http://remotecentral.blogspot.com/2008/03/human-evolution-on-trial-culture-by.html

I’m afraid it’s rather long but I cover some of the things you mention in my section “Evolution of a Religion” near the end. I’d be very interested in any comments you’d care to make. I draw attention to the fact that both Pythagoras and Buddha lived about the same time at opposite ends of the Persian Empire. And arguably the Persian Empire was Zoroastrian, although possibly an early version of it. I’m sure you are correct when you say there is a widespread connection to an ancient Indo-European religious belief.

The extract is part of a longer work looking at human evolution. I’m hoping to have an anthropologist critique the whole thing some day. Several geneticists have read it all and agree with the genetic aspect but have told me I need review by anthropologists to tighten the argument.

By the way I feel very honoured to have the contact here with an Iranian. I’m a huge admirer of the contribution the Persians have made to world culture at various times through history. I’m sure there will be more in the future. They live at a multiple crossroad of world culture.

Yeah I’ve also observed a lot of overlaps in religious and cultural celebrations of Indo-European peoples that are timed with the Spring equinox. Even though Passover doesn’t fall on a consistent date every year, it and Easter, Nooruz, even Holi — which is a Hindu holiday, have a consistent theme. They all seem to represent a festival of colors, have special dietary requirements, and are timed with what has really always been a pagan ritual… the welcoming of spring.

I wouldn’t be surprised that this continuity isn’t somewhat due to the migration and influences nomadic tribes, like the Scythians, had prior to maturation of these cultures. But I haven’t really looked into it.

A related side note, I’ve been curious about this phenomenon because I’ve also observed similarities in the Judeo-Christian creation stories to Hindu and Iranian ones, especially in regards to the immaculate conception of both Mary, mother of Jesus, and Maya, the mother of Siddhārtha Gautama, the man that is commonly known as Buddha. I see this as is a very random, and original concept to have independently been thought of… Furthermore, there’s a lot of overlap in old names and languages between the area, which I’m sure you know of. I wouldn’t be surprised that this continuity in philosophy isn’t somewhat due to the migration and influences that Zoroastrianism had prior to maturation of these major religions.

Kambiz