1 The Elamite and Tamil Connection: By: Bipin Shah Introduction: The recent discoveries of Elamite seals in Iran and Mesopotamia may help us in understanding the ancient history of India. Although, the work is still in progress at various archeological sites but the discoveries so far are encouraging. The translation of the Elamite seals gives some strong clues that we need to explore to fill the voids in Indian history and that is the subject matter of this paper. This is not to minimize what the ancient Aryans and others groups may have brought to Indian civilization such as love for the spirituality, preference for pluralism, unified culture and religious tolerance. All of them left some indelible marks on the present Indian culture. The consistent lack of new discovery of Iron age Aryan archeology and or the inscriptions comparable to Behistan of Persia restricts our knowledge and verification of only up to 3 rd century BC and raises an interesting question on Aryan geography of 6 th century BC and before. This is an important puzzle to solve for historians and archeologists. The Rig-Veda text can be easily dated to 1800 -2000 BC but provides no clue to its geography. The sister Avestan text also gives us some scant clues that the homeland was wintery cold but omits the exact location. That leaves us to the mercy of linguists and theorist on the location of urheimat (homeland). The other puzzle that is still to be resolved is the presence of three separate language groups living side by side for thousands of years. The Sanskrit, Tamil (Elamite) and proto-Austroloid based tribal languages such as Munda but they have totally independent origins. This reality cannot be ignored in overall context of profiling of the people of India. There has not been sufficient resources or efforts spent to find out why India is the one of the rare country in the world that enjoys this unique privilege of hosting three independently derived languages with no roots connection except some exchange of loan words that can be called as “lingua franca” . The present vast number of various regional languages and dialects derived from these three mother languages of the past illustrate this point. There are other civilizations with Aryan roots that have left sufficient archeology of their existence in central Asia. The Hattusa of Hittite, the Behistan Inscription of Darius-I, in Persia (Iran) who called themselves the Aryans.
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1
The Elamite and Tamil Connection:
By: Bipin Shah
Introduction:
The recent discoveries of Elamite seals in Iran and Mesopotamia may help us in
understanding the ancient history of India. Although, the work is still in progress at various
archeological sites but the discoveries so far are encouraging. The translation of the Elamite
seals gives some strong clues that we need to explore to fill the voids in Indian history and
that is the subject matter of this paper.
This is not to minimize what the ancient Aryans and others groups may have brought to
Indian civilization such as love for the spirituality, preference for pluralism, unified culture
and religious tolerance. All of them left some indelible marks on the present Indian culture.
The consistent lack of new discovery of Iron age Aryan archeology and or the inscriptions
comparable to Behistan of Persia restricts our knowledge and verification of only up to 3rd
century BC and raises an interesting question on Aryan geography of 6th century BC and
before. This is an important puzzle to solve for historians and archeologists.
The Rig-Veda text can be easily dated to 1800 -2000 BC but provides no clue to its geography.
The sister Avestan text also gives us some scant clues that the homeland was wintery cold but
omits the exact location. That leaves us to the mercy of linguists and theorist on the location
of urheimat (homeland).
The other puzzle that is still to be resolved is the presence of three separate language groups
living side by side for thousands of years. The Sanskrit, Tamil (Elamite) and proto-Austroloid
based tribal languages such as Munda but they have totally independent origins.
This reality cannot be ignored in overall context of profiling of the people of India. There has
not been sufficient resources or efforts spent to find out why India is the one of the rare
country in the world that enjoys this unique privilege of hosting three independently derived
languages with no roots connection except some exchange of loan words that can be called
as “lingua franca” . The present vast number of various regional languages and dialects
derived from these three mother languages of the past illustrate this point.
There are other civilizations with Aryan roots that have left sufficient archeology of their
existence in central Asia. The Hattusa of Hittite, the Behistan Inscription of Darius-I, in Persia
(Iran) who called themselves the Aryans.
