DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.638#0006
iv PREFACE
the tribal deity of the Bharatas, who became associated
with the Saraswati river and under her new name was
ultimately made the wife of the supreme god Brahma.
It is significant to note that the new culture radiated from
the " Middle Country ", the area controlled by the " late
comers". That it contained elements which were not
of Indian origin is made clearly evident when we find
that the doctrines of the ages of the universe and
transmigration of souls were shared by other peoples,
including the Greeks and Celts and a section of the
ancient Egyptians. Sumero-Babyl<-._ian and Egyptian
resemblances may also be traced in post-Vedic religious
literature, the former, for instance, in the Deluge legend,
and the latter in the myth regarding the avenging god-
dess Kali, who slaughters the enemies of the gods like
Hathor-Sekhet, and has similarly to be restrained by one
of the deities. The worship of goddesses was also pro-
minent among the Sumerians, Egyptians, Greeks, and
Celts, as contrasted with the worship of gods among
broad-headed mountain and wandering peoples. In this
connection special interest attaches to the conclusions of
prominent ethnologists, who include in the Mediterranean
or "Brown" race of brunet "long heads" the early
Egyptians and Neolithic Europeans, the Sumerians and
present-day " Aryan " types in India, and especially in
the old " Middle Country " and Bengal. On the other
hand, a broad-headed type is still prominent in the
Punjab, the area occupied by the earliest invaders who
worshipped the Vedic gods. Dr. Haddon suggests that
these pioneers of civilization were mixed with peoples of
Mongolian and other affinities. Some such ethnic ex-
planation must be urged to account for the differences
between Vedic and post-Vedic mythologies. The inva-
sions of the "late comers", who entered India by a new
the tribal deity of the Bharatas, who became associated
with the Saraswati river and under her new name was
ultimately made the wife of the supreme god Brahma.
It is significant to note that the new culture radiated from
the " Middle Country ", the area controlled by the " late
comers". That it contained elements which were not
of Indian origin is made clearly evident when we find
that the doctrines of the ages of the universe and
transmigration of souls were shared by other peoples,
including the Greeks and Celts and a section of the
ancient Egyptians. Sumero-Babyl<-._ian and Egyptian
resemblances may also be traced in post-Vedic religious
literature, the former, for instance, in the Deluge legend,
and the latter in the myth regarding the avenging god-
dess Kali, who slaughters the enemies of the gods like
Hathor-Sekhet, and has similarly to be restrained by one
of the deities. The worship of goddesses was also pro-
minent among the Sumerians, Egyptians, Greeks, and
Celts, as contrasted with the worship of gods among
broad-headed mountain and wandering peoples. In this
connection special interest attaches to the conclusions of
prominent ethnologists, who include in the Mediterranean
or "Brown" race of brunet "long heads" the early
Egyptians and Neolithic Europeans, the Sumerians and
present-day " Aryan " types in India, and especially in
the old " Middle Country " and Bengal. On the other
hand, a broad-headed type is still prominent in the
Punjab, the area occupied by the earliest invaders who
worshipped the Vedic gods. Dr. Haddon suggests that
these pioneers of civilization were mixed with peoples of
Mongolian and other affinities. Some such ethnic ex-
planation must be urged to account for the differences
between Vedic and post-Vedic mythologies. The inva-
sions of the "late comers", who entered India by a new