Iranian Peoples

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Ancient Iranian peoples who settled Greater Iran in the 2nd millennium BC first ... R. Curzon, "The Iranian Peoples of the Caucasus", ISBN 0-7007-0649-6 ...
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The Iranian peoples (SeeOld Iranian: Arya, Middle Iranian: Eran, Modern Iranian languages: Modern Persian: Iraniyan or Irani-ha, Kurdish: Êraniyekan or gelên Êranî, Mazandarani: Iransi Benevaran, Zazaki: Iryanıco mılletê, Ossetian: Iranay Adem) for local names) are a collection of ethnic groups defined by their usage of Iranian languages and their descent from ancient Iranian peoples. "The Kurds of Iraq: Recent History, Future Prospects by Carole A. O’Leary" — Middle East International Affairs, Vol. 6, No. 4 (December 2002) (retrieved 4 June 2006) "Iranian peoples" — Encyclopedia of the Ukraine (retrieved 4 June 2006) The Iranian peoples live chiefly in the Southwest Asia, Central Asia, the Caucasus and parts of South Asia, though speakers of Iranian languages were once found throughout Eurasia, from the Balkans to western Xinjiang. "Iranian languages" — Encyclopedia Britannica (retrieved 4 June 2006) "Scope of Iranian languages" — Encyclopedia Iranica (retrieved 4 June 2006) As Iranian peoples are not confined to the borders of the current state of Iran, the term Iranic peoples is sometimes used to avoid confusion with the citizens of Iran.

The series of ethnic groups which comprise the Iranian peoples are traced to a branch of the ancient Proto-Indo-Europeans Aryans known as the Iranians or Proto-Iranians. archaeology finds in Russia, Central Asia and the Middle East have elucidated some scant information about the way of life of these early peoples. The Iranian peoples have played an important role throughout history: the Achaemenid dynasty Persian Empire established one of the world's first multi-national states and the Scythian-Sarmatians nomads dominated the vast expanses of Russia and western Siberia for centuries with a group of Sarmatian warrior women possibly being the inspiration for the Greek legend of the Amazons. Amazons in the Scythia: new finds at the Middle Don, Southern Russia Secrets of the Dead, Casefile: Amazon Warrior Women In addition, the various religions of the Iranian peoples, including Zoroastrianism and Manichaeism, are believed by some scholars to be important early philosophical influences on Judeo-Christianity. Early Iranian tribes were the ancestors of many peoples, including the Persian people, Kurdish people, Pashtun people and many other smaller groups. The southern Iranian peoples survived Alexander the Great's conquests, Muslim history Arab attempts at cultural dominance and devastating assaults by the Mongols, whereas the Iranians of the north were largely assimilated by the Slavic peoples and other European peoples. Etymology and usage The term Iranian is derived from Iran (lit: "Land of the Aryans"). "Farsi-Persian language" — Farsi.net (retrieved 4 June 2006) "Iran" — The 1911 Encyclopedia (retrieved 4 June 2006) The old Proto-Indo-Iranian language term Arya, meaning "noble", is believed to have been one of a series of self-referential terms used by the Aryans, at least in the areas populated by Aryans who migrated south from Central Asia and/or southern Russia. Their ancient homeland was referred to as Airyanem Vaejah and varied in its geographic range, sometimes referring to Fars (according to Eratosthenes), the area around Herat (Pliny the Elder's view) and even the entire expanse of the Iranian plateau (Strabo's designation). Ibid.

From a linguistic standpoint, the term Iranian peoples is similar in its usage to the term Germanic peoples, which includes various peoples who speak Germanic languages such as German language, English language and Dutch language, Norwegian language, or the term Slavic peoples, which includes various speakers of Slavic languages including Russians, Bosniaks and Serbs. In Search of the Indo-Europeans, by J.P. Mallory, p. 22–23, ISBN 0-500-27616-1 (retrieved 10 June 2006) Thus, along similar lines, the Iranian peoples include not only the Persian people and Tajiks (or eastern Persians) of Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan, but also the Pashtun people, Kurdish people, Ossetians, Zaza people, Baloch people and other groups. The academic usage of the term Iranian peoples or Iranic peoples is thus distinct from the state of Iran and its various citizens (who are all Iranian by nationality and thus popularly referred to as Iranians) in the same way that Germanic peoples is distinct from Germans. Many citizens of Iran are not necessarily "Iranian peoples" by virtue of not being speakers of Iranian languages and may not have discernible ties to ancient Iranian tribes.