2
Lion gate of Hattusa-Turkey 1200 BC Behistan Inscription of Darius-I of Iran 522 BC re carved on Semiramis
inscription.
The Aryan epic of Mahabharata places the presence of Pandavas and Kauravas near Delhi,
Haryana and Punjab, while Krishna of Lunar dynasty is placed initially near present Matura
and then to Saurashtra region near Dwarka.
How this is is possible for someone who is essentially a Persian-Medes claim himself of Kuru
dynasty (vansh), some considerable distance apart from epic story? The geographical
differences have not been reconciled. Perhaps one way to look at this, during the ancient
period, there were no national boundaries as viewed in the present context and it changed
from time to time based on the might of the ruler who conquered the territories. The
landmarks like large mountain, mighty river or barren patch of the land understood to
separate the nationality or language group.
Further investigation leads us to believe that at one time there was a common vocabulary
existed among Indo-Iranian branch of Arias as shown below in the table form. This situation
in combination with “religious switch” of Good and evil Gods of both the ancient people
demonstrate that their differences probably were driven by their religious views than
physical boundaries or the language itself.
Proto-Indo-Iranian Avestan(Old Persian) Vedic Sanskrit (old Indic) English
1.aĉwa- ("horse") Av, aspa Asva Horse
2.bʰag- OP baj- (bāji; "tribute") Bhaga, Nazrana Tribute
3.bʰrātr- ("brother") OP brātar bhrātṛ Brother
3
4.bʰūmī ("earth", "land") OP būmi bhūmī Earth-
5.martya ("mortal, "man") OP martya Martya Mortal
6.māsa ("moon") OP māha Māsa,Chadra Moon
7.wāsara ("early") OP vāhara ("spring") vāsara Morning
8.ṛta ("truth") Av aša, OP arta ṛta Truth
9.draugʰ- ("falsehood") Av druj, OP draug- druh- daugher
10sauma "pressed (juice)" Av haoma soma opium like
11 Av Hapta Septa Seven
12 Av Hindu Sindhu Indus
During Second World War, Hitler of Germany who claimed himself to be of Aryan nationality
while adopting Swastika (in inverted form) for Germany as a national symbol. His
understanding was more on racial term than other concepts of nobility, conduct and
spirituality.
Perhaps this may have inspired other colonial powers like British to claim Aryan history
through India. India in 17th century AD, became a beeline for Germans and British
archeologist, Indologists and linguists to learn Sanskrit and other derivative Prakrit languages.
With the local help, they succeeded in translating the ancient manuscripts of India that we
use as reference material as translated in English, that otherwise would have remained an
exclusive preserve of Brahmins and Royal bards.
Either this acts of colonial historians was prejudicial to Tamil speakers who are not
considered the part of Indo-European family of language or their biased was influenced by
local interpreters is not very clear. This bias had developed the understanding of the ancient
history of India in Indo-European lenses, in spite of their finds at Harrapan and Mohan-Je-
Daro that should have challenged that assumption or bias. There are plenty of archeological
evidence like the presence of megaliths in tribal areas of the east and various cave paintings
to suggest that India was habitated by Non-Sanskrit speakers longtime ago. The word “Arya”
has more to do with the way of life than just in context of the ethnicity, race or language
group.
There was and is a lack of comprehension in understanding the pre-history of India that
existed prior to Vedic time. The new discoveries of Elamite seals at the number of sites near
Susa, Iran or in the ancient province of “Ilam” as Iranians call it, speaks the same story for
Iran as India. Iran itself had preexisting languages and cultures prior to arrivals of Aryan
Medes and Persians.
4
The wide presence of Buddhist archeology in Afghanistan and eastern parts of Iran and
Pakistan is more suggestive of India’s differing geography of the past than what our current
boundary defines.
