Laura Spinney

They put their dead in a chamber on their back with their knees up in a very particular layout with particular grave goods under a large burial mound that we call a kirgan. But the Yamnaya are a huge part of this story. because they sort of invented the mobile nomadic pastoralist way of life.

They put their dead in a chamber on their back with their knees up in a very particular layout with particular grave goods under a large burial mound that we call a kirgan. But the Yamnaya are a huge part of this story. because they sort of invented the mobile nomadic pastoralist way of life.

They put their dead in a chamber on their back with their knees up in a very particular layout with particular grave goods under a large burial mound that we call a kirgan. But the Yamnaya are a huge part of this story. because they sort of invented the mobile nomadic pastoralist way of life.

So they were herders who were always on the move, and they kind of lived either out of their wagons or out of tents. And it was because they were so mobile, at least in the beginning, that these languages probably spread so far. But the Yamnaya come along quite a long time after Varna. They're sort of the next stage of the story.

So they were herders who were always on the move, and they kind of lived either out of their wagons or out of tents. And it was because they were so mobile, at least in the beginning, that these languages probably spread so far. But the Yamnaya come along quite a long time after Varna. They're sort of the next stage of the story.

So they were herders who were always on the move, and they kind of lived either out of their wagons or out of tents. And it was because they were so mobile, at least in the beginning, that these languages probably spread so far. But the Yamnaya come along quite a long time after Varna. They're sort of the next stage of the story.

We think that they spoke the language that is the mother of all the living, Indo-European languages. That means all the languages excluding the Anatolian branch. But they invented this way of life. Before that, people had herds and they moved with their herds, but more in a kind of transhumance way.

We think that they spoke the language that is the mother of all the living, Indo-European languages. That means all the languages excluding the Anatolian branch. But they invented this way of life. Before that, people had herds and they moved with their herds, but more in a kind of transhumance way.

We think that they spoke the language that is the mother of all the living, Indo-European languages. That means all the languages excluding the Anatolian branch. But they invented this way of life. Before that, people had herds and they moved with their herds, but more in a kind of transhumance way.

They were based in their river valleys in that steppe environment north of the Black and Caspian Seas. And when they needed new grass, they would move out of the valleys, but they would always come back to their villages. They had permanent bases. The Yamnaya took this transhumance to the next level. And they basically moved out permanently from the river valleys.

They were based in their river valleys in that steppe environment north of the Black and Caspian Seas. And when they needed new grass, they would move out of the valleys, but they would always come back to their villages. They had permanent bases. The Yamnaya took this transhumance to the next level. And they basically moved out permanently from the river valleys.

They were based in their river valleys in that steppe environment north of the Black and Caspian Seas. And when they needed new grass, they would move out of the valleys, but they would always come back to their villages. They had permanent bases. The Yamnaya took this transhumance to the next level. And they basically moved out permanently from the river valleys.

And they were on the move all the year round, moving with the seasons, moving with their herds in a sort of round, always looking for the best pastures. And that made them supremely adaptable. Once they'd adapted themselves to that environment, they were able to sort of tap into the huge energy resources of the Eurasian steppe. And that had all kinds of consequences, including for language.

And they were on the move all the year round, moving with the seasons, moving with their herds in a sort of round, always looking for the best pastures. And that made them supremely adaptable. Once they'd adapted themselves to that environment, they were able to sort of tap into the huge energy resources of the Eurasian steppe. And that had all kinds of consequences, including for language.

And they were on the move all the year round, moving with the seasons, moving with their herds in a sort of round, always looking for the best pastures. And that made them supremely adaptable. Once they'd adapted themselves to that environment, they were able to sort of tap into the huge energy resources of the Eurasian steppe. And that had all kinds of consequences, including for language.

But there's a nice Russian term for the Yamnaya. The Russians call them perikartipoli, which is the same word they use for, and you have to excuse my pronunciation, but that's essentially it. It's the same word they use for the tumbleweed plant, which rolls without roots and scatters its seeds as it rolls, and for the nomads of the steppe.

But there's a nice Russian term for the Yamnaya. The Russians call them perikartipoli, which is the same word they use for, and you have to excuse my pronunciation, but that's essentially it. It's the same word they use for the tumbleweed plant, which rolls without roots and scatters its seeds as it rolls, and for the nomads of the steppe.

But there's a nice Russian term for the Yamnaya. The Russians call them perikartipoli, which is the same word they use for, and you have to excuse my pronunciation, but that's essentially it. It's the same word they use for the tumbleweed plant, which rolls without roots and scatters its seeds as it rolls, and for the nomads of the steppe.

So it's the same term they use to describe the Mongols, the Sarmatians, the Scythians, and the Yamnaya were the original Perikartipoli.

So it's the same term they use to describe the Mongols, the Sarmatians, the Scythians, and the Yamnaya were the original Perikartipoli.