--- In cybalist@..., philorej@... wrote:
> In a message dated 2/22/2001 4:33:35 PM Eastern Standard Time,
> MrCaws@... writes:
> >
> This is the crux of problem. Advanced Hunters were in the Levant
at least by
> 35,000 years ago and probably Anatolia shortly thereafter. Late
Hunters
> reached Greece and the Balkans before 8000 years ago and sub alpine
Italian
> peninsula around 8000 years ago. So how many languages were spoken
in the
> area before we have written records of any kind to suggest the
language or
> its family. I fear we shall never have sufficient evidence to
indicate
> languages before 3 millenia BCE.
> Bobj
Well, that certainly seems to be the case. Early languages spoken in
the region probably go way back. But, I think there is evidence of
large-scale Anatolian contact and migration in 3rd Millenium BCE.
Evidence points to a distinct arrival in Crete of a people of almost
certainly Anatolian origin in the EH IIb, around 2300 BCE or so
(Lefkandi culture). Supporting evidence includes pottery closely
resembling that found in Anatolia and a new type of house, the
apsidal longhouse/megaron, found at this time. Interestingly, this
type of house was also most popular among the Etruscans. Evidence
points to a peaceful arrival of these peoples. These peoples also
appear to have arrived in the Cyclades at roughly the same
period.These dates roughly coincide with the arrival of Indo-
Europeans in Anatolia and the destruction of Troy II. One suggestion
that seems appealing is that the Lefkandi culture, already probably
having a trade relationship with Crete and Cyclades, began to migrate
and develop there under population pressure and/or military threat
inspired by the incoming Indo-Europeans. Although none of this
conclusively proves anything about the languages spoken in the
Aegean, it provides supporting evidence of the clear arrival of some
sort of Anatolian culture early in the development of Bronze age
culture in the region.