Yes, but (without being a scholar of religion) I had always assumed that Hinduism was far older than its oldest surviving texts, just as Judaism, in some form, is older than whatever year we date the Torah to.
it depends on what you call 'hinduism'. it's one of the world's most heterodox religions and has absorbed a huge amount of cultural tradition from at least 300 languages.
The rig veda is probably what most people agree is one of the foundational texts of hinduism, but it dates to about 1500 BC.
However, the vedas probably absorbed a lot of earlier cultural tradition from the indus valley civilization, especially worship of Shiva-like deities. How much is however, debated.
just like mesopotamia, there was a lot of syncretism.
My read is that it's the other way around. i.e. what one could reasonably call Judaism is a good deal younger than the Torah, Hinduism a good deal younger than the Vedas. There are of course traditions within the religions that go back to those writings and further, but take that to its extreme and they all presumably stem from some ur-religion.
leephillips|4 years ago
fault1|4 years ago
The rig veda is probably what most people agree is one of the foundational texts of hinduism, but it dates to about 1500 BC.
However, the vedas probably absorbed a lot of earlier cultural tradition from the indus valley civilization, especially worship of Shiva-like deities. How much is however, debated.
just like mesopotamia, there was a lot of syncretism.
phonypc|4 years ago