2015 - October : Antonio Almeida - Language and archaeology - part 2
Antonio began his talk by presenting time lines for geology, climate and anthropology to show how the population of parts of S. Europe were affected by changes and progress in their human environment. To answer the question of the spread and development of the old languages in Europe he looked at 2 theories that could have been responsible:
1. the Atlantic/Vasconic theory linked to Semitic or to the Basque branch or
2. the Usko/Mediterranean theory linked to the movement of Saharan people fleeing from desertification into Europe. He presented maps to support these theories:
1. the Atlantic/Vasconic theory linked to Semitic or to the Basque branch or
2. the Usko/Mediterranean theory linked to the movement of Saharan people fleeing from desertification into Europe. He presented maps to support these theories:
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1.the Vasconic map attributed to Vennemann, indicate a link between linguistics and genetics – Haplogroup V in particular. The Basque language is an isolate – without language family and it is thought by some to be an ancient Palaeolithic language. However to trace its origins genetics became involved. Luigi Luca Cavallo-Sforza studied populations based on blood groups and singled out Basques for blood grouping Orh- and more recently DNA research has been brought into the equation.
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2. the Usko/Mediterranean map traced the movement of populations from the Sahara into SW Europe and along the S. Mediterranean coast into S and SE Europe and the near Middle East. World maps showed how human migration affected the genetics of populations and with it the spread of language. Here in the Algarve this may be reflected in place names such as in the area around Lagos. Antonio suggests that Bensafrim could be from the Hebraic ‘bein sefarim’- place of scribes, Escrivor from ‘scriborum’ (Latin) – of the scribes, Lagarim & Lagos from the Old Hebraic ‘Luah’ and Old Syrian ‘Luag’ – written tablets. All these giving the case that some of these places refer to places of writing/ schools/ accounting services/ trading places.
Antonio concluded his talk with a look at the Danube script which shares and has points in common with at least half its symbols with Linear A. This was a very interesting and complex subject and Antonio welcomes interest and requests for further information and bibliography. He can be contacted on [email protected]
Antonio concluded his talk with a look at the Danube script which shares and has points in common with at least half its symbols with Linear A. This was a very interesting and complex subject and Antonio welcomes interest and requests for further information and bibliography. He can be contacted on [email protected]
