2007-01-26 03:56:51 · 11 answers · asked by tootatree 1 in Social Science ➔ Anthropology
The oldest profession in history- prostitution.
2007-01-26 08:46:09 · answer #1 · answered by starfish 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The problem is that the concept of a "job" probably doesn't go back very far. Just guessing, I'd venture that it's from the industrial revolution.
Do you mean: What was the first task in human history to which someone could devote their life, make their speciality, i.e., what was the first career?
Hard to say. Probably something like a priesthood would have served as the first *career path* in history.
Or, do you mean: What was the first task in human history for which someone was paid to perform?
That would be really difficult to tell, but maybe you could figure something out by looking up the origin of the first money . . . probably something to do with providing food, so hunting or fishing could be a likely answer. On the other hand, as another answerer has already mentioned, the saying is: "Prostitution is the oldest profession."
2007-01-26 04:57:45 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The oldest profession for which we have physical evidence is flint knapping, the act of making stone tools. This was a huge industry and a primary skill for just about everyone until the last few thousand years (when metallurgy spread around the world).
Think about all those arrowheads you can just find sitting out in fields, that are thousands of years old. It's like that globally.
2007-01-26 12:25:12 · answer #3 · answered by The Ry-Guy 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I dont know what the first job was but the oldest is prostitution.
2007-01-26 04:04:50 · answer #4 · answered by tooslowtoknow2004 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I was going to say shamanism as well, although if by "job" you mean employment in or work in exchange for money, or whatever barter, we must go a bit closer in time, than probably soldgier, someone who is paid or remedied in a way for having to fight to defend the tribe.
2007-01-27 04:59:26 · answer #5 · answered by selfish 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
My anthropology of religion class taught me that shamanism, not prostitution is the oldest profession. (I think prostitution was more of a hobby than a profession)
2007-01-26 12:15:06 · answer #6 · answered by Vada Grace's Mommy 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It has been said that prostitution is the oldest profession.
2007-01-26 10:08:07 · answer #7 · answered by rico3151 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Food gathering
2007-01-26 05:41:57 · answer #8 · answered by Isis 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Because Adam and Eve had no clothes when they were driven from the Garden of Even, I figure it was either clothes making (since they fashioned fig leaves) or transportation (since they were driven). After that it was probably farming.
2007-01-26 04:02:11 · answer #9 · answered by sophieb 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
The first groups of peope were hunter-gatherers, so one of those two things.
2007-01-26 04:07:06 · answer #10 · answered by nursesr4evr 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