Laura Spinney

So in the early 20th century, linguists, philologists, as they were more likely to be called then, realized that Hittite was probably an Indo-European language, and the evidence for that is now overwhelming. So here's a branch of the family that had died out by the early part of the Common Era, but that was clearly linked to the modern Indo-European languages.

So in the early 20th century, linguists, philologists, as they were more likely to be called then, realized that Hittite was probably an Indo-European language, and the evidence for that is now overwhelming. So here's a branch of the family that had died out by the early part of the Common Era, but that was clearly linked to the modern Indo-European languages.

So in the early 20th century, linguists, philologists, as they were more likely to be called then, realized that Hittite was probably an Indo-European language, and the evidence for that is now overwhelming. So here's a branch of the family that had died out by the early part of the Common Era, but that was clearly linked to the modern Indo-European languages.

And one of the explanations that has basically emerged that links Anatolian to the parent of all the modern Indo-European languages is that there was an ancestor to all of them that was spoken somewhere around the Black Sea around 6,000 years ago. Okay. So at that time, we know from archaeology that there was a trade network around the Black Sea,

And one of the explanations that has basically emerged that links Anatolian to the parent of all the modern Indo-European languages is that there was an ancestor to all of them that was spoken somewhere around the Black Sea around 6,000 years ago. Okay. So at that time, we know from archaeology that there was a trade network around the Black Sea,

And one of the explanations that has basically emerged that links Anatolian to the parent of all the modern Indo-European languages is that there was an ancestor to all of them that was spoken somewhere around the Black Sea around 6,000 years ago. Okay. So at that time, we know from archaeology that there was a trade network around the Black Sea,

that copper was the main metal, it was the copper age, copper was the main metal driving this trade network, and that there was trade over huge distances. This was before wheeled transport, but people could walk, obviously, and they could also, they probably had some kind of canoe or simple vessel which they used in the shallow parts of the Black Sea.

that copper was the main metal, it was the copper age, copper was the main metal driving this trade network, and that there was trade over huge distances. This was before wheeled transport, but people could walk, obviously, and they could also, they probably had some kind of canoe or simple vessel which they used in the shallow parts of the Black Sea.

that copper was the main metal, it was the copper age, copper was the main metal driving this trade network, and that there was trade over huge distances. This was before wheeled transport, but people could walk, obviously, and they could also, they probably had some kind of canoe or simple vessel which they used in the shallow parts of the Black Sea.

So there was trade in copper from deep into the Eurasian steppe, places on the Volga River, all the way to Bulgaria on the west coast of the Black Sea. And the main center of this trade network was a place called Varna, which is now Bulgaria, which was a huge copper center. They're essentially the first people to have smelted copper and to have made weapons and spectacular things.

So there was trade in copper from deep into the Eurasian steppe, places on the Volga River, all the way to Bulgaria on the west coast of the Black Sea. And the main center of this trade network was a place called Varna, which is now Bulgaria, which was a huge copper center. They're essentially the first people to have smelted copper and to have made weapons and spectacular things.

So there was trade in copper from deep into the Eurasian steppe, places on the Volga River, all the way to Bulgaria on the west coast of the Black Sea. And the main center of this trade network was a place called Varna, which is now Bulgaria, which was a huge copper center. They're essentially the first people to have smelted copper and to have made weapons and spectacular things.

kinds of jewelry and diadems and scepters and so on.

kinds of jewelry and diadems and scepters and so on.

kinds of jewelry and diadems and scepters and so on.

They panned gold. Yes, absolutely extraordinary culture. Now, the Varna people were farmers. The people in the steppe were herders. Since we think that the first Indo-European language was probably a language of herders, the idea is that this ancestor was probably not the people of Varna themselves, but one of their clients in this network.

They panned gold. Yes, absolutely extraordinary culture. Now, the Varna people were farmers. The people in the steppe were herders. Since we think that the first Indo-European language was probably a language of herders, the idea is that this ancestor was probably not the people of Varna themselves, but one of their clients in this network.

They panned gold. Yes, absolutely extraordinary culture. Now, the Varna people were farmers. The people in the steppe were herders. Since we think that the first Indo-European language was probably a language of herders, the idea is that this ancestor was probably not the people of Varna themselves, but one of their clients in this network.

And it may have been somebody living in the region of the Caucasus, right across the Black Sea, and that these people then eventually all their descendants migrated, one branch going into Anatolia, bringing the Anatolian languages there, and another branch going up onto the steppe and taking the mother of all living Indo-European languages there. And that would then explain this link.

And it may have been somebody living in the region of the Caucasus, right across the Black Sea, and that these people then eventually all their descendants migrated, one branch going into Anatolia, bringing the Anatolian languages there, and another branch going up onto the steppe and taking the mother of all living Indo-European languages there. And that would then explain this link.