Why do scholars debate whether Indo-European speakers entered Anatolia around 2450 BCE?

Scholars debate whether Indo-European speakers entered Anatolia around 2450 BCE primarily because of the ambiguity in the archaeological record regarding the transition to the third phase of the Early Bronze Age.1

While some researchers point to the destruction of various sites at the end of the second phase and the subsequent appearance of new western-style pottery and architectural features as evidence of an Indo-European migration from the northwest, others argue that these changes are not definitive proof of an invasion. Critics of the migration theory suggest that the increased uniformity in material culture observed during this period can be more simply attributed to enhanced regional contact, improved transport, and the growth of international trade.1

Furthermore, because Indo-European languages are not explicitly attested in Anatolia until the Middle Bronze Age, the specific date, route, and even the reality of an early Indo-European infiltration remain subjects of significant controversy among historians and archaeologists.1