"The hypothesis proposing a steppe origin for the Indo-Iranians is... internally contradictory. Its prolonged acceptance may be explained by the absence of critical scrutiny, much like the scenario realized by the child in Andersen’s fairy tale about the Naked King. Notably, all Russian archaeologists are well aware that Andronovo materials are absent in the south, yet most remain convinced of this southward migration. Some Western researchers have repeatedly criticised the steppe migration hypothesis, particularly the Kulturkugel model, and have noted the absence of Andronovo sites in the south. These findings are not obscure."