Aryan Names in Early Asiatic Records
Summary
This article examines Indo‐European names found in ancient Asiatic records and questions the widely held belief that many of these names are Aryan, Indian or Iranian. The author discusses names from the Kassite period and argues that attempts to derive terms like Simalia and Sugamuna from Sanskrit or Avestan words are speculative. For example, the goddess Sumalia is often connected with Sanskrit terms for mountains, but there is no convincing reason why a colourless epithet should become the name of a goddess. The author also critiques comparisons between the Kassite royal name Kara and Persian kara (army) and notes that the supposed meanings are improbable. He reviews various names found in Kassite, Hittite and Hyksos records and shows that while superficial similarities with Indo‑European words exist, most of these links are tenuous or linguistically implausible. Another section of the paper analyses the language of the Kassites and concludes that it is largely non‑European, having more in common with Elamite; the Aryan elements some scholars thought they saw are likely later borrowings and do not prove an Aryan ruling class. The author urges caution when equating Indo‑European names with early Asiatic rulers and stresses the need for solid linguistic evidence. He also reviews hypotheses that the Hyskos kings of Egypt and other ancient rulers bore Aryan names, concluding that such suggestions lack convincing support. Overall, the study highlights the instability of many older etymologies and underscores that most supposed Aryan names in Asiatic records are uncertain and may have originated from non‑Indo‑European sources.
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Conclusion
The article concludes that claims of Aryan or Indo‑European elements in early Asiatic names rest on weak evidence. While a few names may reflect later borrowings, the majority of purported Aryan derivations are speculative. The author emphasizes that without firm linguistic proof it is unsafe to assume that ancient Mesopotamian or Anatolian rulers bore Sanskrit or Iranian names. Further research with a more critical methodology is needed to clarify the origins of these names and to avoid over‑interpreting remote phonetic similarities.