Baghlan and the Earliest Traces of the Persian-Dari Language:An Examination of the Historical, Linguistic, and Cultural ties between Baghlan and Persian-Dari language

Abstract

This study examines the historical and linguistic significance of Baghlan within the broader context of early Iranian language development, focusing on the Surkh Kotal inscriptions of the Kushan period (2nd century CE). Using a descriptive-analytical and historical-comparative approach, the research analyzes selected lexical and morpho-syntactic features documented in published editions of the inscriptions and compares them with later attestations of Persian-Dari. The objective is not to assert direct genetic descent but to explore possible patterns of linguistic continuity, contact, or structural resemblance within the eastern Iranian sphere. By distinguishing between genetic inheritance, areal influence, and typological similarity, the study proposes that the linguistic environment of ancient Bactria, including Baghlan, may have contributed to conditions that facilitated the later emergence of Persian-Dari. The findings highlight the importance of regional epigraphic evidence while acknowledging the methodological limits imposed by reliance on secondary documentation and the broader complexities of Iranian language history.