--- In
cybalist@yahoogroups.com, Piotr Gasiorowski > Elst does not
explain why the IEs found Europe, of all places, so irresistibly
attractive; or why they did not migrate into southeast Asia, Arabia
or anywhere else except along the route usually believed to have been
followed by the Aryas travelling in the opposite direction.
VA: Southeast Asia was inaccessible as the gangetic plains were
heavily forested, and IA languages could not penentrate the coastal
areas because of Vindhyas and dense forests. It could be easier to
cross the Khyber, go to Oxus, and move among that river to Caspian
(as is well known Oxus flowed into Caspian till around 600 BCE). It
was only late that Iranians pushed militarily into Eastern Iran,
Armenia etc.
Similary, the Central Iranian depression offered a formidable barrier
to movement of IE speakers into Mesopotamia. Arabia could not be
reached except along the coast of Makran, Iran because long distance
sea travel had not been invented along that route yet.
Note that I am not an OIT'er, but the above could be replies to your
objections. Feel free to point out errors in the above hypoethesis.
Sincerely,
Vishal