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Book cover
By Kurdish Book Club:
As part of a series of seminars, the Kurdish Book Club is pleased to invite you to the launch of “Who Are the Kurds? The History of Kurds and the Origin of their Language from the Dawn of Civilization to the Tenth Century A.D” by Soran Hamarash.
Date: Sat 9th March 2013
Time: 15:00 -18:00
Location*: Birkbeck College, University of London, Lecture theatre B33, Malet Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7HX
The seminar, which will be held in Kurdish, will be chaired by Dr Rebwar Fattah. All are welcome.
The history of the Kurds and the origin of their language have been open subjects for debate amongst scholars for centuries. Some believe that the history of Kurds stretches back five thousand years; others suggest that until the Middle Ages the term “Kurd” was used as a reference to a social status rather than an ethnicity. The wide gap in these views suggests that the subject matters require further study. In this book, Hamarash attempts to tackle these very issues.
Hamarash explains that he spent several years researching and studying ancient records and languages such as Sumerian, Hurrian, Median, Luvian (or Luwian), Hittite, Avestan, Latin, Sanskrit, Carian, Lydian, Thracian and other languages. In his book he questions the prevailing theories and tries to trace the root of the Kurdish race and the origins of their language. In this quest, Hamarash posed some questions such as:
- If the Kurds are descended from the Medes, as some suggest, when did they changed name?
- What language did the Median speak?
- What alphabet did the Kurds have in ancient times to record their literature, if they had any?
- Is there any connection between the Kurdish language and the ancient Mesopotamian and Anatolian languages?
- What about connections between Kurdish and other Indo-European languages?
- Did the Indo-Europeans emigrated to or migrated from Zagros Mountains?
In his epic endeavor, Hamarash uncovers evidence that challenges our understanding of the history of Kurds and of the Middle East in general, for example:
- Kurdish texts which he believes are over four thousand years old.
- Texts that suggest that the Median language was not very different in comparison to the current Kurdish language.
- Texts suggesting that the Kurdish was the language of other Mesopotamian and Anatolian communities.
- A manuscript dated back to 861 A.D that describes Kurdish ancient alphabet.
- History of Kurdish empires and rulers who ruled in the region from the dawn of civilisation until the tenth century A.D.
- Views of Kurds during the ninth century A.D that suggest their awareness of their history and ancient past.
This book is published in Kurdish (Sorani dialect) and the French and English translations are underway.
*Nearest underground Stations: Russell Square, Euston Square, Warren Street, Goodge Street; Buses: 7, 59, 168, 68 and 188 all stop outside Russell Square. The entrance to the Malet Street building is off Torrington Square. This is the only entrance to the main building.
Contact info: Kurdish Exile Association: Tel – 07939884687 , Email – kea@kea96.org
Not Mesopotamian, because it is believed that the Sumerians spoke a Finno-Ugric language. Akkadian, an extinct Semitic language, was the lingua franca of Mesopotamia, and the language of trade, until it was eclipsed by Aramaic. Anatolian possibly. The Hittites were a people who spoke an Indo-European language. But is has not be determined yet, how much it was like Median or other Indo-Iranian languages.