History and settlement Roots (according to the Encyclopedia of Indo-European Culture).

Having descended from the Proto-Indo-Iranians, the Proto-Iranians separated from the Indo-Aryans, Nuristanis and Dard people in the early 2nd millennium BCE, located in Central Asia or Afghanistan. The area between northern Afghanistan and the Aral Sea is hypothesized to have been the region where the Proto-Iranians first emerged, following the separation of Indo-Iranian tribes, "The Paleolithic Indo-Europeans" — Panshin.com (retrieved 4 June 2006) in particular the Bactria-Margiana Archaeological Complex, a Bronze Age culture of Central Asia.

By the early 1st millennium, Ancient Iranian peoples such as Medes, Persian people, Bactrians and Parthians populated the Iranian plateau, while others such as the Scythians, Sarmatians and Alans populated the steppes north of the Black Sea. The Saka and Scythian tribes spread as far west as the Balkans and as far east as Xinjiang.

The division into an "Eastern Iranian" and a "Western Iranian" group by the early 1st millennium is visible in Avestan language vs. Old Persian language, the two oldest known Iranian languages. The Avestan texts known as the Gathas are believed to have been written by Zoroaster, the founder of Zoroastrianism, with the Yaz culture (ca. 1500–1100 BC) as a candidate for the development of Eastern Iranian culture.

Old Persian appears to have been established in written form following the creation of the Old Persian script, inspired by the cuneiform script of the Assyrians. "Avestan xᵛarǝnah-, etymology and concept by Alexander Lubotsky" — Sprache und Kultur. Akten der X. Fachtagung der Indogermanischen Gesellschaft, 22.-28. September 1996, ed. W. Meid, Innsbruck (IBS) 1998, 479–488. (retrieved 4 June 2006)

Western Iranians n Empire (mostly Western Iranian languages) is shown in red, other areas, dominated by Scythia (mostly Eastern Iranian languages), in orange.

The ancient Persians established themselves in the western portion of the Iranian plateau and appear to have interacted considerably with the Elamites and Babylonians, while the Medes also entered in contact with the Ancient Assyria.M. Liverani, "The Medes at Esarhaddon's Court", in Journal of Cuneiform Studies 47 (1995), pp. 57-62. Remnants of the Median language and Old Persian show their common Proto-Iranian roots, emphasized in Strabo and Herodotus' description of their languages as very similar to the languages spoken by the Bactrians and Sogdiana in the east. "The Geography of Strabo" — University of Chicago. (retrieved 4 June 2006) "Iran" — The 1911 Encyclopedia (retrieved 4 June 2006) Following the establishment of the Achaemenid dynasty, the Persian language spread from Fars to various regions of the empire, with the modern dialects of Iran, Afghanistan (also known as Dari (Afghanistan)) and Central-Asia (known as Tajik language) descending from Old Persian.

Old Persian is first attested in the Behistun Inscription (ca. 515 BC), recording a proclamation by Darius I of Persia. The inscription provides a link in the Iranian languages to the usage of the term Arya in early Indo-Aryan languages texts. "Old Iranian literature" — Art Arena. (retrieved 4 June 2006) The Achaemenid kings usually wrote their inscriptions in trilingual form (Elamite language, Akkadian language and Old Persian language)R. G. Kent, Old Persian: Grammar, texts and lexicon. while the most used administrative languages were Aramaic and Elamite,R. Hallock (1969), Persepolis Fortification Tablets; A. L. Driver (1954), Aramaic Documents of the V Century BC. which suggests a multiculturalism society.

The early inhabitants of the Achaemenid Empire appear to have adopted the religion of Zoroastrianism. Other prominent Iranian peoples, such as the Kurds, are surmised to stem from Iranic populations that mixed with Caucasian peoples such as the Hurrians, due to some unique qualities found in the Kurdish language that mirror those found in languages of the Caucasus. "Kurdish: An Indo-European Language By Siamak Rezaei Durroei" — University of Edinburgh, School of Informatics. (retrieved 4 June 2006) The Baloch people relate an oral tradition regarding their migration from Aleppo, Syria around the year 1000 AD, whereas linguistic evidence links Balochi language to Kurdish language and Zazaki language. "The Iranian Language Family, Khodadad Rezakhani" — Iranologie. (retrieved 4 June 2006)

