From: kishore patnaik
Message: 58062
Date: 2008-04-26
Dear
Bran,
The following are mainstream things, not just my thinking. I simply agree with
them:
1. There are unmistakable (indic/vedic/pre vedic)Aryan element in
Mitannis.The Indic here does not bear geo significance
2. There is no prot IIr or Iranian content in Mitannis
3. An Aryan aristocracy was postulated for sometime, but later it is a dead
issue. There is no Aryan aristocracy there. The Kings were simply assuming one
or more Aryan names and the chariot warriors, though Hurrian were called as a
group with an aryan name : marijannena, however, there is nothing more aryan in
this class except the name,
Under these circumstances, the only (indic) Aryan thing that was present
in Mitanni is names, names and more names. Even these names constituted a small
percentage of the Hurrian names and are interestingly, personal names are
limited to the Kings (hardly any queens are named after Aryans) and the other
aryan terms are limited to techno jargon such as number of rounds, colors of
horses. The names of Vedic (pre vedic? suit yourself, it is yet to be proved)
Gods are limited to again, political documents and nothing else.
Clearly, the Aryan influence over a limited sphere is clear,positive and
strong , but where are the Aryans? They are conspicuous by their archaeological
absence as usual.
From the above, two things I could clearly derive is : One, Mitannis are
post Vedic (this is totally against your favorite German scholar MW) Second,
there is no IIr as such. While I have given extensive proof for the
former conclusion, the second conclusion is derived from the original article I
have forwarded to this group (which has started this thread)
You would note that this Aryanic influence was recognizable for atleast two
centuries (15th and 14th) and perhaps, more (I have not cared to look for more
as yet) and clearly very strong: unless there is a strong influence, the kings
(all of them !) would not be bearing atleast one (indic) Aryan name. The last
statement is by MW!
Hence, I hope I am clear that the entire discussion should be about conclusions I have drawn in the penultimate paragraph
above. You will have to first and foremost appreciate that they run against the main stream thought and precisely , for this, they need more discussion and perhaps, your help to see my side of the argument.
Kishore patnaik