the Uralic Continuity Theory is a theory about the Uralic languages developed by a group of archaeologists and linguists starting in the 1970s. The theory claims an uninterrupted continuity of the Uralic population from the Paleolithic. Their precursor Homo sapiens would have occupied mid-eastern Europe in the last glacial maximum and in the Mesolithic would have followed the retreating ice, eventually settling in their present territories.

This theory is considered by its proponents to replace earlier invasion theories, for example the "Kurgan theory". It is said to have become part of the general culture in all countries where Uralic languages are spoken. The theory questions the validity of the chronology for the many Uralic loanwords from the contiguous Indo-European and Turkic languages.

A later development of this theory has been applied to the Indo-European languages as the Paleolithic Continuity Theory.

References

• Alinei M, 2003. "Towards a Generalised Continuity Model for Uralic and Indo-European Languages" in "The Roots of Peoples and Languages of Northern Eurasia", edited by Kyosti Julku.

• Alinei M. Continuity from Paleolithic of Indo-European and Uralic Populations in Europe: the convergence of linguistic and archaeological frontiers" in "Proceedings of the UISSP", Leige 2001. BAR International Series.

• Meinder C, 1973. "The Problem of the Finno-Urgarian Peoples Origin" in Studies in the Anthropology of the Finno-Urgarian Peoples.

• Nunez M, 1987. A Model for the Early Settlement of Finland. Fennoscandia Archaeologica 4, pp 3-18.

• Nunez M, 1989. More on Finland's Settling Model. Fennoscandia Archaeologica 6, pp 90-98.

• Nunez M, 1996. "The Early Settlement of Northern Fennoscandia: when and whence" in "Reports of The North Project". Helsinki Papers in Archaeology 10, pp 93-102.

• Nunez M, 1998. "Old and New Ideas about the origins of the Finns and Saami" in "The Roots of Peoples and Languages of Northern Eurasia", edited by Kyosti Julku and Kalvi Wiik.