I previously described a geographic region, which I named Balkan - Dinaric - Carpathian region, and how it acted both as a barrier and a bridge for population waves poring into Europe from Middle East and Asia.
Since the Neanderthals this area was never uninhabited. Even during the last Ice Age, this region was free of the ice sheets (except for high altitude glaciers) and a safe haven for the hunter-gatherers that used to live further north.
Every population wave that chose to settle in the region, had to deal with the next wave. Usually new comers had better technology (agriculture versus gathering, bronze versus stone etc) and had the upper hand when competing for space with existing inhabitants. Under the pressure of incoming new waves, previews ones moved up the Danube into Central Europe and further on.
I believe that holds true for most of the incoming populations, with the exception of the ones that took advantage of the mountain ranges, enclosing this region, to resist being driven off.
Moreover I believe that the fabric uniting this entire region is the culture of the people that continuously lived here from the last Ice Age to this day.
You will immediately ask me to prove such a far fetched claim, but bare with me for a moment. I know I can't present the smoldering gun to the jury (or the atlatl with the fingerprints of a forefather, in this case), but there is plenty circumstantial evidence that I will try to present to you.
There are several types of evidence the we can debate upon:
Since the Neanderthals this area was never uninhabited. Even during the last Ice Age, this region was free of the ice sheets (except for high altitude glaciers) and a safe haven for the hunter-gatherers that used to live further north.
Every population wave that chose to settle in the region, had to deal with the next wave. Usually new comers had better technology (agriculture versus gathering, bronze versus stone etc) and had the upper hand when competing for space with existing inhabitants. Under the pressure of incoming new waves, previews ones moved up the Danube into Central Europe and further on.
I believe that holds true for most of the incoming populations, with the exception of the ones that took advantage of the mountain ranges, enclosing this region, to resist being driven off.
Moreover I believe that the fabric uniting this entire region is the culture of the people that continuously lived here from the last Ice Age to this day.
You will immediately ask me to prove such a far fetched claim, but bare with me for a moment. I know I can't present the smoldering gun to the jury (or the atlatl with the fingerprints of a forefather, in this case), but there is plenty circumstantial evidence that I will try to present to you.
There are several types of evidence the we can debate upon:
- Genetic markers of the hunter-gatherers, that weathered the last Ice Age in the Balkans, and the distribution of these markers in the BDC region;
- Present day traditions throughout the region involving rituals that might have originated thousands of years ago and need direct oral transmission to be explained;
- Personal experience and family history, not much of an evidence, but the storyteller is allowed a personal touch.
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