Kurgan theory

The Kurgan theory suggests that the speakers of the Proto-Indo-European language, believed to be the ancestors of many European and Asian peoples, originated in the Pontic-Caspian steppe (roughly modern Ukraine and Russia) around 4,000 BCE. They were likely nomadic herders who migrated outward, spreading their language, culture, and technological innovations through Europe, Asia, and beyond. This migration and expansion are thought to explain the widespread distribution of Indo-European languages and cultural similarities across diverse regions. The name "Kurgan" comes from the burial mounds ("kurgans") these early people built, characteristic of their culture.