Eastern Iranians While the Iranian tribes of the south are better known through their modern counterparts, the tribes which remained largely in the vast Eurasian expanse are known through the references made to them by the ancient Greeks, Persians, Indo-Aryans as well as by archaeological finds. Many ancient Sanskrit texts make references to tribes like Sakas, Paradas, Kambojas, Bahlikas, Uttaramadras, Madras, Lohas, Parama Kambojas, Rishikas, Tukharas or Tusharas etc and locate them in the (Uttarapatha) (north-west) division, in Central Asia, beyond Hindukush range. The Ancient Greece chronicler, Herodotus (5th century BC) makes references to a nomadic people whom he identifies as the Scythians and describes as having dwelt in what is today southern Russia.

n Horseman, Pazyryk felt artifact, c. 300 BC.

It is believed that these Scythians were conquered by their eastern cousins, the Sarmatians, who are mentioned by Strabo as the dominant tribe which controlled the southern Russian steppe by the 1st millennium AD. These Sarmatians were also known to the Ancient Rome, who conquered the western tribes in the Balkans and sent Sarmatian conscripts, as part of Roman legions, as far west as Roman Britain.

The Sarmatians of the east became the Alans, who also ventured far and wide, with a branch ending up in Western Europe and North Africa, as they accompanied the Germanic Vandals during their migrations. The modern Ossetians are believed to be the sole direct descendants of the Alans, as other remnants of the Alans disappeared following Germanic, Huns and ultimately Slavic invasions. A History of Russia by Nicholas Riasanovsky, pp. 11–18, Russia before the Russians, ISBN 0-19-515394-4 (retrieved 4 June 2006)

king Azes II (r.c. 35–12 BCE). Buddhist triratna symbol in the left field on the reverse.

Some of the Saka-Scythian tribes in Central Asia would later move further south and invade the Iranian plateau and northwestern India (see Indo-Scythians). Another Iranian tribe related to the Saka-Scythians were the Parni in Central Asia, a tribe that pressured and, ultimately, overthrew the rule of the Greek Seleucid Empire in Persia. The Parni replaced the Seleucids as the Parthians, a dynasty that ruled Persia during the early centuries of the 1st millennium AD and became the main rival of the Roman Empire in the east. It is surmised that many Iranian tribes, including the Khwarezmians, Massagetae and Sogdiana, were assimilated and/or pushed out of Central Asia by the migrations of Turkic peoples tribes emanating out of Siberia. "Jeannine Davis-Kimball, Archaeologist" — Thirteen WNET New York. (retrieved 4 June 2006)

The most dominant surviving Eastern Iranians are represented by the Pashtun people, whose origins are generally believed to be in southern Afghanistan, from which they began to spread until they reached as far west as Herat and as far east as the Indus River in the modern state of Pakistan. The Pashto language shows affinities to Bactrian language, as both languages are believed to be of Iranian languages#The Middle Iranian languages origin. The modern Ossetians claim to be the descendants of the Alano-Sarmatians and their claims are supported by their Northeast Iranian language, while culturally the Ossetians resemble their Caucasian neighbors, the Kabardians, Circassians and Georgian people.From Scythia to Camelot by Littleton and Malcor, pp. 40–43, ISBN 0-8153-3566-0 (retrieved 4 June 2006) Various extinct Iranian peoples existed in the eastern Caucasus, including the Ancient Azari language, while some Iranian peoples remain in the region, including the Talysh people "Report for Talysh" — Ethnologue. (retrieved 4 June 2006) and the Tats "Report for Tats" — Ethnologue. (retrieved 4 June 2006) (including the Mountain Jews, "Report for Judeo-Tats" — Ethnologue. (retrieved 4 June 2006) who have relocated to Israel), found in Azerbaijan and as far north as the Russian republic of Dagestan.

Later developments In ancient times, the majority of southern Iranian peoples became adherents of Zoroastrianism, Buddhism (in parts of Afghanistan and Central Asia), Judaism and Nestorianism Christianity (largely among the Kurds and Persians living in Iraq). The Prophet and the Age of the Caliphates by Hugh Kennedy, pp. 12–13, ISBN 0-582-40525-4 (retrieved 4 June 2006) The Ossetians would later adopt Christianity as well, with Russian Orthodoxy becoming dominant following their annexation into the Russian Empire, while some converted to Islam due to the influence of the Ottoman Empire.

