Studies at OU. He received his BA in Political Science from the University of California at Berkeley in 1992 and his PhD in History from UCLA in 2003.