The continuous and additive efforts by Kenoyer on Indus-saraswati civilization have started
to pay some dividends in unraveling the pre-history of India. Those ancient civilizations were
more urbanized with well planned cities than nomadic Aryans could have dreamed off either
in Persia, or Mesopotamia. The Aryan archeology in Central Asia is still intact. It is becoming
much clearer that Aryan question cannot be resolved on nationalist ground or debate. For
past 50 years or more, there have been intense debates among historians and Indologists to
design a model or theory that will explain the movement of Aryans from their original
homeland.
India had become a target of testing various theories due to the presence of their oldest
surviving Aryan language-Sanskrit. Over the millennia, India has emerged as a very diversified
nation and on the surface it does not fit the assumed profile of Aryans of any Aryan theories
but there are cultural layers of Aryans found everywhere either in the various languages,
epics, the spirituality and ethics that still dominates the Indian culture.
This article will spare the readers in rehashing the old Aryan theories and debates but support
the presence of earlier pre-Vedic cultures of India.
Elamite Connection to India and Archeological Finds of Iran:
Chogha Zanbil or “Dur Untash” is an ancient Elamite complex in the Khuzestan province of
Iran. Dur Untash Dur-Untash, which means the castle or the city of Untash named after King
Untash Napirisha, an Elamite king. Its size and splendor was intended to honor the gods and
to manifest the power of the king. Chogha in Bakhtiari language means hill. It is one of the
few existent ziggurats in Iran, just 10 miles west of Susa, once ruled by Elamites. It is almost
4000 years old. The South western Persia prior to the invasion by Mitanni /Medes was ruled
by a group who were known as Elamites and the land around Susa in Persia was called- the
land of "ILAM", Elamites land was situated at border of Mesopotamia and Persian Gulf.
The building materials used in the construction of Chogha Zanbil was mud bricks and baked
bricks very typical of all ziggurats’ construction of early Mesopotamia. The monuments were
beautifully decorated with glazed baked bricks, gypsum, ornaments of faience and glass. The
bricks had Elamite cuneiform inscription characters made by human hands. The glazed
terracotta statues such as Bulls and Winged griffins guarded the entrances to the ziggurat.
Near the temples of Kiririsha and Hishmitik-Ruhuratir, kilns were found that probably were
used for the production of baked bricks and decorated materials. The ziggurat was built in
two stages and in the second phase took its multi-layered form. A wall surrounded the
Ziggurat that had the inner wall of three concentric walls. Between the inner wall and the
middle wall several temples belonging to different Elamite divinities were built.
5
Dur-Untash Ziggurats of Elamite near Susa, Iran-ruins and reconstruct Model
Bull and winged griffin of Elam outside of temple
6
Some of the world's most ancient settlements have been excavated in the Caspian region and
on the Iranian plateau. The village life said to have begun over around 4000 BC as per
archeological evidence found in IV region. The Biblical story of Great flood is recorded and
repeated in various texts of the world in details. Rajtarangni of India that chronicles the
ancient history of Kashmir describes that the state of Kashmir was covered with the ice
sheets and was habitated by the people only after the big melt down, very similar mythology.
There have been numerous flood stories identified from ancient sources scattered around the
world. The stories that were discovered on cuneiform tablets, which comprise some of the
earliest surviving, writing, have obvious similarities. The Epic of Gilgamesh covers the similar
story as do the Hebrew bible. “The deluge overthrew the land." This is the headline in all that
stories.
Bronze Age sites of Iran and Elamite Ziggurat- 10 ml southwest of Susa, Chogha Zanbil Ziggurat-Temple layout
During the Bronze Age, the Iranian plateau was bounded on the east by the Hindu Kush and
the Himalayas and on the west by the lowlands of Ḵuzestan and Mesopotamia. The people
prospered greatly, owing to rich natural resources and the overland trade routes connecting
Fertile Crescent of Indus-saraswati valley and Mesopotamia lowlands, supplemented by the
sea routes. The trade was extended through central Asia, and Afghanistan. There is evidence
that at the end of the 4th millennium B.C. settlements through-out Iran were linked in a
common cultural and Trade network that the Assyrilogists called the “Proto-Elamite horizon.”
