Analysis of written literature about ancient Bactria

Abstract

Information on the history and culture of ancient Bactria is reflected in various written sources. This information is found in the works of ancient Greek, Persian, Indian, and Chinese historians. The following is an analysis of information about Bactria in the main written sources. Linguists have noted similarities between the Rigveda, the Avesta, and the languages of some Indo-European peoples. As a result of archaeological research conducted in Eastern Europe, various scientific views have emerged regarding the ethnic origin of the Aryans. The texts of the Rigveda contain some images of the funeral ceremony. According to them, the division of the whole world into three parts is symbolic, and there is information about a chariot drawn by three horses. There are ideas that, during the burial process, the body of the deceased was divided into three parts (head, body, feet). Analyses reveal the presence of IndoAryan populations in the region at the end of the Bronze Age, their migration to northern India, and their traces in southern Uzbekistan. Herder migration was also present at the beginning of the Bronze Age. The appearance of ethnocultural elements in archaeological finds is reflected in changes that occurred in Northern Bactria, beginning with the Kozali stage of the Sopolli culture.