"king of Egypt" at the Damascus citadel.

Starting with the reign of Umar in 634 CE, Muslim Arabs began a conquest of the Iranian plateau. The Arabs conquered the Sassanid Empire of the Persians and seized much of the Byzantine Empire populated by the Kurds and others. Ultimately, the various Iranian peoples, including the Persians, Kurds and Pashtuns, were converted to Islam. The Iranian peoples would later split along sectarian lines as the Persians (and later the Hazara people) adopted the SHIA Islam sect. As ancient tribes and identities changed, so did the Iranian peoples, many of whom assimilated foreign cultures and peoples.Ibid. p. 135

Later, during the 2nd millennium CE, the Iranian peoples would play a prominent role during the age of Islamic expansion and empire. Saladin, a noted adversary of the Crusaders, was an ethnic Kurd, while various empires centered in Iran (including the Safavid dynasty) re-established a modern dialect of Persian as the official language spoken throughout much of what is today Iran and adjacent parts of Central Asia. Iranian influence spread to the Ottoman Empire, where Persian was often spoken at court, as well as in the Mughal Empire, which began in Afghanistan and shifted to India. All of the major Iranian peoples reasserted their use of Iranian languages following the decline of Arab rule, but would not begin to form modern nationalism identities until the 19th and early 20th centuries (just as Germans and Italians were beginning to formulate national identities of their own).

Demographics

There are an estimated 150 million native speakers of Iranian languages. Currently, most of these Iranian peoples live in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, parts of Uzbekistan (especially Samarkand and Bukhara), the Caucasus (Ossetia and Azerbaijan) and the Kurdish people areas (referred to as Kurdistan) of Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria. Smaller groups of Iranian peoples can also be found in western Xinjiang and a few in western India.

Due to recent migrations, there are also large communities of speakers of Iranian languages in Europe, the Americas, and Israel.

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Diversity It is largely through linguistic similarities that the Iranian peoples have been linked, as many non-Iranian peoples have adopted Iranian languages and cultures. However, other common traits have been identified as well and a stream of common historical events have often linked the southern Iranian peoples, including Hellenistic civilization conquests, the various empires based in Persian Empire, Arab Caliphates and Turkic peoples invasions.

Although most of the Iranian peoples settled in the Greater Iran region, many expanded into the periphery, ranging from the Caucasus and Turkey to the Indus River and western Xinjiang. The Iranian peoples have often mingled with other populations, with the notable example being the Hazara people, who display a distinct Turkic peoples-Mongols background that contrasts with most other Iranian peoples. "Afghanistan — Hazara" — Library of Congress Country Studies (retrieved 4 June 2006) Similarly, the Baloch people have mingled with the Dravidian languages-speaking Brahui people (who have been strongly modified by Iranian invaders themselves), while the Ossetians have invariably mixed with Georgian people and other Caucasian peoples. The Pashtuns vary with some having mingled with fellow Iranian groups such as the Tajiks and Turkic peoples and those to the east who have mingled with Dardic and Nuristani peoples. Moreover, the Kurds are an eclectic Iranian people who, although displaying some ethnolinguistic ties to other Iranian peoples (in particular their Iranian languages and some cultural traits), are believed to have mixed with Caucasian and Semitic peoples. "MtDNA and Y-chromosome Variation in Kurdish Groups" — Annals of Human Genetics (retrieved 4 June 2006) "Kurdish: An Indo-European Language By Siamak Rezaei Durroei" — University of Edinburgh, School of Informatics. (retrieved 4 June 2006) Modern Persians themselves are also a heterogeneous group of peoples descended from various ancient Iranian and indigenous peoples of the Iranian plateau, including the Elamites. The Golden Age of Persia, by Richard Frye, ISBN 1-84212-011-5 (retrieved 11 June 2006) Thus, not unlike the #Etymology and usage of Germanic peoples including the [English of common ancestry and cultural traits that denote their respective identities.

Culture and assimilation

Many of the cultural traits of the ancient Iranians were similar to other Proto-Indo-Europeans societies. Like other Indo-Europeans, the early Iranians practiced ritual sacrifice, had a social hierarchy consisting of warriors, clerics and farmers and poetic hymns and sagas to recount their deeds. In Search of the Indo-Europeans, by J.P. Mallory, p. 112–127, ISBN 0-500-27616-1 (retrieved 10 June 2006)

Following the Iranian split from the Indo-Iranians, the Iranians developed an increasingly distinct culture. It is surmised that the early Iranians intermarried with and cultural assimilation local cultures over a long period of time and thus a caste identity was never needed or created by the Iranians—in sharp contrast with the Indo-Aryans.Ibid.

