Archaeology
Archaeological cultures associated with Indo-Iranian expansion include:
- Central Asia
- Poltavka culture (2700-2100 BC)
- Andronovo horizon (2200-1000 BC)
- Sintashta-Petrovka-Arkaim (2200-1600 BC),
- Alakul (2100-1400 BC)
- Fedorovo (1400-1200 BC)
- Alekseyevka (1200-1000 BC)
- Bactria-Margiana Archaeological Complex (2200-1700 BC)
- Srubna culture (2000-1100 BC)
- Abashevo culture (1700-1500 BC)
- Yaz culture (1500-1100 BC)
- India (middle Ganges plains)
- Painted Gray Ware culture (1100-350 BC)
- Iran
- Early West Iranian Grey Ware (1500-1000 BC)
- Late West Iranian Buff Ware (900-700 BC)
- Indo-Pak sub-continent
- Swat culture (1600-500 BC)
- Cemetery H culture (1900-1300 BC)
Parpola (1999) suggests the following identifications:
| date range | archaeological culture | identification suggested by Parpola |
|---|---|---|
| 2800-2000 BC | late Catacomb and Poltavka cultures | late PIE to Proto–Indo-Iranian |
| 2000-1800 BC | Srubna and Abashevo cultures | Proto-Iranian |
| 2000-1800 BC | Petrovka-Sintashta | Proto–Indo-Aryan |
| 1900-1700 BC | BMAC | "Proto-Dasa" Indo-Aryans establishing themselves in the existing BMAC settlements, defeated by "Proto-Rigvedic" Indo-Aryans around 1700 |
| 1900-1400 BC | Cemetery H | Indian Dasa |
| 1800-1000 BC | Alakul-Fedorovo | Indo-Aryan, including "Proto–Sauma-Aryan" practicing the Soma cult |
| 1700-1400 BC | early Swat culture | Proto-Rigvedic = Proto-Dardic |
| 1700-1500 BC | late BMAC | "Proto–Sauma-Dasa", assimilation of Proto-Dasa and Proto–Sauma-Aryan |
| 1500-1000 BC | Early West Iranian Grey Ware | Mitanni-Aryan (offshoot of "Proto–Sauma-Dasa") |
| 1400-800 BC | late Swat culture and Punjab, Painted Grey Ware | late Rigvedic |
| 1400-1100 BC | Yaz II-III, Seistan | Proto-Avestan |
| 1100-1000 BC | Gurgan Buff Ware, Late West Iranian Buff Ware | Proto-Persian, Proto-Median |
| 1000-400 BC | Iron Age cultures of Xinjang | Proto-Saka |
On the other hand the affiliation of BMAC to indo-iranian culture is seriously questionable and can be disputed by archaeologic analysis.
Read more about this topic: Indo-Iranian Peoples