Indo-European Expansion Cycles

Hypothetical solutions to the ‘homeland problem’ in IndoEuropean studies are often hampered by the lack of clear causes for the expansion of the IE languages. The author uses a recently developed model of expansion cycles to address this situation. The model suggests that cultures comprised of several autonomous political units often constitute competitive systems which, through their inner dynamics, produce massive expansions after some centuries of competition. Using this model, the author finds that an intermediary solution between the Kurgan and Neolithic hypotheses seems to best fit the evidence. This suggests IE origins on the forest-steppe around the 4 millennium BC in the Cucuteni-Tripolye culture.