Various common traits can be discerned among the Iranian peoples. For example, the social event Norouz is an Iranian festival that is practiced by nearly all of the Iranian peoples as well as others in the region. Its origins are traced to Zoroastrianism and pre-historic times.

Some Iranian peoples exhibit distinct traits that are unique unto themselves. The Pashtuns adhere to a code of honor and culture known as Pashtunwali, which has a similar counterpart among the Baloch people, called Mayar, that is more hierarchical. "Pakistan — Baloch" — Library of Congress Country Studies (retrieved 4 June 2006)

Religion 's Rawze-e-Sharif in Afghanistan is a structure of cobalt blue and turquoise minarets, attracting visitors and pilgrims from all over the world. Many such Muslim Iranian architecture monuments can be attributed to the efforts of the Iranian peoples who are predominantly followers of Islam today.

The early Iranian peoples may have worshipped various deities found throughout other cultures where Proto-Indo-Europeans invaders established themselves. "History of Iran-Chapter 2 Indo-Europeans and Indo-Iranians" — Iranologie (retrieved 4 June 2006) The earliest major religion of the Iranian peoples was Zoroastrianism, which spread to nearly all of the Iranian peoples living in the Iranian plateau.

Modern speakers of Iranian languages mainly follow Islam. Some follow Persian Jews, Christianity and the Bahá'í Faith, with an unknown number showing no religious affiliation. Overall the numbers of Sunni and Shia among the Iranian peoples are equally distributed. Most Kurds, Most Tajiks, Pashtuns, and Baluchis are Sunni Muslims, while the remainder are mainly Shi'a and comprise most Persians in Iran, Zazas in Turkey, Hazaras in Afghanistan and most Pamiri peoples in Tajikistan and China. The Christian community is largely represented by the Russian Orthodox denomination, followed by Ossetians and Nestorians. Judaism is followed mainly by Persian Jews, Jews of Afghanistan, Jews in Pakistan, Kurdish Jews and Mountain Jews (of the Caucasus), most of which are now found in Israel. The historical religion of the Persian Empire was Zoroastrianism and it has some followers. They are known as the Parsis in India, or Zoroastrians in Iran and Pakistan.

Iranian influence on Turkic peoples In matters relating to culture, the various Turkic languages-speaking minorities of Iran (notably the Azerbaijani people) and Afghanistan (Uzbeks and Turkmen people) are often conversant in Iranian languages, in addition to their own Turkic languages and also have Iranian culture to the extent that the term Turko-Iranian can be applied. Turko-Persia in Historical Perspective, edited by Robert Canfield, ISBN 0-521-52291-9 (retrieved 4 June 2006) The usage applies to various circumstances that involve historic interaction, intermarriage, cultural assimilation, bilingualism and cultural overlap or commonalities.

Notable among this synthesis of Turko-Iranian culture are the Azeris, whose culture, religion and significant periods of history are linked to the Persians. "Azerbaijan-Iran Relations: Challenges and Prospects" — Harvard University, Belfer Center, Caspian Studies Program (retrieved 4 June 2006) Certain theories and genetic tests "Cambridge Genetic Study of Iran" — ISNA (Iranian Students News Agency), 06-12-2006, news-code: 8503-06068 (retrieved 9 June 2006) suggest that the Azeris are descendants of ancient Iranian peoples who lost their Iranian language (see Ancient Azari language) following the Turkic invasions of Azerbaijan in the 11th century CE. In fact, throughout much of the expanse of Central Asia and the Middle East, Iranian and Turkic culture has merged in many cases to form various hybrid populations and cultures, as evident from various ruling dynasties such as the Ghaznavid Empire, Seljuk Turks and Mughal Empire.

Iranian cultural influences have also been significant in Central Asia, where Turkic invaders are believed to have largely mixed with native Iranian peoples of which only the Tajiks remain, in terms of language usage. The areas of the former Soviet Union adjacent to Iran, Afghanistan and the Kurdish areas (such as Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan) have gone through the prism of decades of Russian and Soviet Union rule that has reshaped the Turko-Iranian cultures there to some degree.

