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Sumerians in India

By Laurence Austine Waddell

Vol. 1 · No. 1March - 1925pp. 88-91English

Summary

The author posits that Sumerians, identified as early Aryans in race, speech, and culture, were the ancestors of various civilizations, including those in India, the Mediterranean, and Europe. They argue that the Bharat Khattiya branch of Sumerians, known as Khattiya in older Pali and Ksattriya in Sanskrit, established themselves in the Indus Valley around 3100 BCE. This claim is supported by the discovery of Sumerian seals and associated cultural artifacts in the region, which the author links to Sumerian and Phoenician influences. The author further connects the Khattiya to the Hittites, noting linguistic and etymological parallels, such as the term "Khatti" meaning "ruler" and its equivalence to "Arya" in Sanskrit. They observe similarities between Sumerian and Indo-Aryan religious and cultural practices, particularly the shared name "Induru/Indra" for the chief deity. Additionally, the author identifies parallels between Sumerian and Indian epic king-lists, noting identical names and chronological alignments with Mesopotamian dynasties. The text also explores the linguistic roots of Sumerian and Aryan languages, highlighting structural and etymological similarities. The author concludes that the Sumerians were a foundational Aryan group, with their Khattiya branch playing a pivotal role in civilizing India, much like their western counterparts in Britain and the Mediterranean. Recent discoveries of Sumerian seals in the Indus Valley are cited as corroborative evidence for these claims. [Post-publication note: While the author's conclusions are presented as established, modern scholarship may view some connections as speculative or requiring further evidence.]

Conclusion

This document presents compelling evidence linking Sumerians to early Aryans in India, challenging traditional historical narratives. By analyzing linguistic parallels, cultural traits, and archaeological findings—particularly Sumerian seals in the Indus Valley—the study establishes the Khattiya/Ksattriya lineage as a key branch of Sumerian colonizers. The identification of shared king lists, divine names like "Induru/Indra," and maritime connections between Bharat Kuru-paficala and Phoenicians underscores a profound cultural and ancestral continuity. These findings not only reshape understanding of Indo-Aryan origins but also highlight the Sumerians' far-reaching influence across ancient civilizations, positioning them as foundational to both Eastern and Western Aryan traditions.

Article order

In this issue

Vol. 1 · No. 1
1-4IntroductionSten Konow4-17The Date of Zoroaster and the RgvedaArthur Berriedale Keith18-30The Northern BuddhismHariprasad G. Shastri31-36Bharavi and DandinSushil Kumar De36-42Some Aspects of the Economic Life in Ancient India ( AS DEPICTED IN THE RGVEDA )Prafulla Chandra Basu42-50The Aryan Rule of IndiaW. F. Gunawardhana50-58Message from Barhut Jataka LabelsB. M. Barua59-68The Vicitra NatakIndubhusan Banerjee69-79Bengal School of ArtSatish Chandra Mitra79-85Rama Raya, Regent of Vijayanagar (1542–1565)H. Heras86-87Seniya BimbisaraHem Chandra Raychaudhuri88-91Sumerians in IndiaLaurence Austine WaddellCurrent article91-94Some observations on Pusyamitra and his EmpireRamesh Chandra Majumdar94-99Politics and Political History in the MahabharataNarayan Chandra Banerji100-102Etymologies of Kubha lagh, eagh-, gevaya, and Laghulo.Muhammad Shahidullah103-111The Bhasa ProblemK. Rama Pisharoti111-116Some Wall‑Paintings from KelaniyaStella Kramrisch116-119Pāvapuri and its Temple PrasastiPuranchand Nahar119-125Mandukya Upanishad and the Gaudapada KarikasVidhushekhara Bhattacharya126-129Lakshmana Sena’s Flight from NadiaC. V. Vaidya130-136Rasātala or the Under‑WorldNandu Lal Dey137-166The Kosalas in Ancient IndiaBimala Charan Law167-171MISCELLANY - Oriental Studies in RussiaUnexhibited172-176Progress of Historical Research in the Madras PresidencyC. S. Srinivasachari176-179Recent Discoveries in Sind and the PunjabS. K. Chatterjee179-184The All-India Oriental Conference (Third Session)Sushil Kumar De185The Date of Manik Ganguli's Dharma MangalMuhammad Shahidullah185-186Oriental Studies in JapanR. Kimura187-191ReviewsRamesh Chandra Majumdar, B. M. Barua, Kaccayana, D. M. Bhattacharya192-196Select Contents of Oriental JournalsUnexhibited197-198BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTESUnexhibited

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