When you go shopping, do you look for name brands? Some people will only purchase something if it has that name-brand appeal. And there is something to be said for a trusted name, especially one that has a lot of years behind it. It stands to reason, even if we don’t have proof, that a business must be good at what they do if they’ve been around for a long time. Whether that’s always true doesn’t matter, it does give you some extra cache in the business. And with that in mind, here are some of the oldest brands in the world that you can still enjoy to this very day.

10. Fruity Pebbles Was the First Brand of Cereal Marketed Around a TV Show 

Once upon a time, some brilliant marketing executive realized that if they started linking products to TV shows, then they would technically have a built-in customer base already. If you love The A-Team, surely you will love A-Team brand sneakers. In the cereal world, the first person to stumble upon this idea decided that if you like The Flintstones, you’re going to love Flintstones cereal. and thus Fruity Pebbles were born. 

If you’ve never had Fruity Pebbles they are small, arguably fruit-flavored sugary bits that are very brightly colored and feature The Flintstones on the box. Pebbles, as you may recall, was the name of the Flintstones’ daughter. That kind of makes eating the cereal weird because are they suggesting it’s dried-out bits of this cartoon child? Best not to think about it.

Fruity Pebbles was the first brand of cereal that was marketed as a tie into a TV show all the way back in 1971. According to Post, the company that makes the serial, about 1.4 billion bowls of their cereal are eaten every year proving that, even though The Flintstones was only on TV until 1966 originally, people will still enjoy a bowl full of sugar with your cartoon on the label over half a century later.

9. Buick is America’s Oldest Car Company Still in Operation

Car brands come and go throughout history. You will not find a new Pontiac on the road anytime soon, or an Oldsmobile, or a DeLorean. But if you want a vehicle with a lot of history behind it, you have a few choices. Everyone knows Ford and Chevy have been around for a while. Chevy dates back to 1911 and Ford dates back to June 1903. But if you want real old school? Buick is the oldest car brand in America which just sneaks past Ford as it was founded in May 1903. 

If you want something even more classical than a Buick, you’re going to want to look to Europe. Peugeot is the oldest car manufacturer in the world that’s still running, and they were manufacturing their first vehicles in the 1890s.

8. Fry’s Chocolate Cream is The World’s Oldest Still Available Chocolate Bar 

Do you have a sweet tooth? If you put a lot of stock in old family recipes, then you may have a preference for classic candy bars. Everyone knows Hershey, Nestle, and Cadbury had plenty of chocolates to offer and have been around for a while, but none of them can claim to have the world’s oldest chocolate bar that’s still on the market today.

If you want a taste of history you want Fry’s Chocolate Cream. Even the name sounds horribly antiquated and maybe not as enticing as it did back in 1866 when Joseph Fry invented it. 

The company itself dates all the way back to 1728, and it ceased being a company in 2011. However, Cadbury took over production of Fry’s products, including cream eggs which everyone knows, and the chocolate cream bar which is still on sale today. It features chocolate covering a creamy fondant center if that’s your cup of tea. 

7. Vernors is The Oldest Soda Brand

The global soft drink market was worth over $400 billion in 2021 and is expected to keep rising. That’s a baffling sum of money for something most people consider bad for you. Of course, alcohol is over one trillion dollars and that doesn’t include what’s sold at restaurants and bars, so maybe soft drink sales aren’t so remarkable after all. 

Regardless of the cash going into them, there are plenty of soft drinks on the market and many of them have extremely long histories. Drinks like Pepsi, Coca Cola and Dr. Pepper all date back to the 1800s with Dr. Pepper being the oldest from 1885. Still, the good, pepper doctor is not the oldest soda available in the modern world. That honor falls on Vernors ginger ale.

Vernor’s goes all the way back to 1866 when it was created in Detroit. Like any good drink of the era it was named after its inventor, in this case James Vernor and, of course, he was a pharmacist because pharmacists used to make a lot of weird stuff back in the day. Most early soft drinks were originally created as medicinal tonics because apparently no one knew what medicine was until sometime in the 1950s, maybe. 

Of course, if you like a little scandal, there’s also some debate about the exact year of Vernor’s creation with the potential for it being in 1880, which would still make it the earliest. However, the formula may have changed in the last several years as well and, if that’s the case, the Vernor’s you’re drinking may not be the original Vernor’s and therefore may not qualify as the oldest brand still available. 

6. Good & Plenty is the Oldest Candy Still Available

If Fry’s is the oldest chocolate bar still available, does that mean it’s the oldest candy still available? Or is that another category altogether? If you’re looking at non-chocolate candy, then Good & Plenty gets the title of the oldest one that’s still available on the market today. The tiny white and pink candy-coated slivers of black licorice were first sold back in 1893.

It is somewhat ironic that the oldest candy available in America is flavored with black licorice since black licorice is regarded as one of people’s least favorite flavors. It’s unpopular enough that there are news articles written about how unpopular it is, something you don’t see with most other candy flavoring out there.

5. Beretta Has Been Making Guns Since the 1500s

In the US alone 663 companies manufacture guns and ammunition. While many of those companies date back years and a few go back well over 100, none come close to Italian gun maker Beretta. The company has been manufacturing firearms since 1526. 

The company is a family-owned business and for many generations has been passed from father to son or nephew, all maintaining the Beretta family line. The company helped arm Napoleon’s forces back in the day. Who knows how many historical figures have shot or been shot by guns made by the Beretta family? It’s quite a legacy.

4. Zildjian Has Been Making Cymbals Since 1623

If you’re not a percussionist, you probably have devoted very little time in your life to thinking about cymbals. You may, however, have seen a drummer banging on one and noticed the name Zildjian written on the cymbal in a fancy script. Zildjian makes cymbals, and they have done so since the year 1623. If you want the oldest cymbals in the world, that’s where you need to go.

The story of Zildjian is more bizarre than you’d guess. In 1618, alchemist Avedis Zildjian was not looking to make musical instruments, he was trying to make gold. As you may be aware, alchemy isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, and instead of creating gold, he stumbled on a recipe for metal that made exceptional cymbals. 

The alloy Zildjian created is not widely known, and the company keeps it under wraps, lest every other musical alchemist out there tries to steal their thunder. The metals are copper, tin, and silver but exactly how they are combined is unknown. 

