Few peoples in history have been more evoked, studied, and often misunderstood than the Indo-Europeans. Even the term “people” in reference to the Indo-Europeans is misleading, as we should not imagine a homogeneous and unified society, but rather diverse human groups connected by certain customs and, most importantly, a common language.  

Around 3000 BCE, the Indo-Europeans migrated from their homeland—the steppes between present-day Ukraine and Russia—and arrived in Europe. Here, they encountered an already mixed population: the original hunter-gatherers had been joined by Anatolian farmers who had introduced agriculture to the region. This early chapter in Europe’s history can be reconstructed through the collaboration of multiple disciplines, including archaeology, linguistics, and even genetics.  

The Indo-Europeans left behind only faint traces, often barely perceptible, and it is up to us to uncover them using every possible means. One such trace can be found in the poetic strategies adopted by literatures rooted in Indo-European languages. A particularly well-studied motif is the hero’s slaying of a dragon. The basic formula follows this structure: hero + verb “to kill” (derived from the Indo-European root g^when-) + dragon/serpent/monster.  

Examples of this motif appear in various ancient languages. In Sanskrit, the Rig Veda contains yo hatvahim, meaning "he (the god Indra) who killed the serpent." In Greek, Pindar’s Pythian Odes describe Perseus’ feat with epefnen te Gorgona, "he (Perseus) killed the Gorgon," a monster with serpent-like hair. Hittite cuneiform tablets record MUŠ illuyakan kuenta, "he (the Thunder God) killed the serpent." The motif persists in Old English, as seen in Beowulf, where Siegmund wyrm acwealde, hordes hyrde - "killed a serpent, the guardian of a treasure."  

Though these are but fragments, they offer a glimpse into a distant past that, now more than ever, reminds us that what unites us far outweighs what divides us.