[tied] Re: The physical type of proto-Indo-Europeans

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "alexandru_mg3" <alexandru_mg3@...>
wrote:
....................

>
> A steppe is not an environment where a civilization could develop,
> increase in number and finally to expand in such a way in which the
> Indo-Europeans have done.
>
> Please take a look today and see what is the human density per
> square-km in the Ukraine's steppes...and what is that density in
> Holland
>
> If you will take a look an other examples first you need a big

river

> (see Nile,Euphrat,Tigris,Indus etc... as valid historical examples
> where such a civilization could appear) or at least a proximity to
> the sea and/or a 'Mediteranean' climate (see Greeks, & Romans)
>
> I cannot see how a civilization can increase in such a huge number
> (as was the case for IE-s) ...if you place their homeland in a
> region with temperatures of -30C in the winter and +40 during the
> summer..without important reserves in vegetation, animals, waters,
> salt, minerals and woods
>
> The single big river that I can see in Europe with such a temperate
> climate (Note: at that time (7000-5000 BCE) the climate was much
> colder than it is today, so we need to go more to the south) is the
> Danube River. So if there was a European homeland for the Indo-
> Europeans, this should be: 'all along the medium and/or the

inferior

> course of the Danube River' ...(where Europe is defined here as
> usual should be -> from Atlantic Ocean until the Ural Mountains) ..

...............

I have nothing against the Danubian hypothesis, but do have to
question this particular line of argument. What of Arabic, or the
Turkic languages, to pick two examples? Their places of origin were
certainly not high population density areas, yet both have spread
over very large swathes of territory.

Best regards,
Ned Smith