3. White Castle Is The Oldest Fast Food Burger You Can Get

In 2021 the global fast food market was worth just shy of $650 billion. There are also over 536,000 global fast-food restaurants out there, serving everyone quick and delicious or sometimes not-so-quick and vaguely horrible meals. All of that adds up to a lot of people eating a lot of fast food and that’s a hell of a legacy for the people who, many years ago, thought that churning out burgers like they were on a factory line was a good idea.

If you’re in the mood to get a real taste of that legacy, you need to go to the source. You need to find the oldest fast-food restaurant in America. Lucky for you, it’s also the first fast-food chain restaurant, too. It’s White Castle. 

White Castle began selling 5-cent hamburgers back in 1921. That was 19 years before the McDonald brothers opened their first restaurant, 31 years before the first KFC, and  33 years before the first Burger King. The closest you can get in terms of burger chains is A&W, which was founded in 1919 but didn’t become a restaurant until 1923. Before then it was just a roadside root beer stand.

2. Conciato Romano Seems to Be the Oldest Kind of Cheese Still Produced in the World

According to Wisconsin cheese makers, there are over 1,800 varieties of cheese in the world. Other sources will say over 2,000. Suffice it to say that you’ve got a heck of a lot more than just mozzarella, cheddar, gouda, and Velveeta.

Cheese-making dates back around 4,000 years. It’s believed that a lot of those ancient cheeses were probably pretty salty and briny. We don’t have a lot of recipes on explicitly how it was made when it was first discovered. That said, some cheese, by definition, must be the oldest, right?

Conciato Romano seems to be the oldest variety of cheese still produced today.  It’s been produced since the Roman Empire and the Samnite civilization around the 4th century BC. While it may not be an everyday cheese for most of us, it’s still probably worth trying if for no other reason than to understand what Roman emperors used to eat on their crackers.

The process of making the cheese today is labor intensive and obviously not something that many people are going to do. It needs to be made from goat or sheep’s milk, it’s washed in a very specific kind of water that is used to cook a dough first, and then it’s tanned in beechwood buildings. It’s quite an artisanal endeavor, and the cheese is not cheap. The price for 200 grams, less than half a pound, is close to 60 Euros.

1. Weihenstephan is a 1,000-Year-Old Brewery

In the world of alcohol, age means skill. Every brewer and distiller that has been around for more than a decade will probably include on the label or website somewhere just how long they’ve been around. None of them can come close to competing with Weihenstephan.

This Bavarian brewery isn’t just old, it’s ancient. While some might measure their progress in decades and a select few can even claim a century or two, Weihenstephan is the only brewer that’s about to start tossing the word “millennium” around.

The brewery was founded in the year 1040. It started life as a Benedictine monastery because 1,000 years ago monks were all about making beer in the name of the lord. In that whole time, it has never stopped doing what it does, so for nearly a thousand years they’ve been brewing different kinds of beer and, you would hope, really perfecting the recipes.

We would all love to live longer, so long as we can do it functionally and with all our faculties in place. There is much argument and many conflicting ideas on what allows people to live a long and healthy life. Despite this there is evidence of people living to an extraordinary age while smoking all their life, eating chocolate, drinking alcohol and all sorts of other contraindicated behaviors.

This is a list not of centenarians (people who have reached the age of 100 years), but of supercentenarians, who are those that have reached the ripe old age of 110 years or more. supercentenarians represent only a small portion of those living over 100 years. Only 1 in 1000 centenarians reach the age of 110. Further, only 2 percent of supercentenarians live to see age 115. Currently there are a documented 76 female and 2 male supercentenarians.

This list includes only verified supercentenarians, leaving out claims like Shirali Muslim (although he is a bonus item). However there are a few disputed claims that do have some proof.

So here they are in order from youngest to oldest.

Kamato Hongo, a Japanese supercentenarian, who was apparently the oldest living person from March 2002 until her death in 2003. She lived in Kagoshima and celebrated her 116th birthday a month before her death from pneumonia.

Hongo was born on the small island of Tokunoshima, she later moved to Kagoshima where she lived with her daughter. She became a minor celebrity and was a focus of some merchandise including wash-cloths, key-rings, phone cards and more (imagine how stylish a shirt with a wrinkled great grandmother on it would look). Hongo was 58 years old when World War II ended.

Kyushu, where Kagoshima is located is home to several other age record holders, making it an island of longevity, much like Okinawa.

Carrie C. White was recognized by Guinness world records as the oldest person in the world at around the time of her 114th birthday in 1988. Carrie was a resident of Palatka, Florida nursing home. She was in a nursing home not because of age, but due to a nervous breakdown in 1909, which left her institutionalized. Carrie is another case of dispute, however her documentation seems to be in order enough to give her the title of world’s oldest person between January 11th 1988 and February 14th 1991.

Elizabeth is a case that is not disputed, with documents in perfect order. And yes, she is another one from the United States. In fact, the US has more supercentenarians than any country in the world. They are not considered a land of longevity though due to the number per capita.

Elizabeth Bolden was one of only seven people worldwide that lived until age 116. Her birth was the last remaining documented birth of 1890. Elizabeth Jones (later Bolden) was born in Somerville Tennessee, the daughter of freed slaves. Lizzie married Lewis Bolden circa 1908 and their first child, a son named Ezell, was born on September 21st 1909. She had seven children in total, only two of whom were still alive at the time of her death in 2006.

In addition to Lizzie’s seven children she had 40 grand-children, 75 great grand-children, 150 great-great grand-children, 220 great-great-great grand-children and 75 great-great-great-great grand-children. Geez, imagine Christmas at granny’s house.

During my research I couldn’t find any documentation on her lifestyle habits. However a few lower down on this list reveal some of their secrets.

Tane Ikain is Japan’s oldest female on record ever. She is also the oldest undisputed person since the Koseki system in 1879.

Tane Ikai outlived her daughter and her three sons. Ikai moved to a retirement home in 1972 at age 93 where she enjoyed sewing and pottery until she had a stroke at age 99. She also suffered a stroke at age 113 and was bed-ridden ever since. She survived on three meals of rice gruel a day (mmm yummy, I promise there are better supercentenarian diets lower on this list). She died at age 116 and 175 days of kidney failure.

