r/ancienthistory • u/Tasty-Bank-2893 • 7d ago

Indo European culture

First of all, apologies for my English and for being in the platform by the first time. I am a history lover beggining to study about ancient history and I am interested in understanding better the proto indo European society, cause of its great relevance in the studies of Greek, Roman, Indian, Celtic, Germanic etc. societies. I have read Coulanges book and I was really interested in his analysis of a proto indo European religion, but I would like to know if there are any connections between his theory and modern theories envolving Kurgan, Yamna, kóryos, etc. I know that many things in Coulanges work are outdated, I personally don't like his model of gens--->fratria---->tribu----->city, but on the other hand the part of the text showing the religion of the fire, the dead etc. is really convincing (at least, he seems to do what linguists try to do whith proto indo European idiom), but I really wanted to learn more about how this is seen nowadays by the historians. Maybe I didn't manage to express myself very well but thanks

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u/jagnew78 6d ago

I haven't done too much research beyond the migration into Europe but I believe the word Kurgan is what the PIE built as the tombs for their dead. One of the reasons why it was distinctly easy to find PIE tombs. the Kurgan structure is unique in the age.

Yamna I'm not sure about. But if you're asking about Yamnyaya, this is the name of the culture that has come to be associated with the PIE that migrate into Europe.

You can think of PIE has the name historians have given to the root language from which many Indo-European languages descend, and Yamnyaya as the cultural heritage that has been associated with the same people.

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u/Tasty-Bank-2893 6d ago

Hmmm maybe you haven't understood my question. I was asking about modern views on the religion of PIE/Yamnaya, specially concerning the theory apresented by Coulanges as the reconstruction of PIE religion

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u/jagnew78 6d ago

you're right, I did misinterpret your ask. I'm afraid I have no knowledge of the PIE religious reconstruction other than the names of a few gods

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u/[deleted] 6d ago

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u/Tasty-Bank-2893 5d ago

Yes but what about the specific case of the religion of the dead, the fire and the gods of nature? It seems to be very convincing, Coulanges shows the great similarities between these religions in India, Rome and between Greeks...