With a common communication tongue, if not the script. See Map below.
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Subsequently, however, distinct regional, cultural and political systems between eastern and
western Iran were developed. As these regions exhibited strong cultural continuity
throughout the Bronze Age, cultural development in each can be traced from the Proto-
Elamite period. Anatolia was once dominated by the ancient Elamites, who are considered
the descendants of Noah as per Biblical stories of flood. According to bible, the word Elam
derives from “Elam”, son of Sham and the grandson of Noah. The ancient Hebrew text also
contains the word Elam and the same word is present in the Tamil dictionary of India and also
corresponds with the Sumerian Elam (a), the Akkadian Elamtu, and the Elamite word for
themselves “Haltamti”. It can very well be said that the word “Haltamti” when reached India
in corrupted form just dropped out first three letters and with the etymology became the
word “Tamti” to “Tamil”. Mr. Prabhakaran, Tamil Tiger movement of Sri-Lanka knew his
history well when he demanded a separate homeland that he called “Elam.”
Elamite states were among the leading political forces of the Ancient near East around 2000
BC. The "Elamites" spread their empire to west under King Chedorlaomer. The Elamites had
struggled with the Assyrians for domination of Babylon. The great Babylonian dynasty of UR
was brought to an end about 1950 BC by the Elamites, who destroyed the city and took its
king prisoner. Many scholars believe that the Elamites empire boundaries included present
day Taxila and the areas of Baluchistan and Sindh.
Jewish Abraham had left Ur towards Cannon, when Neo-Elamite captured Ur. Jeremiah 49:36
prophesied in the Old Testament that “Elam will scatter them toward four direction of wind;
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and there shall be no nation whither the outcasts of Elam shall not come.” The Elamites were
later overthrown by the Assyrians, Medes and Persians. During Akkadian period, the Elamite
remained their vassals.
Once Akkadian-Elamite took control of Taxila and sindh, they may have controlled Indus-
saraswati valley cities and towns or they have made an extension thereof. They always had
trade relationship during early Sumerian-Akkadian period. We do not know if Indus-
saraswati region was either a colony or simple extension of Elamite kingdom of the past
consisting of Elamite nationality.
This statement may chill the hearts of “Aryan proponents” but the history is the history and
it is driven by the truth. When Hammurabi and successors attacked Elam Empire, the survived
one from war may have fled towards IV region and then on to further south. Since they
cannot go west or North dominated by Assyrians, the eastern routes through ancient
Gedrosia and sindh known through their trade relationship was the only option and then
heading further south. Some experts also suggest another route that may have been utilized
using monsoon wind to land near the port of ancient Muziris via sea. There are no other data
to prove or disprove this hypothesis.
However, the linguistic and genetics portrays a similar supportive picture through their
analysis. Tamil language of south India most likely originated from Elam and Haplogroup plot
shows the uniformity of haplogroup stretching up to Elam land. Some Elamites may have
settled in Baluchistan. See the maps below for the reference.
All indications point to the fact that Elamites were Semites like Jews and Arabs. Their
language has relationships in the family of Arabic, Hebrew, Aramaic and proto Tamil
languages. Dravidian/Tamil has many words that are similar in Hebrew or Arabic. Similar
dialect is also used by tribes in Baluchistan. So probably there are some old links between the
Semites and Indian Dravids. Even today, the people of the extreme south of Iran and United
Arab Emirates look like south Indians.
9
10
Elamite and Aryans:
The Iron Age Iran, the land of the Behistan inscription and the Aryans has a long and rich
history. Some of the world's most ancient settlements have been excavated in the Caspian
Sea region and on the Iranian plateau. According to Avestan Text, The Aryans may have left
the Northern cold region and moved down south and first appeared around Zagros mountain
sometimes around 2000BC and split into various groups such as the Hittite (Khati),
Medes(Madhu), Mitanni (Kurmi), Vedic(Sindhic or Hindic) and the Persians (Parsus)
throughout Asia.