Her body was the first of a supercentenarian known to be autopsied.

Maria was a supercentenarian born in Ecuador and, until the time of her death, was recognized as the world’s oldest living person. She was the oldest documented person to have lived in three centuries.

Maria was the daughter of a colonel and lived a life in the upper-class elite. She attended social functions and art classes. She never smoked or drank hard liquor, unlike others on this list. At age 100 Capovilla nearly died and was given last rites, but has been reasonably free of health problems since then until her death. At age 116 she was said to be in good health and was able to watch TV, read newspapers and walk without the aid of a cane.

By March 2006 Capovilla’s health had declined somewhat and she was no longer able to read the newspaper. She had also stopped talking and was only able to walk with the help of two people. Still she was able to sit upright in a chair and was said to be doing fine. She died of Pneumonia just 18 days before her 117th birthday.

Meilleur was a French-Canadian supercentenarian, who upon the death of Jeanne Calment (number one on the list), was the oldest living person. She is still the oldest ever Canadian.

By the time she died of a blood clot at age 117, her son was already in the same nursing home and her oldest living daughter was 90 years old. Now that would make you feel old, a 90 year old daughter. She was said to be a vegetarian and an “Avid Cigarette Smoker” (as opposed to a normal cigarette smoker?).

Lucy Hannah was an American super centenarian, that’s right another American. But I can’t help it, she’s fourth on the list due to age. Hannah is the oldest African American to have ever lived and the oldest American at the time of her death. She is also, strangely, the oldest person to have never held the title of oldest LIVING person because she coincided with Jeanne Calment.

Sarah Knauss, was the oldest person to have ever lived in America. She died 33 hours before the year 2000. Sarah Knauss lived her entire life in Pennsylvania. She was born in a small coal-mining town called Hollywood. That’s right folks, Hollywood, the other Hollywood.

Knauss was a homemaker and insurance office manager. Her daughter, who was 96 at the time of her death and lived to be 101 herself, said she was a very tranquil and peaceful person. She said nothing fazed her mother. “This is why she has lived so long“. In 1995 she was asked if she enjoyed her long life. Her answer was that she enjoyed it because she had her health and could still do many things into old age. Her interests were needlepoint, watching televised golf and eating chocolate turtles, cashews and potato chips. Knauss was an elegant lady, very refined.

Sarah died quietly in her room at the Phoebe-Devitt Home Foundation Facility on December 30th 1999. Doctors said she was in good health with no signs of illness. She just simply ‘expired’. Had she lived three days longer she would have lived in three different centuries.

Izumi is another disputed case like the first couple of list items. However Guinness World Record still maintains that his record is valid. Izumi is unique on a list of supercentenarians because he is male. There is a pattern of longevity that seems to favor women. This may be due to a lot of reasons. One theory is that males live harsher, more stressful lives. Well they did in the first part of this century and before.

Izumi was a Japanese born supercentenarian. His name was recorded in Japan’s first census in 1871. He also holds the world record for the longest working life. He worked a total of 98 years. His wife died at age 90, which is still a pretty good run. He drank brown sugar shochu, an alcoholic beverage distilled from barley or rice. Interestingly he took up smoking at age 70. Lord knows why. Hanging with the cool kids maybe? He started working in 1872, when he was six years old (this is what he says anyway) and continued working until 1970 at age 105. He says his long life is the work of the gods, Buddha and the sun. he lived through a total of 71 Japanese prime ministers.

Izumi died of pneumonia after being in hospital a short time on February 21st 1986, the same day as Jeanne Calment’s 111th birthday (see item one). There is some research to suggest that Izumi was not the oldest person at the time and put his age at a juvenile 105 years. However this is still up for debate. If this is true Christian Mortensen is the oldest man to have ever lived at 115 years, 252 days. Christian’s age has been verified and is undisputed.

Jeanne Calment is my favorite. Super longevity is a fascinating topic for me. Considering that the maximum human lifespan possible is considered to be 123 – 125 years of age, makes Jeanne very special indeed. She definitely overstayed her time here on Earth.

Jeanne Louise Calment was a French supercentenarian from Arles. She outlived her daughter and her grandson. She was very well known at age 113 on the centenary of Vincent Van Gogh’s visit to Arles. She was the last person living to have personally met the artist. Her lifespan has been thoroughly documented, with more proof of her age than for any other case.

Funny Fact: Calment had no living heirs in 1965 at age 90. She made a deal to sell her apartment to lawyer Andrea-Francois Raffray on a contingency contract. This is often referred to as a reverse mortgage. He agreed to pay her 2500 francs every month until her death. Sounds like a smart move on his part considering she was 90 years old. He ended up paying her what equates to $180,000, which is more than double the apartment’s worth. After Raffray’s death in 1995 from cancer at age 77, his wife continued the payments until Calment’s death. How silly would you feel making that deal then having her live over 32 years after age 90?

Calment met Vincent Van Gogh in 1888 when he came to her father’s shop to buy some paint and pencils. She described him as dirty, badly dressed and disagreeable. She remembers this visit clearly along with watching the Eiffel tower being built.

At age 85 Jeanne took up fencing and at age 100 she was still riding a bicycle. She claimed to never have been athletic or fanatical about health and fitness. Calment lived alone until just before her 110th birthday. It was decided that she would be better off in a nursing home after a cooking accident nearly killed her. Jeanne was in great health and was able to walk right up until age 114 and 11 months when she fractured her femur from a fall. after an operation on the broken limb she required a wheelchair. She became ill with the flu just before her 116th birthday. She smoked right up until she was 117. Calment ascribed her longevity and youthful looks to olive oil. She rubbed it on her skin, drank it and used it in cooking. She enjoyed port wine and ate almost one kilogram (2.2lbs) of chocolate per week. Here is another photo of Jeanne aged 22.

Shirali Muslimov is an interesting case. Some say his age is for real, most dispute his extreme longevity. Muslimov was a Talysh shepherd from the village of Barzavu in the Lerik region of Azerbaijan, a mountainous area near the Iranian border.

