Anatolian hypothesis facts for kids

The Anatolian hypothesis is a big idea about where the Proto-Indo-European language came from. People who support this idea believe that the speakers of this ancient language lived in a place called Anatolia a very long time ago. Anatolia is mostly where modern-day Turkey is now.

This idea suggests that the language spread during the Neolithic era. This was a time when people started farming instead of hunting and gathering. This change, called the Neolithic Revolution, happened around 7,000 to 6,000 BC. As farmers moved and settled new lands, their language also spread across Europe.

What is the Anatolian Hypothesis?

The Anatolian hypothesis suggests that the very first speakers of the Indo-European languages lived in Anatolia. These languages are a huge family of languages spoken today, including English, Spanish, Hindi, and many others.

Where Did Languages Come From?

Imagine a very old language that was the "grandparent" of many languages we speak today. That's what Proto-Indo-European is thought to be. It's not a language we have written records of, but experts try to figure out what it was like by looking at how modern languages are similar.

The Neolithic Revolution and Language Spread

The Neolithic Revolution was a huge turning point in human history. It's when people learned to farm and raise animals. This meant they could stay in one place and grow their own food. This change started in places like Anatolia.

As farming became more common, people moved to new areas to find good land. They took their farming skills, their tools, and their language with them. The Anatolian hypothesis suggests that as these early farmers spread, so did the Proto-Indo-European language.

Who Supports This Idea?

One of the most well-known people who supported the Anatolian hypothesis was a British archaeologist named Colin Renfrew. He believed that the spread of farming was the main reason why Indo-European languages are found in so many places today.

Another Idea: The Kurgan Hypothesis

It's important to know that there are other ideas about where Proto-Indo-European languages came from. Another well-known idea is called the Kurgan hypothesis. This idea suggests that the languages started north of the Caucasus Mountains. This area is in Eastern Europe and Western Asia. People who support the Kurgan hypothesis believe the language spread through migrations of horse-riding people.

So, the Anatolian hypothesis and the Kurgan hypothesis are two different ways of explaining how a huge family of languages came to be spoken across so much of the world.

Related pages

• Indo-Hittite
• Armenian hypothesis
• Neolithic Europe
• Neolithic revolution
• Kurgan hypothesis

See also

In Spanish: Hipótesis anatolia para niños