Indian Rig-Veda does not provide any tangible clue to the Aryan geography and Avestan
references are climate related and does not talk about specific geography. This is why we
have a heated debate for over half century to determine the homeland of Aryans (Urheimat
issue). This debate began with linguistic construct of Proto-Elam and Proto-indo-European
language groups.
Regardless of the language issue, several thousand years of sharing the common geography
made the population so intermixed that now no ancient races can be traced or explained in
its purest form unless one chooses to be ultra nationalist and narrow minded in a mixed and
a globalized world.
The recorded history of modern Iran was dominated by several powers and invaders.
According to the recorded history, the first tribes to dominate this region were the Akkadian
and Elamite, or mixture of both. Following the Elamite were the Assyrians from North
western Mesopotamia who captured Elam near Susa. The Babylonians, Medes and Persians
Aryans followed after that. This sums up over 4000 years of Elam’s history in central Asia.
With various invasions, the migration had to follow. The motif over the ancient Assyrian
palace in Susa records the exodus of Elamites with their Bull driven carts with no involvement
of horses.
The Assyrilogists have conveniently divided the history of Elam into three periods, spanning
more than two millennia. The period before the first Elamite period is known as the proto-
Elamite period:
1. Proto-Elamite: (3200 BC – 2700 BC based on clay tablet script)
This empire was from rivers Tigris and Euphrates. Three groups of people merged to make an
Elamite empire: The people from Ansan, Khuzestan and modern Luristan or Bakhtiari, near
Susa, Iran. The Proto-Elamite city of Susa was founded around 4000 BC in the watershed of
the river Karun (Kuru). It is considered to be the site of Proto-Elamite cultural formation and
perhaps why Darius-I, may have claimed Kuru Vansi.
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Exodus of Elamite since they cannot go west so they went east to Baluchistan and India-Note the absence of
horse but the presence of the bull cart. Motif from Palace at Susa of Assur Ban Pal.
As you can see from the map above Zagros Mountains pass through ancient Elam and some Aryan tribes
especially Medes and Kassite assumed to be of Aryan origin already were interacting with Elam.
Elam
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Since Mesopotamian period, the Solar deity was common in all religious tradition from east
to west, except perhaps the land of Elam and Indus- saraswati region where we still not have
found any seal depicting Surya (Sun) but we have a yogi seal or “Pashupati” seal that is
consistent with the popularity of Digambara Jainism, Ajivikism and Shaivism of South india.
2. Old Elamite period: (2700 BC – 1600 BC)
Based on the script from Eparti dynasty, the Sumerian king of Kish conquered the kingdom of
Elam by Enmebaragesi of Mesopotamia. This period included three dynasties: A. Avan
dynasty contemporary to the Emperor Sargon of Akkad and vassal to him. Sargon tried to
make the Akkadian the official language of his empire but was not successful. Elamite went
back to their script in use after he died and the empire weakened.
L. Austin waddle, an English historian has compared Sargon of Akkad as Purana king Sagar
and his son Menes as Manu. Sargon had seven sons named (Manu) Menes and one of them is
also considered to be same as Menes of Egypt who established the second dynasty. Waddell
hypothesized by comparing and matching Vedic genealogy with Mesopotamian genealogy of
kings. This was his theoretical frame work which he outlined in his book called “Makers of the
Civilization”. However, some of his hypothesis may need another look in view of recent
discoveries of Mesopotamia.
During Sargon’s rule, Mesopotamian developed the interest in Iron, metal, woods and Ivory
and their expedition to east became more common, this can also promote the migration of
humans either for trade or just to escape the war and conflict over resources. Their domain
did stretch to Gedrosia and Sindh (IV region).