The only evidence of Muslimov’s age is a passport that states his birth date in 1805. So there could be some truth to it. What is more likely however is that he has been confused with someone else, possibly his father or grandfather. It would be nice to believe though. Imagine a healthy 168 years of life. In the photo above on the right, Muslimov was allegedly over 160 years old.

For thousands of years, our ancestors gave way to their creative expression by creating figures of all sizes from bone, antler, ivory, and stone. The world’s oldest sculptures are often small enough to fit into the palm of your hand and do not come without their fair share of controversy.

These incredible works of art were mostly created by ancient flint tools that chipped away at the medium the ancient artists used. Their methods included gouging, drilling, and chiseling, while metal abrasives were used to refine surfaces with a smooth finish. Interestingly enough, some of the artworks were found hundreds of miles away from their original sources, possibly indicating that some form of trade existed.
Although we will never understand its precise meaning, use, or history, it is abundantly clear that continuous effort, technique, and care were involved in their creation. Portraying both real and mythical animals and people, these ancient artworks form part of the world’s history that belongs to each and every one of us.

Related: 10 Intriguing Cases Involving Rare Ancient Art And Writing

10 Venus of Brassempouy (23,000 BC)

A singular example of prehistoric art, the Venus of Brassempouy, is the remaining remnant of an ivory sculpture (fractured in ancient times) that was uncovered in Brassempouy in 1892, in the southwest of France. The Venus of Brassempouy—consisting of the remaining neck and head of the original sculpture—was crafted from mammoth ivory. It is approximately 3.5 centimeters (1.4 inches) high, 1.9 centimeters (0.75 inches) wide, and 2.2 centimeters (0.86 inches) deep.

Unlike all other venuses discovered throughout Europe to date, this unique sculpture contains distinct facial features such as a nose, eyes, a browline, and forehead—but no mouth. On the top and sides of the sculpture’s head, representations of braided hair or possibly even a headdress have been incised. The incredible facial features make this a remarkable piece of art, even though we may never know how the rest of the body appeared or what ultimately happened to it. This Stone Age sculpture, dated to about 23,000 BC, is one of only a few that features detailed representations of the human face and could possibly be the oldest one in existence.^[1]

9 Moravia Lion Head (24,000 BC)

Shortly after the digging at the Dolni Vestonice archaeological site in the Czech Republic began in 1924, the site’s importance became evident. In addition to being the site of several prehistoric burials, hundreds of fired clay and ceramic relics were unearthed. One of these was the 26,000-year-old Moravia Lion Head.

Formed from fired clay, the Lion Head is 4.5 centimeters (1.75 inches) wide, 2.8 centimeters (1.1 inches) high, and 1.5 centimeters (0.6 inches) deep. Its eyes, ears, and snout were modeled with incredible detail. Whether it’s a lion or lioness can’t be determined as the lions of the Ice Age didn’t have manes. Holes in one of its eyes and above one ear could possibly represent wounds.

The findings gave scientists insights into the importance of carnivores in the daily lives of the ancient inhabitants of the area. Although the acquisition of animal hides may have been their main reason for hunting carnivores, other body parts, such as bones, were used to create weapons and tools. In addition, fox and wolf teeth were used to make a variety of personal ornaments, including jewelry.^[2]

8 Water Bird in Flight (28,000 BC)

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

The Water Bird in Flight, chiseled from mammoth ivory, was uncovered in the famous Hohle Fels Cave in the southwest of Germany. It is just one of several flawlessly exquisite representations of animal designs. It’s around 30,000 years old and measures 4.7 centimeters (1.85 inches) from the tip of its beak to its rear tailpiece. The tiny sculpture was discovered in two separate parts at the archaeological site—close to the town of Schelklingen in 2002. Relics like this one show us that animals were not only seen as forms of meat, leather, or horn in the imaginations of early human beings but that they also might have been viewed as promises or messengers.

Although it is hard to determine for certain which specific hominid species created this particular sculpture, it is widely believed that the artists were modern humans (Homo sapiens).^[3]

7 The Vogelhead Horse (31,000 BC)

The Vogelherd Cave is located on the eastern side of the Swabian Jura in southwest Germany. After the discovery of the Upper Paleolithic Vogelherd figurines in 1931—attributed to the Aurignacian culture—this incredible cave received widespread scientific and public attention. The petite sculptures crafted from mammoth ivory are some of the longest surviving undisputed works of art in the world.

Among its most famous is the 33,000-year-old carving of a horse, the oldest sculpture of a horse in the world, which may have been used as a totem or pendant. Its features were worn down by frequent human handling, but it remains extraordinarily shaped, beautifully proportioned, and strikingly expressive. It is typically assumed to be a stallion with an assertive or imposing bearing due to its contoured neck. Unfortunately, only its head was completely preserved. As the external ivory layers have a tendency to flake, the width of the sculpture was significantly decreased, and its legs were destroyed. The sculpture also features numerous engraved symbols on the nape of the head as well as on its back and the left side of its chest, the significance of which may never be understood or known.^[4]

6 The Tolbaga Bear Head (33,000 BC)

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Apart from Israel, Siberia is the only area in Asia where Pleistocene art has historically captivated a satisfactory amount of attention, albeit limited. Compelling examples of paleoart have been identified at over 20 individual archaeological sites so far. While a lot of the artwork can be contributed to the Pleistocene era, most of it belongs to the Upper Paleolithic era. The archaeological site of Tolbaga is near the bank of the Khilok River in Siberia and was uncovered in the 1970s by the well-known Soviet archaeologist and historian Alexey Pavlovich Okladnikov.

The intricately carved head of an animal—commonly thought to be the head of a bear—chiseled from the second vertebra of the now-extinct woolen rhinoceros—was one of the site’s most important discoveries. Microscopic examination of the tool marks found on the sculpture managed to prove that it was etched and chiseled with a variety of different stone tools. Although the outcome of the sculpture on the artist’s side certainly took a lot of time and effort, it remains incredibly detailed and contains remarkably natural features.^[5]

5 Woolly Mammoth Figurine (33,000 BC)

In 2007, the first intact woolly mammoth sculpture was recovered by archaeologists from the University of Tübingen from the Swabian Jura in Germany. It is widely acknowledged that the find, which included several other figurines, was created by the first modern humans at least 35,000 years ago. Not only was the find rare due to the intact state of the mammoth, but it is also believed to be the oldest ivory sculpture discovered to date.

