The Aryan and Japhetic Colonies

From the book ‘Atlantis: The Antediluvian World’:

We come now to another question: “Did the Aryan or Japhetic race come from Atlantis?” If the Aryans are the Japhetic race, and if Japheth was one of the sons of the patriarch who escaped from the Deluge, then assuredly, if the tradition of Genesis be true, the Aryans came from the drowned land, to wit, Atlantis. According to Genesis, the descendants of the Japheth who escaped out of the Flood with Noah are the Ionians, the inhabitants of the Morea, the dwellers on the Cilician coast of Asia Minor, the Cyprians, the Dodoneans of Macedonia, the Iberians, and the Thracians. These are all now recognized as Aryans, except the Iberians. “From non-Biblical sources,” says Winchell, “we obtain further information respecting the early dispersion of the Japhethites or Indo-Europeans—called also Aryans.

All determinations confirm the Biblical account of their primitive residence in the same country with the Hamites and Semites. Rawlinson informs us that even Aryan roots are mingled with Presemitic in some of the old inscriptions of Assyria. The precise region where these three families dwelt in a common home has not been pointed out.” (“Preadamites,” p. 43.)

I have shown in the chapter in relation to Peru that all the languages of the Hamites, Semites, and Japhethites are varieties of one aboriginal speech. The centre of the Aryan migrations (according to popular opinion) within the Historical Period was Armenia.

Let’s break down the passage to analyze its content and logical flow:

1. Main Question:

• The passage begins with a question: “Did the Aryan or Japhetic race come from Atlantis?” This sets the stage for the subsequent discussion.

2. Connection to Genesis:

• Aryans and Japhetic Race: The passage suggests that if the Aryans are the Japhetic race and if Japheth was a son of Noah who survived the Deluge (biblical flood), then according to the tradition of Genesis, the Aryans would have originated from Atlantis.
• Biblical References: Genesis is cited as identifying the descendants of Japheth as various groups in the Mediterranean and Asia Minor, including the Ionians, inhabitants of the Morea (Peloponnesus), people from Cilicia, Cyprus, Macedonia (Dodoneans), Iberians, and Thracians.
• Aryan Identification: It claims that all these groups, except the Iberians, are now recognized as Aryans.

3. Non-Biblical Sources:

• Winchell’s Commentary: The passage refers to Winchell, who suggests that non-Biblical sources also support the idea that the Japhethites (Indo-Europeans or Aryans) originally lived alongside the Hamites and Semites.
• Rawlinson’s Insight: It mentions that Rawlinson noted Aryan roots mingling with Presemitic elements in ancient Assyrian inscriptions, implying a shared origin or close interaction.
• Unidentified Common Homeland: Winchell concludes that the exact region where these three groups (Hamites, Semites, and Japhethites) originally coexisted has not been precisely identified.

4. Language Connection:

• Linguistic Unity: The author asserts that all languages of the Hamites, Semites, and Japhethites are varieties of a single original language.
• Aryan Migrations: The passage concludes by mentioning that Armenia is popularly considered the center of Aryan migrations during the Historical Period.

Analysis of Logic:

• The passage attempts to connect the Aryans with the Japhetic race through a mix of Biblical and non-Biblical sources.
• It makes a speculative leap from the identification of Aryans as descendants of Japheth to the notion that they might have come from Atlantis, a legendary location.
• The linguistic argument, suggesting a common origin of languages among Hamites, Semites, and Japhethites, is used to reinforce the idea of a shared origin for these groups.

Does It Make Sense?

• Biblical Tradition and Atlantis: The connection between the biblical account of Japheth and Atlantis is speculative and not supported by historical evidence. Atlantis is a mythical land, and equating it with the origin of the Aryan race based on biblical genealogy is not grounded in factual history.
• Aryan Identification: The identification of certain groups as Aryan based on 19th-century racial theories is outdated and problematic, especially when connected to Atlantis.
• Linguistic Unity: While there are linguistic connections among Indo-European languages, the claim that all Hamitic, Semitic, and Japhetic languages stem from a single original language is a broad generalization that lacks support from modern linguistics.
• Conclusion: The passage combines biblical tradition, speculative history, and outdated racial theories to propose a connection between the Aryans and Atlantis, but it lacks a sound basis in historical or linguistic evidence.