The Indus-Sarshvati’s region’s collapse is estimated to have occurred around 2800 BC, so
there should be no resistance from any one from sub continent in absence of any military
challenge. So the chronology and sequencing of migration of Tamil and Sanskrit speakers
may have occurred during this period. Elam finally declared independence under the last
Avan king, Kutik-Inshushinak-I (2240–2220 BC), and threw off the Akkadian language,
promoting in its place the brief Linear Elamite script. Kutik-Inshushinnak- I, (Shishuniak or
Shishunaga of Indian) conquered Susa and Anshan, and seems to have achieved some sort of
political unity. Around 1850 BC, Kudur-Mabug (Perhaps Indian Dashrath), apparently king of
another Akkadian state to the north of Larsa, managed to install his son, Warad-Sin (Bharat)
for 12 years on the throne of Larsa (Larka, Lanka), and Warad-Sin's brother, Rim-Sin (Ram-
Chandra), succeeded him and conquered much of southern Mesopotamia for Larsa until
dislodged by Hammurabi (The law giver). More details are available on Dr. Ranjit pal’s web
site cited in reference section.
13
Depiction of Larsa (Larka, Lanka) Hanuman type Royal court salute Mesopotamia Larsa king List-
cuneiform
How this Elamite cuneiform discovery squares with Epic Ramayana is hard to Judge? The
scribe, poets and historians have their own minds to put twist and turns in the epics, and
epics are not designed to meet the historical standards. We know that Ramayana was spread
to other southeast Asian countries by Tamil speakers of India and till today Rama’s victory
over Ravan is celebrated in south India, Thailand , Malaysia and Bali, Indonesia, but those
southeast Asians are not familiar with Gita or Mahabharata and do not observe any Vedic
rituals or practice. This remains a puzzle for the historians. It is suspected that The Elamite
migration may have started towards east during Sargon’s military campaign, and may have
continued over several centuries and Vedic Aryans followed the suit passing through land
route to east towards Baluchistan and onwards to doab of Ganges that supported the
agriculture. The Elamites having enjoyed the historical relationship may have used the sea
routes that carried them with the monsoon winds to south India.
3. Middle Elamite period: (1500 BC – 1100 BC)
The Middle Elamite period began with the rise of the Anzanite dynasties around 1500 BC.
Their rule was characterized by an "Elamization" of Susa, and the kings took the title "king of
Anshan and Susa". While the first of these dynasties, the Kidinuids continued to use the
Akkadian language frequently in their inscriptions, the succeeding Igihalkids and Shutrukids
used Elamite with increasing regularity. Likewise, Elamite language and culture grew in
importance in Susiana. The Anzanite dynasty provides very little information until the
Babylonian invasion of Susa.
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4. Neo-Elamite period: (1100 BC – 539 BC)
This period was characterized by increasing influence of Assyrian and Medians of Iran.
Achaemenids Empire of Persian began in 539 BC. The later Neo-Elamite period is
characterized by a significant migration of Indo-European speaking Iranians to the Iranian
plateau from north. The Medes that included Parthians, Sagartians, Margians, Bactrians,
Sogdians etc. became very powerful around 800 BC. Among those pressuring tribes were the
Parsu, first recorded in 844 BC as living on the southeastern shore of Lake Urmiah, but who by
the end of this period would drive the remainder Elamites population out of their homes to
east and renames the Iranian Plateau as Persia. These Iranian Aryan groups at one time were
vassals of Akkadian and early Elamites.
If Asko Parpola’s theory is right on Indus script, the Part of Elamite Empire or extension
thereof was already present in IV region and moved south after abandonment of the major
cities. There is no proof now as Harrapan seals and the script remain undeciphered but clues
are there when the seals are compared. The similarity of religious seals exists between those
two ancient civilizations that enabled Mr. Parpola to come to the above conclusion. He
concluded: “Discoveries at Mehrgarh changed the entire concept of the Indus civilization.”