nonkurgan

Nonkurgan is a term used in archaeology and linguistics to describe populations, cultures, or hypotheses that are not associated with the Kurgan horizon of the Pontic-Caspian steppe. It functions as a counterpoint to the Kurgan hypothesis, which locates the origins of the Proto-Indo-European language family in the steppes north of the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. In this framework, nonkurgan refers to alternative origins proposed for Indo-European dispersals or to cultural complexes without Kurgan burial practices, monumental mounds, or steppe metallurgy.

Among nonkurgan models, the Anatolian hypothesis is the best-known: it argues for an origin in Neolithic Anatolia with early farming spreading into Europe, rather than a steppe-based expansion. Other nonkurgan ideas have proposed different geographic foci or different mechanisms for language spread, and collectively they cover a range of archaeological and linguistic scenarios that do not rely on the Pontic-Caspian region.

Usage and reception: The label nonkurgan is primarily a descriptive tool in debates about Indo-European origins. It helps distinguish steppe-based explanations from alternative models, but it is not a unified theory and does not specify a single homeland or dispersal mechanism. Critics caution that the term can obscure diversity among non-steppe proposals or imply a false dichotomy. In practice, many scholars view Indo-European origins as potentially complex, involving multiple regions, time frames, and processes rather than a single nonkurgan or kurgan narrative.