Linguistic evidence for Kuṣāṇa trade routes

Abstract Late Sanskrit lardayati ‘to load’ is probably not inherited from a PIE root *lerd-, as has recently been argued by Kaczyńska (2020), but can be explained denominative of *larda- ‘load, cargo’. This noun could borrowing Bactrian *λιρτο /lirtə/ cargo’ < Old Iranian *dr̥šta-. etymology fits well with the fact that phrased together sthora- ‘pack-animal’, likely another instantiation collocation *staura- ‘animal’ and *√darz- load’, for which I discuss evidence Niya Prakrit, Parthian Khotanese. In addition, further support drawn independent historical domination main trade routes Central South Asia Kuṣāṇa dynasty in first centuries our era.