Interdisciplinary approach to uncover the linguistic and cultural roots of Eurasia: the Reconstructing Indo-European Prehistory: Lessons from Linguistic, Archaeology and Genetics symposium in Pisa on 30 and 31 October at the Sant'Anna School
Mario Enrico Pè, Full Professor at the Institute of Plant Sciences, proposes a scientific event that tells how combined research in linguistics, archaeology and genetics has made it possible to reconstruct Proto-Indo-European, the prehistoric language from which all Indo-European languages such as Italian, English, Greek and Hindi descend, opening up discussion on fascinating aspects of the populations that spoke this ancestral language
The study and enhancement of biodiversity have always been characteristic aspects of the research activities of the Institute of Plant Sciences. On this occasion, instead of focusing on biodiversity of agricultural interest, the Sant'Anna School is proposing an event that addresses intimate aspects of cultural diversity, and it is difficult to find anything more intimate than the languages we speak.
On Wednesday 30 and Thursday 31 October, the Sant'Anna School will host the international symposium Reconstructing Indo-European Prehistory: Lessons from Linguistic, Archaeology and Genetics organised by Mario Enrico Pè, Full Professor of Agricultural Genetics at the Institute of Plant Sciences of the Sant'Anna School, together with Riccardo Ginevra, Assistant Professor in Glottology and Linguistics of the Department of Classical Philology, Papyrology and Historical Linguistics of the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore and Birgit A. Rasmussen Olsen, Professor of Linguistics in the Department of Nordic Studies and Linguistics at the University of Copenhagen and Kristian Kristiansen Professor of Archaeology in the Department of Historical Studies at the University of Gothenburg.
The scientific event tells the story of how combined research in linguistics, archaeology and genetics has made it possible to reconstruct Proto-Indo-European, the prehistoric language from which all Indo-European languages such as Italian, English, Greek and Hindi are descended, and the prehistoric context in which the different languages developed and spread. This reconstruction sheds light on fascinating aspects of the social structures and mythology of the peoples who spoke this ancestral language.
The Indo-European languages can be traced back to a single prehistoric ancestor, Proto-Indo-European, despite the fact that they are very different from each other and are spoken in very distant regions - from the extremities of northern Europe to India and China, from the coasts of the British Isles to those of Anatolia and Persia. Proto-Indo-European was probably a language spoken by nomadic herding communities on the Eurasian steppe between present-day Ukraine and Russia more than 5,000 years ago. The migrations that led Indo-European languages to branch off from the common ancestor and spread throughout Eurasia have been reconstructed with great precision by linguistics specialists. However, the last decade has seen great progress thanks to the development of an interdisciplinary reconstruction methodology that integrates linguistics, archaeology and palaeogenetics. Comparative analysis and interdisciplinary research allow us to go even further: we can reconstruct multiple aspects of the social structures, ritual practices, mythology and poetic culture of Proto-Indo-European speakers.
The symposium brings together internationally renowned experts from these three disciplines, with the aim of introducing the audience - especially those who are not experts in these fields - to a fascinating story of integration between three seemingly distant disciplines that have managed to create a common language and complement each other. Of course, as is always the case with hypotheses based on scientific analysis, the debate is - and should remain - open.
To participate: link.
