Is Prostitution The World’s Oldest Profession?

Humanity’s Five Oldest Professions

Hieroglyphics depicting ancient Egyptian farming (Public domain)

There is a colloquial phrase that claims prostitution is the oldest profession in the world. It has been uttered by bewildered adolescents and bawdy soldiers for decades. But is that true? Is prostitution the oldest profession in the world?

Not exactly.

The phrase has roots in late 19th century literature when prostitution was all the rage in media. The first instance of prostitution being called the world’s oldest profession dates to 1889. Not exactly ancient. The phrase gained steam after World War I when troops started coming home from the front. Clearly, the phrase had been uttered more than a few times in the trenches.

It turns out, prostitution is not the world’s oldest profession. In fact, there are lots of occupations that are far older than good ol’ prostitution.

1. Hunter

Wooly mammoths near the Somme River (Public domain)

Before agriculture, humans were largely hunter gatherers. As gatherer is no longer an occupation that can be put on a resume, that leaves hunters. Hunting as a means of getting food and supplies from animals has been around since…