▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁mill en ni um ▁BC . ▁ ▁K urg an ▁hypothesis ▁ ▁The ▁K urg an ▁hypothesis ▁is ▁that ▁Pro to - Ind o - Europe ans ▁were ▁the ▁bear ers ▁of ▁the ▁K urg an ▁culture ▁of ▁the ▁Black ▁Sea ▁and ▁the ▁C au cas us ▁and ▁west ▁of ▁the ▁Ur als . ▁Int rodu ced ▁by ▁Mar ija ▁G im but as ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 6 , ▁it ▁comb ines ▁k urg an ▁arch ae ology ▁with ▁lingu istics ▁to ▁locate ▁the ▁orig ins ▁of ▁the ▁pe op les ▁who ▁spoke ▁the ▁Pro to - Ind o - Europe an ▁language . ▁She ▁tent atively ▁named ▁the ▁culture ▁" K urg an " ▁after ▁its ▁distinct ive ▁bur ial ▁m ounds ▁and ▁trac ed ▁its ▁diffusion ▁into ▁Europe . ▁The ▁hypothesis ▁has ▁had ▁a ▁significant ▁impact ▁on ▁Ind o - Europe an ▁studies . ▁ ▁Sch ol ars ▁who ▁follow ▁G im but as ▁identify ▁a ▁" K urg an ▁culture " ▁as ▁reflect ing ▁an ▁early ▁Pro to - Ind o - Europe an ▁eth nic ity ▁that ▁existed ▁in ▁the ▁ste pp es ▁and ▁in ▁sout he astern ▁Europe ▁from ▁the ▁ 5 th ▁mill en ni um ▁to ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁mill en ni um ▁BC . ▁In ▁K urg an ▁cult ures , ▁most ▁bur ial s ▁were ▁in ▁k urg ans , ▁either ▁cl an ▁or ▁individual . ▁Most ▁prominent ▁leaders ▁were ▁buried ▁in ▁individual ▁k urg ans ,