The Kurds as an Northwestern Iranian ethnic group enter the historical record in the medieval period, after the Islamic conquests.
The Kurdish people are believed to be of heterogeneous origins combining a number of earlier tribal or ethnic groups including Median, Lullubi, Guti, Cyrtians, Carduchi. They have also absorbed some elements from Semitic, Turkic and Armenian people.
While various predecessor groups that may have contributed to Kurdish ethnogenesis are of intractable anqituity (the Gutians being a people of the Middle Bronze Age).
The emergence of the Kurds as speakers of an identifiably Northwestern Iranian language (viz. Kurdish) necessarily post-dates the unity of the Northwestern branch. This would correspond to the time following the breakup of the Median Empire in the 6th century BC.
Kurds and Armenians became increasingly distinct, both culturally and politically, as Armenians chose Christianity as their official religion while Kurds, later, chose Islam.
Although most Armenians stayed Christian, some converted to Islam because of the favourable status given to Muslims under Turkish rule.
The Armenians of Vaspurakan who converted to Islam, gradually assimilated into Kurdish culture over time. This is likely to have occurred elsewhere as well, and probably accounts for the comparatively low census of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire at the beginning of the 20th century, as compared to the Middle Ages, alongside other factors, such as selective recording, extermination and migration.
Toward the 11th century the nomadic Turkic tribes from Central Asia moved towards the Middle East and Anatolia and further altered the ethnic mix at the expense of the local populations of Kurds, Armenians, and other natives.
A group of Armenian scientists conducted a study about the origins of the Turkish people in relation to Armenians. Savak Avagian; director of Armenia’s bone marrow bank found that “Turks and Armenians were the two societies throughout the world that were genetically close to each other. Kurds are also in same genetic pool”.
Yes, Yezydies are Kurds, but you should not think that language necessary define genetics etc. Language, etnicity and religion doesn’t always relate to each other. The Kurds was nomads, who used to live in peace with the Armenians, but it changed in the later part of 1800 century.
In the war between Russians and the Turks they became violent etc. The Turks used them against the Armenians. They have been used by different big powers, including the US, in a dirty game for oil and control. The Kurds have also been fighting between themselves. The Kurds now fighting in Turkey and Syria has been cooperating with the Armenians since the genocide.
The Kurds have no where to go if they can’t stay at the Armenian Highland – the only way it can be peace is by cooperation. We have to be aware of the Kurds, because not all of them are good, but cooperation is the way foreward.
Archaeogenetics of the Near East
Genetic origins of the Turkish people
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