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3. LINGUISTIC TESTS
Scholars of comparative philology were the original pioneers who first took up the problem of Aryan Cradleland. As the original discovery was made in India by Sir William Jones and Sanskrit, though wrongly, was considered the eldest sister of the Aryan languages; naturally, scholars leaned towards India to locate the original Aryan habitat.
Position of Sanskrit
Sanskrit is the most powerful, most scientific and progressive of all the Aryan languages. The most ancient extant Aryan literature is preserved in Rgveda. The hymns of Rgveda and the Gathas of Avesta are very similar and one can be very easily rendered in the other language. The Avestan Gathas are dated Circa 1000 B. C. Ṛgveda in its present form is more or less contemporaneous to Avestan Gathas. Hence Ṛgveda can not be dated earlier than 1000
B. C.1
As referred earlier, the word 'Arya' was known to the Harri people, a tribe of Mittanis. Records of treaties between the Hittite King Suppiluliumas and the Mittani King Mattiwaza son of Dusratta have been excavated from Boghaz-Keui, the Hittite Capital. This event occurs in 1365 B. C.s This document contains the formula 'ilani' Mi-it-tra-as-si-ia-an-na ilani U-ru-w-na-as-si-il ilu In-da-ra ilani Na-sa-at-ti-ia-an-na.4 Here undivided Aryan Devas are clearly mentioned. Varuņa is the leader of Aryan Devas, Indra occupying the third place. At about the same time, we find Irānāryan looking names ruling in Syria. El-Amarna clay tablets reveal such names as Artamnanya, Arzawiya, Yasadata, Śuttarna etc.
The Dispersal of Aryan Languages.
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