The woolly mammoth sculpture itself is quite small, measuring only 3.7 centimeters (1.5 inches) in length and weighing just 7.5 grams (0.25 ounces). However, it also displays masterfully detailed engravings, complete with a slim shape, pointy tail, strong legs, and a beautifully arched trunk that makes it truly unique. The mini-sculpture is adorned with short lacerations, and a crosshatch sequence is shown on the soles of its feet.

Collectively, a total of five ivory mammoth sculptures from the Upper Paleolithic era were discovered at the Vogelherd Cave archaeological site, made famous by the Tübingen archaeologist Gustav Reik, during its first excavation in 1931.^[6]

4 Venus of Hohle Fels (38,000 BC)

Sculpted during the Aurignacian culture of the Stone Age, the modest ivory sculpture of a feminine figure widely recognized as the Venus of Hohle Fels was uncovered during archaeological digs in 2008 at the previously mentioned Hohle Fels Cave in southwest Germany. It dates back to between 38,000-and 33,000 BC, officially making it the oldest among all the known Venus figurines and the oldest indisputable example of figurativism known to archaeology.

The Venus of Hohle Fels has a number of singular characteristics that are standard fare when looking at later female figurines, like the Venus of Willendorf. Its outrageous age, however, shines a spotlight on the early history of Upper Paleolithic art, proving that the Aurignacian culture was much more sophisticated than previously thought.

A large number of other equally important samples of portable art were also located in the vicinity of the Hohlenstein Mountain, but none of them had their own exhibition. The tiny figurine was one of the highlights of the Ice Age Art and Culture exhibition held in Stuttgart between 2009 and 2010.^[7]

3 Lion Man of the Hohlenstein Stadel (38,000 BC)

The Lion Man of Hohlenstein Stadel is the world’s oldest anthropomorphous figurine. Discovered in 1939 by archaeologist Robert Wetzel, the magnificent sculpture was unearthed within the Hohlenstein Stadel in Germany, a system of caves that continues to produce important archaeological and historically significant finds. The 40,000-year-old sculpture, created with flint and stone cutting tools, is also the first artwork ever discovered in Europe that represents a male figure.

The Lion Man was not found intact, and several pieces from the front of its body remain missing to this day. It measures 31 centimeters (12.2 inches). Its posture and physique seem to suggest that he is standing on the tips of his toes with his arms by his sides. The upper part of the left arm is crisscrossed with incisions that may represent tattoo designs or disfigurement. The Lion Man was uncovered with plenty of other artifacts but continues to stand out as a truly remarkable example of prehistoric human art from the Stone Age.^[8]

2 Venus of Tan-Tan (200,000–500,000 BC)

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

The Tan-Tan Venus was discovered during an excavation on the northern edge of the Draa River by state archaeologist Lutz Fiedler from Germany. The sculpture was located between the two undisturbed soil layers: the lower layer consisting of objects and sediment from the Early Acheulian era (around 500 000 BC) and the upper layer from the Middle Acheulian era (about 200,000 BC). Exactly in line with its excavation site, the Venus of Tan-Tan dates back to between 200,000-500,000 BC, placing it on the same timeline as the Golan Venus of Berekhat Ram and effectively dating it as the oldest art ever found in Africa.

The dating also effectively discounts Homo neanderthalensis as its creators and places the artwork firmly in front of the more primitive Homo erectus. Created from metamorphosed quartzite, the figurine is approximately 6 centimeters (2.5 inches) long, 2.6 centimeters (1 inch) wide, and 1.2 centimeters (0.5 inches) deep, weighing around 10 grams (0.3 ounces). Twenty tiny specks of a vibrant red waxy substance, recognized as iron and manganese, were discovered on its surface, the subject of which is still being hotly debated as it is not 100% clear if this was some form of ochre paint.

As with its equally controversial Golan sister, the Venus of Berekhat Ram, its anthropomorphous design is implied by particular ridges intricately carved into the figurine. Many of these markings have been attributed to nature, while others have been confirmed to be the result of the artifact being struck.^[9]

1 The Venus of Berekhat Ram (233,000 and 800,000 BC)

Our final item on the list, although highly controversial, has managed to earn a strong case for its legitimacy. The Venus of Berekhat Ram was uncovered in the Golan Heights in Israel. The object was found between two distinct layers of volcanic sediment and stone and is believed to be between 233,000 and 800,000 years old. Quite a few historians have come to believe that the relic was adapted to depict a feminine human figure, classifying it as a probable relic made by Homo erectus in the early Middle Paleolithic era.

Most of the debate surrounding the find was sidelined after a microscopic analysis by Alexander Marshack clearly indicated that human interference was involved in the object’s shaping. It is widely believed that the figurine was already somewhat humanoid in appearance when it was discovered and that it was then shaped and polished with early human tools. Its base provides evidence that it was chiseled flat to enable the sculpture to stand upright.

The case for the artifact was further reinforced by comparable findings in the neighboring regions, such as the Tan Tan Venus of Morrocco. For the time being, it has been concluded that the two figures may have been used for ritualistic or ceremonial purposes and that they might, in fact, be real.^[10]

Humans have been mucking about inventing things for thousands of years, and many of the items we take for granted today were actually invented long ago. That includes shoes, musical instruments, money, and plenty more.

Looking back over the millennia, it’s interesting to see when things pop up in the archaeological record. Odds are, many of these items you’re familiar with were created much further back in history than you previously thought.

Top 10 Oldest People Ever

10 The Oldest Known Coin

The oldest coin known to exist is the Lydian stater, which is comprised of a mix of gold and silver called electrum. The coin was minted around 600 BC in the kingdom of Lydia in what is now modern Turkey.

The coin was discovered in Ephesus, an ancient Hellenic city that operated as a prosperous trading center on the coast of Asia Minor in what is now the Turkish city of Selçuk. Electrum is a naturally-occurring alloy that was used to hand strike the coin. The front features a lion’s head while the reverse has the punch mark where the hammer struck the blank piece of metal.^[1]

While the Lydian sater is the oldest known coin, it doesn’t come from the oldest monetary system. The first recorded use of money can be traced to the Mesopotamian civilization, which used a shekel, first recorded in 3000 BC. Instead of a coin, a shekel was first a weight measurement. However, it would eventually evolve into silver weights and coins over time.