The Alans were also contemporary with and possibly linked to early Turkic-speaking peoples of the European steppe (such as Burtas or Bulgars) and modern Turkic European Volga Tatars, Chuvashes and Crimean Tatars.

Genetics Genetic testing of Iranian peoples has revealed many common genes for most of the Iranian peoples, but with numerous exceptions and regional variations. Genetic studies conducted by Cavalli-Sforza have revealed that Iranians cluster closely with European groups and more distantly from Near Eastern groups. Preliminary genetic tests suggest common origins for most of the Iranian peoples:

's "The History and Geography of Human Genes"

Basically, the findings of this study reveal many common genetic markers found among the Iranian peoples from the Tigris to the areas west of the Indus River. This correlates with the Iranian languages spoken from the Caucasus to Kurdish areas in the Zagros region and eastwards to western Pakistan and Tajikistan and parts of Uzbekistan in Central Asia. The extensive gene flow is perhaps an indication of the spread of Iranian-speaking peoples, whose languages are now spoken mainly on the Iranian plateau and adjacent regions. These results relate the relationships of Iranian peoples with each other, while other comparative testing reveals some varied origins for Iranian peoples such as the Kurds, who show genetic ties to the Caucasus at considerably higher levels than any other Iranian peoples except the Ossetians, as well as links to Europe and Semitic populations that live in close proximity such as the Arab and Jews. "MtDNA and Y-chromosome Variation in Kurdish Groups" — Annals of Human Genetics (retrieved 4 June 2006) "Georgian and Kurd mtDNA sequence analysis shows a lack of correlation between languages and female genetic lineages" — American Journal of Physical Anthropology(retrieved 14 June 2006) "Comparing DNA Patterns of Sephardi, Ashkenazi & Kurdish jews" — Society For Crypto Judaic Studies (retrieved 14 June 2006) "Genes and people in the caspian littoral: A population genetic study in northern Iran" — American Journal of Physical Anthropology (retrieved 14 June 2006)

According to a recent study, the ancestors of the Kurds were from an old Mediterranean substratum, i.e. Hurrian and Hittites groups. According to this study the Aryan ancestry of the Kurds and other Iranian-speaking populations in Anatolia is not supported by genetic analyses.Arnaiz-Villena, Karin, Bendikuze, a.o. in "National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI)", published in PubMed - PMID: 11380939, "HLA alleles and haplotypes in the Turkish population: relatedness to Kurds, Armenians and other Mediterraneans", 2001, ( LINK)

Another recent study of the genetic landscape of Iran was completed by a team of Cambridge University geneticists led by Dr. Maziar Ashrafian Bonab (an Iranian Azarbaijani). "Maziar Ashrafian Bonab" — Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge (retrieved 9 June 2006) Bonab remarked that his group had done extensive DNA testing on different language groups, including Indo-European languages and non Indo-European speakers, in Iran. "Cambridge Genetic Study of Iran" — ISNA (Iranian Students News Agency), 06-12-2006, news-code: 8503-06068 (retrieved 9 June 2006) The study found that the Azerbaijanis of Iran do not have a similar FSt and other genetic markers found in Anatolian and European Turks. However, the genetic Fst and other genetic traits like MRca and mtDNA of Iranian Azeris were identical to Persians in Iran.

Ultimately, genetic tests reveal that while the Iranian peoples show numerous common genetic markers overall, there are also indications of interaction with other groups, regional variations and cases of genetic drift. In addition, indigenous populations may have survived the waves of early Aryan invasions as cultural assimilation led to large-scale language replacement (as with some Kurds, Hazaras and west Iranian Persians and others). Further testing will ultimately be required and may further elucidate the relationship of the Iranian peoples with each other and various neighboring populations. Indo-European roots Reserch on mtDNA, carried out in several Middle Eastern countries, proves a common origin of Iranian, Central Asian, and Anatolian populations, and reveals genetical links to other West Eurasian populations. "Where West Meets East: The Complex mtDNA Landscape of the Southwest and Central Asian Corridor" — University of Chicago, American Journal of Human Genetics (retrieved 4 June 2006) At the same time, influence from South Asia or Eastern Asia is either absent or negligible. A large-scale research by Cavalli-Sforza (as shown above) also reveals genetical similarities between all Eurasian speakers of Indo-European languages, including speakers of Iranian and Indo-Iranian languages; but this does not necessairily prove a common Indo-European origin for these populations and may be due to common Non-Indo-European ancestors (see Paleolithic Continuity Theory) who were later linguistically Indo-Europeanized (q.v.).

