Language and Myth in Prehistory - Unravelling the Speech and Beliefs of the Unwritten Past

Due to recent advances in ancient genetics, a new picture of prehistory is emerging. In the LAMP programme we cast light on the aspects of prehistoric peoples that make them human: their languages and beliefs.

The programme asks three fundamental questions about the speakers of early stages of Indo-European – the language family that includes languages such as English, German, Swedish, Spanish, French, Urdu, Kurdish and Russian:

1. How did they talk? – By investigating the oldest layers of the Indo-European languages, we reconstruct the sounds, grammar and vocabulary of the prehistoric language stages from which the extant languages descend.

2. What did they talk about? – By comparing the relevant parts of the reconstructed vocabulary with mythological and archaeological evidence we establish fragments of the myths, poetry and rituals of prehistory.

3. How do we know? – Since we combine scientific disciplines in order to break new ground, the methodological foundations of the programme must be clear and explicit. With an ambitious outreach component the programme will communicate the understanding of the variability of the linguistic and cultural landscape throughout history to a wider audience.

By making the historical facts more accessible to the public, the programme will provide a bulwark against nationalism and chauvinism and contribute to a deeper understanding of the complex questions concerning language, culture and religion in modern society.

See the main project page.

External

• Anders Kaliff, Uppsala University
• Anders Richardt Jørgensen, Uppsala University
• Jenny Larsson, Stockholm University (PI)
• Peter Jackson Rova, Stockholm University
• Riccardo Ginevra, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan
• Terje Østigård, Uppsala University