Before the advent of the shekel, various cultures used commodity money, which is an object that has been ascribed a value for use in trade. Ancient cultures often used various shells, including cowry shells, in places like India.^[2]

9 The Oldest Shoe Ever Found

Humans have been protecting their feet for thousands of years, but very little that was used by early humans to do so has survived to the present day. Still, there are records of people wearing footwear, and the oldest shoes ever found were located in a cave in the Vayoys Dzor province of Armenia. The so-called “Areni-1 shoe” is a 5,500-year-old leather shoe first discovered in 2008, and it is in considerably good condition.

Unfortunately, the shoe’s mate wasn’t found, but the discovered one is in excellent condition, considering its age. The shoe was located under a thick layer of sheep dung, which worked with the cave’s cool, dry conditions to preserve it. Along with the shoe, containers were found with preserved wheat, apricots, and barley.

Grass was found inside the shoe, which may have been used as a form of insulation, though it may have been used to maintain the shoe’s shape while it wasn’t worn.

The Areni-1 shoe is a one-piece leather shoe with laces, which is believed to have been a common type of footwear worn at the time. It is similar to the Opanci, a traditional Balkan shoe still worn today.^[3]

8 The Oldest Known Recipe For A Drink (Yes, It’s Beer)

Historians and archaeologists are aware that beer was first invented as far back as 10,000 BC in ancient Mesopotamia after finding remnants on pottery from that time. Beer arose around the same time as cereal agriculture became widespread, though no recipes from that period have been found.

The oldest recorded mention of beer comes from the epic of Gilgamesh,^[4] which dates as far back as sometime between 3500 and 2500 BC. The Sumerians were known to have concocted eight recipes for beer made from barley, and an equal amount brewed from wheat.

A recipe for beer has been found from 1800 BC in the Hymn to Ninkasi, the ancient Sumerian tutelary goddess of beer (and alcohol). It is believed that the hymn was sung while the beer was being brewed, and it was then taught from master brewers to their apprentices.^[5]

While modern beer is brewed with greater technological ease, the recipes haven’t changed much since they were first written down. Today, beer is consumed primarily as a recreational drink, but in ancient times, it was used as a source of calories, hydration, and religious festivals and celebrations, so… not much has changed.

7 The Oldest Recipe For Food

While a recipe for beer has been found from some 3,800 years ago, it’s not the oldest known recipe to exist. That honor goes to a recipe for nettle pudding, dating back much further to around 6,000 BC.

What’s fascinating about the recipe is that all the necessary ingredients are still commonly available, so anyone can make the world’s oldest dish. The recipe was uncovered by a research team working for the University of Wales Institute in Cardiff through an analysis of archaeological evidence, medieval records, and social history texts.^[6]

Here’s all you will need to recreate the recipe:

one bunch of sorrel
one bunch of watercress
one bunch of dandelion leaves
two bunches of young nettle leaves
one bunch of chives
one cup of barley flour
one teaspoon of salt
While you may not have a lot of that in your cupboard, odds are, you can find some of it growing outside.

The pudding is made by combining the ingredients in the proper order before securing them in linen or muslin cloth with a long string. Once it’s boiled for at least two hours, usually with a joint of boar or venison, it can be removed from the cloth, cut into slices, and eaten with barley bread.^[7]

6 Oldest Musical Instrument

Music has long been an aspect of every human culture on Earth, but it’s likely most people aren’t aware of how long people have been enjoying it. As far as we are able to tell, people have been creating music for at least 42,000 years.

We know this because of a find in a cave in Germany that was once occupied by a group of modern humans. Multiple flutes were found in the cave, one of which was made from a bird bone while the other was created using mammoth ivory.

The flutes were found in Geissenkloesterle Cave in Germany’s Swabian Jura, which was previously theorized to be a part of “a key corridor for the movement of humans and technological innovations into central Europe between 40,000 [and] 45,000 years ago.”^[8]

The previous record for the oldest musical instrument was found by the same researchers in the Hohle Fels cavern in southern Germany. Professor Nick Conard of the Tuebingen University found a 35,000-year-old flute measuring 7.8 in (20 cm), and was carved from a vulture’s wing bone.^[9]

10 Of The Oldest Artifacts In The World

5 The Oldest Prosthetic Device

Humans have been losing limbs since the beginning of the species. Over time, various methods were created to mitigate a missing appendage. Pirates had their peglegs, and that sort of thing, but the use of prosthetic devices meant to mimic a lost appendage are much older.

The oldest prosthetic device ever found was unearthed in a tomb near the city of Luxor in 1997, and has been on display in the Cairo museum ever since its discovery. The item in question is a prosthetic toe made of wood and leather.

An analysis of the artifact determined that it belonged to a woman, and it showed considerable signs of use. It had been refitted multiple times to shape it to the woman’s foot, which likely made it more comfortable for long-term use.

Given the technical expertise that clearly went into crafting the prosthetic toe, it’s likely others in Egypt used them. Unfortunately, no others have been found that date to around 1000 BC, as this one does. The manner in which it was made and maintained likely resulted in a freedom of movement that approximated what it would have been like before losing the toe it replaced.^[10]

4 The Oldest (Reusable) Condom

Because modern birth control in the form of condoms are made of rubber latex via a complex suite of machines, most people probably believe they are a relatively new invention. As it happens, condoms have been around for much longer than most people realize, and the oldest known one to exist was made in 1640.

The ancient birth control device was found in Lund, Sweden, and is made from a pig intestine. That may sound strange, but lambskin was a common material used prior to the creation of latex, and it’s still used in condom production for those with a latex allergy.

The condom wasn’t the only thing found related to 17th-century interests in avoiding pregnancy. In addition to the reusable condom, there was an owner’s manual written in Latin. The manual recommended washing the condom in warm milk to ensure it prevented disease.

This indicated that the condom’s manufacturer was well aware of its product’s inability to stop disease. While this was the oldest condom ever found, condoms of various types have been in use since around 11,000 BC, according to cave paintings in France.^[11][12]

3 The Oldest Recorded Tune

While it’s clear that music has been a factor in human culture for at least 42,000 years, records of the music played on the instruments that have been found are largely nonexistent. Still, there are some records of music that have made it to modern times, and the oldest is 4,000-years-old.

