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Home Editorial board Publication ethics Information Current Archive Rules for authors Contacts	DOI: 10.46698/VNC.2025.29.22.007 ROLE OF THE CAUCASUS IN THE FORMATION OF THE PROTO-INDO-EUROPEAN COMMUNITY Shchegolev, Maxim A. Kavkaz Forum. 2025. Issue 22. Abstract: The origin and distribution of the Proto-Indo-European language and its speakers remain as central issues to historical linguistics, archaeology, and genetics. Despite extensive research, debates continue about the homeland of Proto-Indo-Europeans and the mechanisms of its distribution. The Caucasus region is an important area for understanding early Indo-European migrations. The Caucasus should be considered as a dynamic cultural and genetic bridge between the Eurasian steppes, Anatolia and Mesopotamia. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the generalization of the latest genetic data, archaeological evidence and linguistic analysis. The purpose of the study is to find out whether the Caucasus served as the homeland of the Proto-Indo-Europeans, a transit corridor or a secondary contact zone, and to assess the impact of the region on the processes of Indo-Europeanization. The research methods include comparative analysis and the philological method. Genetic data confirm that the Yamnaya culture, which occupies a central place in the steppe hypothesis, arose as a result of the mixing of Eastern European hunter-gatherers and Caucasian populations, which emphasizes the role of the region in the formation of the early Indo-European ancestry. The main conclusions of the work confirm the steppe hypothesis of the origin of the Proto-Indo-Europeans (rejecting the Caucasian one), but emphasize that the Caucasus was (and is) a key center of cultural interaction. The Caucasus served as a channel for cultural migrations (for example, speakers of the Proto-Anatolian language to Anatolia) and the spread of technology (for example, metallurgy). Genetic data indicate the mixing of steppe populations with Caucasian groups, while linguistic borrowings and mythological parallels indicate long-term contact with the languages of the Caucasus. The mythological parallels in the stormgod narratives support evidence of intercultural interaction, including the fact that this plot can be called not only Indo-European, but also «nostratic». Keywords: Proto-Indo-Europeans, steppe hypothesis, Caucasian hypothesis, Anatolian hypothesis, Indo-Europeanization, Neolithic, Eneolithic. Language: Russian Download the full text For citation: Shchegolev, M.A. Role of the Caucasus in the formation of the Proto-Indo-European community. KAVKAZ-FORUM. 2025, iss. 22 (29), pp. 118-130 (In Russian). DOI 10.46698/VNC.2025.29.22.007 + References 1. Gammer, M. 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