Old Europe (archaeology)

The Pre-Indo-European population of Europe included an unknown number of ethnic groups that dwelt on the continent before the coming of the speakers of Indo-European languages (though some scholars dispute the Indo-European invasion theory: see Paleolithic Continuity Theory). It is difficult to ascertain whether and how those groups were related to each other. Some scholars state some of these Pre-Indo-European languages show some similiarities.

In Europe, the Pelasgians, Minoans, Leleges, Etruscans, Iberians, Hurrians, Urartians, Basques, and Uralic peoples were (and, in the case of the Basques and Uralic peoples, still are) generally considered Pre-Indo-European peoples. The Dravidians were Pre-Indo-European inhabitants of India (see also Aryan Invasion).

See also

• Germanic substrate hypothesis
• Old European cultures