Kurgan Hypothesis

The Kurgan Hypothesis is a theory that suggests the Proto-Indo-European language and its speakers originated in the steppes of Central Asia, specifically around what is now Ukraine and Southern Russia. This theory posits that these early people, known as the Kurgans, were nomadic herders who spread their language and culture as they migrated across Europe and into parts of Asia. Their movement is linked to the domestication of horses and the use of wheeled carts, which facilitated their expansion. This hypothesis helps explain the widespread distribution of Indo-European languages today.