There has always been debate surrounding the achievements of the so-called “Aryan race” and, later, the people scientifically identified as the Indo-Europeans. This idea has also been accompanied by various stereotypes, such as the belief that wherever these people went, they built civilizations and brought civilization to the indigenous populations. These ideas were often accompanied by racist beliefs as well. But to what extent is any of this actually true, and what were the achievements of these people in general?

First of all, we must understand that there are no written records that directly describe these peoples. Their language has been reconstructed based on evidence from ancient Indo-European languages such as Sanskrit, Avestan, Ancient Greek, and Classical Latin, while their way of life and material culture have been reconstructed primarily through archaeology.

The Proto-Indo-European tribes were nomadic or semi-nomadic, with an economy largely based on herding in the steppe. They did not have what we would consider a modern civilization: they were not urban dwellers, and they did not have a writing system. However, they had their own distinctive social structure. Individuals appear to have had specific roles and responsibilities according to their position in society, such as priests, warriors, and herders.

Nevertheless, the Indo-European tribes and cultures that existed from the Samara culture through the Sredny Stog, Yamnaya, and Corded Ware cultures had several distinctive achievements that are worth discussing.

1. The Domestication and Use of Horses

Evidence of some of the earliest horse burials has been found in the Samara culture. This culture may have been one of the earliest pre-Proto-Indo-European cultures, as it was genetically and culturally ancestral to the Sredny Stog culture. These people were among the earliest groups to domesticate horses for breeding and herding, rather than primarily for riding.

Later, during the Sredny Stog period, we find evidence of some of the earliest horse riding. Over time, the use of horses expanded considerably. One example is the migration of groups associated with the Afanasievo culture all the way to the Altai region. Such long-distance movement would have been considerably more difficult without the use of horses.

2. Four-Wheeled Wagons

The earliest known evidence of wagons comes from Mesopotamia among the Sumerians. These wagons were pulled by oxen and appear to have been used mainly for ceremonial purposes, and possibly for other forms of public display. Similar wagons were later found among the Caucasian Maykop culture, which was a neighboring culture of the Proto-Indo-Europeans.

At the same time, Indo-European languages contain words associated with wagons, wheels, axles, and other related components. This suggests that the Proto-Indo-Europeans were familiar with wheeled vehicles.

It is therefore possible that they adopted wagon technology from neighboring peoples, adapted it to their own needs, and eventually put it to more practical use. The combination of horses and wagons would have provided a highly effective means of transportation for mobile pastoral societies.

A number of wagons have also been found in cultures associated with the Proto-Indo-Europeans. In some cases, they were buried alongside the weapons of the deceased, providing further evidence of their importance within these societies.

Together, the domestication of horses and the development and use of wheeled vehicles contributed to a highly mobile way of life. This mobility gave these groups important advantages over many of their neighbors and may have played a significant role in their ability to expand into new regions and dominate or conquer neighboring populations.

@Deywoshest