Ancient Origins and Myths of AFGHANISTAN

I was a cold war baby, born in Kabul in '79. My mother was pregnant with me as the government collapsed and fell to the communist insurgents. My earliest memories are of New Jersey, where i grew up. Suffice it to say, the history of Afghanistan was not a part of the school curriculum. So this video isn't just a source of fascination for me, it's a revelatory glimpse into my own ancestral history. For that, I thank you.

Some of the most beautiful terrain, and people I have ever seen and interacted with were in Afghanistan. It's a pity and crying shame what's happened to it. A land where windmills were used for irrigation centuries before Europe had them; the Breadbasket of the Ancient World.....mountains where lapis lazuli, emeralds, rubies, and opals can still be found in the Rivers covered in forests, Valleys full of orchards and cultivated fields reduced to ashes the People reduced to poverty and infighting over scraps. The entire World should weep and feel ashamed for what we have done, and that includes the People of Afghanistan.

Thank you for covering this topic and thanks to all European scholars who pioneered the study of Persian history and archaeology. As a Persian, Afghanistan will always have a special place in my heart.

Afghanistan is a fascinating place with ancient history. Hope a new golden age comes to its people.

Thanks for the shout-out. An excellent video with lots to consider. Iranic myths are a rich resource

As someone who has been living in Afghanistan as long as I can recall my ancestry. I am extremely thankful for your kind efforts on this subject. These days we are forgetting by our fellow European brothers.

Not only do you have an extensive knowledge of the subject but you understand it and discuss it through the context of numerous cultural and religious influences without much bias against anyone in particular. I am absolutely enthralled by your approach and breath of wisdom.

I love Afghanistan And all its cultures. Pashtun, Baloch, Tajik, Uzbek, Turkmen, Hazara and all other people in Afghanistan alike. Their cultures and histories are awesome.

A better way to explain “STAN”, (as in Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan), is that ”Stan” means “LAND”, as in “land of”, just like in European countries where for example the “Land of the English” becomes “EngLAND”. And so it goes for the rest of the European countries as it does for the “stans”: EngLAND ScotLAND IceLAND IreLAND HolLAND DeutschLAND PoLAND SwitzerLAND Here’s a fun exercise - swapping “Stan” for “land”, the names then become: Afghanland Kazakhland Kyrgyzland Pakiland Tajikland Turkmenland Uzbekland Swapping “land” for “stan”, the names become: Englishstan Scottishstan Icestan Irishstan Hollistan Germanstan Polishstan Switzerstan

One of the most beautiful places I've ever been to. Even being there during the war, all the bad shit that happened. I still find myself missing its beauty, seeing the mountains and amazing colors in the sky I've never seen anywhere else before.

It's indo-european word European: state Iranian:Stan Indian:sthan

Thank you for the wonderful coverage. I could connect to many of the words to Sanskrit and many Indian languages. Gau = Cow Thirtha = threya ( third) Jamshed - India has a place called Jamshedpur named after the great industrialist Jamshedji Tata who is a Parsi Mithra = Friend And so many more..

Interesting that in medieval Europe it was believed Muhammad was cut in two in hell. He is depicted this way in manuscripts of Dante's inferno

Very interesting indeed , since there are so many videos discussing about the politics of Afganistan but seldom dealing with the genetics-linguistics origins of Afghan people and surrounding region .

When this man says "Some of this is going to surprise you" He is not wrong! I have done some research onto Norse history and was brought up on the Sagas, but a lot of this did surprise me, I know it is well researched, as he has (or they have) mentioned names I know well enough . Well worth a watch. Think I'll watch it more than once as there is much to ponder on

If you didn't know there's a village in the most western part of Badakhshan province in Afghanistan named Ragh e Zardesht, literally Ragh of Zoroaster. It's inside Raghistan district, I find it interesting since some traditions say he was born in a city named Ragh that exactly corresponds to this city. There's also an Alborz mountain in northern Afghanistan near to Mazar I Sharif city (in Balkh province which is near the ancient capital city of Bactria). What I like to think is that Zoroaster was born in that Ragh city in eastern Bactria (modern day Ragh in western Badakhshan, Afghanistan) and died near Bactra/Balkh where Zoroastrianism likely developed, at Mazar I Sharif, hence why the mausoleum there. The theory of Zoroaster being buried there is very plausible.

This was what I was looking for in a channel. I can count a handful that I can count as "educational."

One of the best channels left on youtube !

This has got to be one of the best channels on YT! This video is absolutely amazing and Afghanistan one of the world's biggest tragedies.

You are a wealth of wanted knowledge. I’ve been looking for this type of incite into this history. Thank you 🙏