The oldest known piece of music is only a fragment of a musical notation found on a 4,000-year-old Sumerian clay tablet. The tune is a hymn honoring the ruler Lipit Ishtar, but it is, unfortunately, incomplete.

The oldest complete piece of music known to exist is the “Hurrian Hymn No. 6,” which is an ode to the goddess Nikkal. It was composed in cuneiform by the Hurrians sometime in the 14th century BC.

The hymn is complete, and it even came with musical notations, making it possible to play on a lyre. The lyrics that originally accompanied the music remain partly concealed. Still, it has been pieced together and translated from what is available, so you can listen to a song written some 3,400 years ago.^[13]

2 Oldest Map Ever Found

Most people with a cellphone use maps all the time, even if they don’t think of their GPS guide to a particular destination as a map. Still, that’s what it is, though it’s a highly evolved map, considering how they looked originally.

Maps have been around far longer than many of the items on this list, though there aren’t as many surviving examples as archaeologists and historians would like. The oldest known map of the world is the Imago Mundi, a Babylonian Map of the World, dating to between 500 and 700 BC.

The map is a carving that depicts Babylon in the center. Assyria and Elam are also shown, surrounded by a “Salt Sea,” forming a ring around the cities. The map features cuneiform text describing the local mythology in the region.

The oldest known geographic map ever found is the Turin Papyrus Map. Amennakhte, a well-known scribe in ancient Egypt, drew the map around 1150 BC. It depicts an area designated for a quarry expedition and was ordered by King Ramses IV.^[14]

The oldest surviving terrestrial globe is called the Erdapfel and was produced by Martin Behaim in 1492. It doesn’t depict the Americas and includes some exaggerated land masses as well as some mythical ones.^[15]

1 The Oldest Phallus Known To Exist

While it isn’t unreasonable to think that condoms were a modern invention, the artificial phallus, which is a nice way of saying “dildo,” has been around far longer. The oldest known dildo that has ever been found is a stone phallus dating back some 30,000 years.

The archaeologists who discovered it dubbed it an “Ice-Age baton,” and while it’s the oldest, it’s hardly the only one ever found. A far more intact one was found at Hohle Fels Cave in Germany. That one is fully intact and was made from fine-grained siltstone, which was ground, polished, and incised.

While it served an obvious purpose, it is also believed that it may have been used as a hammerstone. Over the years, other phallus’ have been found, including one dating to sometime between 4,000 and 6,000 BC.

That particular phallus was carved from a stag antler, and measures 4.1 in (10.5 cm) in length and is 0.78 in (2 cm) in diameter. According to Dr. Martin Rundkvist, a Swedish archaeologist who wrote of his find, “There are many non-dildoish uses for which it may have been intended but without doubt, anyone at the time would have seen the penile similarities.”^[16][17]

10 Of The Oldest Surviving Silent Horror Movies

The Guinness World Record title of Oldest Manatee (in captivity) was given to Snooty, a 69-year-old resident of Bradenton, Florida. He seemed to defy the odds as manatees in the wild typically only live for 10 to 15 years. However, this title is not what made Snooty truly special.

The 1,300-pound (590-kilogram) manatee spent his lifetime helping scientists unlock the mysteries of manatees, showing beyond doubt just how intelligent and magnificent these marine mammals are. From birth to death, the circumstances surrounding his life and achievements were truly remarkable.

From being the official mascot of Manatee County, Florida, to appearing on the Captain Kangaroo show, as well as having his own line of stuffed animals, Snooty demonstrated that he was a celebrity in his own right. He charmed his way into millions of hearts, both young and old, and proved that he was anything but a simple sea cow. Here are 10 fascinating facts about Snooty, the world’s oldest manatee.

Related: 10 Ageless Animals That Do Not Grow Old

10 Given Away by His Owner

Snooty’s mother, Lady, was rescued in 1947 by Samuel Stout, who ran the Miami Aquarium and Tackle Company, after she had been hit by a boat in Biscayne Bay, an estuary located near Miami, Florida. It was later discovered that she was pregnant, and Snooty was born on July 21, 1948.

Then, in 1949, the residents of Manatee County, Florida, were preparing to hold “The De Soto Celebration” to commemorate Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto’s arrival on land in 1536. However, seeing that the county was named after the manatee, the organizers were desperately searching for a manatee to put on display during the celebration.

Stout stepped up to the challenge and obtained a permit from the city of Miami to transport Snooty all the way to the city of Bradenton, Florida (Link 1), which was 242 miles (390 kilometers) away. While everyone in attendance, especially the children, fell in love with Snooty, a rumor was spread that Stout was using harpoons to capture manatees.

In light of these allegations, both the Humane Society and the Audobon Society protested Stout’s supposed “cruelty” to the Florida state board. Unfortunately for Stout, when official records were reviewed, it was discovered that Stout only had a permit to own one Manatee, Snooty’s mother. So he was ordered to let Snooty go. Knowing that Snooty would never survive in the wild, he gave him to Manatee County, specifically the city of Bradenton. He was transferred to the South Florida Museum, where he remained all his life.^[1]

9 Born on a Danish Warship

The Prins Valdemar was built in Helsingør, Denmark, in 1892, and throughout its 60-year existence, it was used for several purposes. The ship was used for gun running during the Mexican Revolution, a blockade runner during World War I, and later used to transport coconuts between Nicaragua and New York.

Richard Walters, a U.S. Army Hot Air Balloon commander, and George Risen, a hotel owner in New York City, purchased the Prins Valdemar in 1922 and planned to convert the ship into a floating cabaret that would provide hotel rooms, a restaurant, and entertainment to the rapidly-growing city of Miami.

However, on January 10, 1926, receding tides and strong winds caused the ship to capsize in the basin. Although it took six weeks, the vessel was eventually able to be recovered from the waters. Regardless of the ship’s previous fate, Walter would not give up his vision of remodeling the boat to make money. After working for two years to raise funds, the Prins Valdemar aquarium opened on May 1, 1928. The ship would later become the Miami Aquarium and Tackle Company, Snooty’s birthplace.^[2]

8 His Name Wasn’t Always Snooty

When Snooty was born in 1948, he had a much different name. Samuel Stout had initially given him the name “Baby.” Original, right? However, when “Baby” was given to the city of Bradenton, he was given the name “Baby Snoots,” which was a play on words and a reference to the bratty theater character played by Fanny Brice in 1912.

