Oldest profession - hunting or fishing or warfare or building. . . . or what?

Question

I mean proper professions, where effort is needed and made.

Look at how some people repeat what they're told most.

And how well their literacy and names fit with their answers!

A while ago I thought of religion, and it has to be one of the first - thanks for that. Some pretty good answers here.

Answer 1

Please disregard any answer that has the word "prostitution" in it. Just because everyone's heard the line, "Prostitution is the oldest profession in the world," doesn't make it true.

The first human-like beings were gatherers. They ate nuts, berries, fruit. Hundreds of thousands of years later, some became hunters. A very new theory postulates that it was the consumption of animal flesh, with its high protein content, that made brain development possible.

For the vast majority of time that human beings have been on the planet, they lived as hunters and gatherers. After more thousands of years past, some became herders, others became horticulturalists, and still others became mariners.

About 8,000 years ago, while most people still lived as described in the last two paragraphs, some people began the practice of agriculture. Horticulturalists used a pointy stick or hoe. Agriculturalists used a plow. Consequently, although it's popular to believe that the greatest invention of all time was the wheel, it is far more likely that the plow was far more important.

By being able to till the same fields year after year with a plow, people were able to erect cities, build huge structures (pyramids, coliseums, etc.), and protect their property with armies.

Agricultural society was replaced by industrial society during the eighteenth century, and the United States was probably the first society to enter the post-industrial stage. Post-industrial society exists when more people are employed in providing services than in farming (and related fields).

Answer 2

Hunting is probably the oldest although since it became a task every one did I wouldn't call it a true profession. Whether you believe the Bible or Evolution, farming, animal husbandry and building were probably the oldest with metal working and pottery making after that. Most of my info comes from either the book of Genesis which I think has some accurate points from a historical standpoint or The Emergence of Man series which u can get at your local library. Contrary to previous answers no prostitution is not one of the oldest professions as it did not develop till u had organized economic classes where some people had the extra money to spend on it.

Answer 3

Since you draw the line at 'effort is needed and made' I guess you are excluding gathering, such as walking around looking for berries and fruits.

That was the first thing, else we wouldn't be here.

Hunting/fishing came after gathering since it requires a bit more skill and effort. As for which of these came first, I guess it depends where you are, and whether you consider catching fish with your hands or spearing them as fishing. Hooks should have appeared later.

Religions are only likely to have started after humans had the time to stop worrying about survival, when they started having the time to think, and that is likely to have happened later.

Prostitution is a tough one. Since it is likely that there were only a few hunters who fed the whole group. However, it is likely that the structure of society wasn't like it is now, so I'd say prostitution also came later than hunting/fishing.

Building would have come later as initially people took advantage of natural stuff like caves for shelter.

In sum, if gathering is not considered a profession, then hunting would be the one, especially if you consider spearing fish as hunting.

Answer 4

I would suggest that the food gathering profession was the first. In order for it to be a profession, barter or currency exchange must take place. It is easier to assume that our ancestors gathered food and exchanged some goods with others. This takes less skill than does hunting, fishing or other ventures so it would seem that the simplest would have been the first.

Answer 5

Hunting and fishing would be regular tasks.
Warfare would be for defense or acquiring wanted or needed things.
Architecture would be for shelter in the beginning.
Toolmaking was a necessity, but someone had to do it.
So, also cooking and making garments.
Art was valued, surely.
Leadership had to have been there.
Spiritual guidance or the control of causing persons to behave; to be accepted by their actions or punished for wrongdoing.
No one living knows what was the first true profession. We can guess by evidence left; and that is all we can do.

Answer 6

Your first answer! Hunting is the oldest profession in the world! And yes prostitution is the second! Have fun!

Answer 7

I would say that the oldest profession was to provide food, shelter, and clothing for everyone. That would entail hunting, fishing and building.

Answer 8

Architects claim they are the oldest profession because God created the universe out of chaos. The real answer is politicians - they created the chaos.

Answer 9

Tool crafting.

I'm not sure if anyone was assigned to make tools, making it a profession, but I know that in order for anything to get done, ancient humans needed tools to do it.

Answer 10

I think leaders were the first profession or maybe Warriors