The results of tests focused on Y-chromosomes give a more detailed picture of the events which may have taken place in Iranian-speaking lands in the past 7000-5000 years. Interestingly, the far east of the Greater Iran reveals the highest frequency of R1a1 which serves as a diagnostic Indo-Iranian marker and is believed to have been inherited from people who left a clear pattern of archaeological remains known as the Kurgan culture, generally identified as early Indo-Europeans. R1a1 has its highest frequency among Ishkashimi language and Pamiri Tajiks (68%/64%), followed by speakers of Slavic languages. The larger rest of Iran appears to have had little genetic influence from the R1a1-carrying Indo-Iranians, attributed to language replacement through the "elite-dominance" model.

As Marija Gimbutas has stated, "the Process of Indo-Europeanization was a cultural, not a physical transformation. It must be understood as a military victory in terms of imposing a new administrative system, language and religion upon the indigenous groups."

List of Iranian peoples Ancient Iranian peoples Modern Iranian peoples

Baloch people
Gilanis
Jasz
Kurds
Lak people (Iran)
Mazandarani people
Ossetians
Pamiri people
Parsis & Iranis
Pashtuns
Persians

*Bakhtiaris *Farsiwans *Hazara people *Lurs *Tajiks *Tats

Other The following either partially descend from Iranian peoples or are sometimes regarded as possible descendants of ancient Iranian peoples

Azerbaijani people1
Uzbeks²
Serbs³
Croats³³
Bulgarians³

Notes

1 Although Azerbaijani people speak a Turkic language (modern Azerbaijani language), they are believed to be primarily descendants of ancient Iranians
Minorsky, V.; Minorsky, V. "(Azarbaijan). Encyclopaedia of Islam. Edited by: P. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel and W.P. Heinrichs. Brill

R.N. Frye, Peoples of Iran in Encyclopaedia Iranica

X.D. Planhol, LANDS OF IRAN in Encyclopedia Iranica and Peoples of the Caucasus. Encyclopædia Britannica. Azerbaijani Thus, due to their historical ties with various ancient Iranians, as well as their cultural ties to Persians, The Columbia Encyclopedia: Azerbaijan the Azeris are often associated with the Iranian peoples (see Azerbaijani people#Origins and the Iranian theory regarding the origin of the Azerbaijanis for more details). The Iranian: Who are the Azeris? by Aylinah Jurabchi

² The modern Uzbek people are believed to have both Iranian and Turkic ancestry. "Uzbek" and "Tajik" are modern designations given to the culturally homogeneous, sedentary population of Central Asia. The local ancestors of both groups - the Turkic-speaking Uzbeks and the Iranian-speaking Tajiks - were known as "Sarts" ("sedentary merchants") prior to the Russian Empire of Central Asia, while "Uzbek" or "Turk" were the names given to the nomadic and semi-nomadic populations of the area. Still today, modern Uzbeks and Tajiks are known as "Sarts" to their Turkic peoples, the Kazakhs and the Kyrgyz. The ancient Iranic Soghdians and Bactrians are among their ancestors. Culturally, the Uzbeks are closer to their sedentary Iranian-speaking neighbours rather than to their nomadic and semi-nomadic Turkic neighbours. Some Uzbek Scholars e.g. Ahmadov and Askarov maximize the Iranian roots while minimize the Turkic roots of UzbeksAskarov, A. & B.Ahmadov, O'zbek Xalqning Kilib Chiqishi Torixi. O'zbekiston Ovozi, 20 Januray 1994.

³ The names of the South Slavs peoples, the Serbs and Croats, are theorised to be derived from certain ancient Iranian peoples, specifically the Sarmatians. The theory mostly stems from linguistic analysis, suggesting that the names 'Serb' and 'Croat' derive from the Sarmatian tribes of Serboi and Horouthos. These tribes might have migrated from the Eurasian steppelands to southern Poland (the postulated homeland of Serbs and Croats), assimilated with the numerically superior Slavs, and might have given their name to them (might have been a ruling core). See also: Theories on the origin of Serbs and Theories on the origin of Croats). Modern day Bulgarians are definitely, in a minor part, descended from the ancient Bulgars. Scholars debate as to whether they were originally Turkic speaking or turkized Iranian speaking nomadic warriors.