Indo-Aryan migration

Archaeology

There is no clear evidence in the archaeological record for an intrusion of Indo-Aryan people into India. Many archaeologists argue that the available data reflects indigenous cultural developments. J. M. Kenoyer and many other archaeologists have pointed out that "current evidence does not support a pre- or proto-historic Indo-Aryan invasion of southern Asia. Instead, there was an overlap between Late Harappan and post-Harappan communities, with no biological evidence for major new populations. Furthermore, scholars like D. K. Chakrabarti have also pointed out that northwestern India always had cultural exchanges and trade contacts with Afghanistan and other western regions . According to Erdosy, cultural traits that have been associated with Vedic culture "originate in different places at different times and circulate widely" and it is therefore "impossible ... to regard the widespread distribution of certain beliefs and rituals ... as evidence of population movements." .

However, proponents of the theory point out that the Indo-Aryans were nomadic or at least peripatetic, following their herds of cows around from pasture to pasture. Consequently they had no permanent settlements; the RgVeda only mentions temporary huts. These leave no archaeological record. So it is only to be expected that the migrations left no archaeological traces. The Huns are a comparable instance. No one doubts that the Huns actually invaded parts of western Europe on more than one occasion. Yet -- because the Huns were nomads -- they left no archaeological remains behind. The records come from other sources.