When “Baby Snoots” was in his 20s, he outgrew what was deemed a childish name and was simply called Snooty.^[3]

7 No One Knows What Happened to His Mother

While Samuel Stout was forced to give up Snooty, Lady, Snooty’s mother, remained with Stout at the Miami Aquarium and Tackle Company.

However, in 1949, the city of Miami deemed the 21-year-old aquarium “outdated” and decided not to renew the lease. The aquarium was given 90 days to cease operations, which was not much time to relocate the 2,500 animals that called the aquarium home. Given the time crunch and the inability to sell or rehome the animals within such a short period of time, all the animals, including an 8-foot (2.4-meter) nurse shark and Lady, were released into the Biscayne Bay and never seen again.^[4]

6 More Human Than Manatee

Even though Snooty was a manatee, he had particular characteristics, tastes, and behaviors that made him seem much more human than manatee. He had his own taste in food, music, and even women and was a “mother figure” to rehabilitated manatees that shared his home during the course of his lifetime. He was often even seen sleeping on his back with his flippers across his chest, the way a human would.

While manatees in the wild are known for eating fruit such as oranges or melons that have fallen into the water, Snooty was picky about the fruits he ate. He loved pineapples and strawberries but would specifically turn down bananas.

Snooty also had particular tastes in music. An informal study was conducted to see if and how manatees would respond to music. When Micheal Buble and Elvis Presley songs were played, Snooty would come to the surface of his tank, rest on his flippers, and attentively listen to the duration of the entire song. However, when other genres of music, such as rock and rap, were played, Snooty paid them no mind.

Snooty’s preferences did not stop with his food or his choice of music. He also had specific taste in women, which was intriguing because manatees naturally have poor eyesight. However, Snooty easily recognized his trainers by sight, not by the sound of their voice, and also demonstrated a fondness for blonde women, especially actress Tippi Hedren—of Hitchcock’s The Birds—who made several visits to see Snooty.

While Snooty was a male, he had “motherly” qualities that proved to be beneficial to the South Florida Museum and other manatees who would call the facility home. Over the course of his lifetime, 33 other manatees were brought in that needed rehabilitation, and they would be placed in Snooty’s tank. As with any infant or juvenile animal, being placed into a strange environment is very difficult, and they often need an adult figure to guide them. For the other manatees brought to the South Florida Museum, Snooty was that figure, and he provided a sense of comfort which helped them acclimate to their new home.^[5]

5 Large (and Famous) Fanbase

The city of Bradenton, Florida, is not considered “large,” with its most current population listed as 55,905. However, millions of people from all over the country, and the world, were drawn there to visit its most famous resident—Snooty. Over 6,000 people visited the South Florida Museum in July 2013 to join in on Snooty’s 65th birthday celebration.

In addition to the number of visitors who came to see Snooty each year, he also received numerous visits from celebrities. Aside from Tippi Hedren, he was visited by Robert Ripley and former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt. His fanbase was also not limited to the state of Florida, or even the United States, as Snooty also had a large following in Germany, which is a vast 4,787 miles (7,705 kilometers) from his home.^[6]

4 Invaluable Information to Scientists

Not much scientific research had previously been done on manatees because they were considered unintelligent. However, Snooty proved those misconceptions to be completely false as he participated in studies related to manatee brain activity, reproduction, and reaction to environmental stimulation.

A manatee’s brain is the size of a softball, smooth, and does not have the “nooks and crannies” similar to those found in a human brain. Therefore, manatees were often thought to have very little brain activity. This theory was put to rest after Snooty participated in several research studies. Scientists learned that he, in fact, remembered the voices of his former trainers and also the training methods he was taught by them. In a separate test, Snooty was able to successfully complete experimental tasks the way dolphins could. In a third test, Snooty, along with two other manatees from the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, Florida, was placed in a paddle-tapping project that would test their cognitive and long-term memory. The manatees from Lowry Park Zoo took six weeks to complete the testing requirements, but Snooty finished in a mere two weeks.

Snooty also helped the University of Florida prove their theories on how male manatees are able to locate females in heat. Their theory stated that female manatees were believed to release hormones within their urine that males could sense. When researchers released samples of female manatee urine into his tank, Snooty went wild. He did barrel rolls and began swimming much faster, clearly showing excitement for the female scent.

Perhaps one of the most important studies Snooty participated in was one that would test his ability to hear and see if there was a connection between manatees’ auditory ability and their reaction to stimulation in the water. Given that injuries and deaths from boats are unfortunately common to manatees in the wild, the results of this test could help boaters better understand how to avoid manatees while in the waterways. Snooty confirmed that manatees are indeed able to hear boat motors and that they have a tendency to go left when stimulated with the sound.^[7]

3 Victim of Death Hoaxes

While Snooty was well-loved by so many, there were naturally naysayers who could not fathom the possibility of him living as long as he did and even went so far as to accuse the South Florida Museum of secretly replacing Snooty with other manatees without public knowledge.

In October 2014, someone used a fan-created Facebook page to share a post that was supposedly from the South Florida Museum stating Snooty had passed away. Given the speed that information travels across the internet, the hoax spread like wildfire, and the museum was inundated with calls from people wanting to clarify. Thankfully, at that time, the post was nothing more than a cruel rumor. Similar incidents occurred in 2015 and again two days before his actual death in 2017.^[8]

2 Dies Day after His 69th Birthday

Since 1993, Snooty’s birthday had been an annual celebration at the South Florida Museum that never failed to draw in a large crowd. Snooty’s 69th birthday was no different. He spent the day eating cake (well, a tower of pineapple, strawberries, and carrots shaped like a cake) with hundreds of loving fans who sang him “Happy Birthday.” However, just one short day later, the celebration quickly turned into mourning as museum officials announced his tragic death.

Sadly, Snooty had been found in the part of his tank that was solely used to house plumbing for the life-support system in his exhibit. When an access panel that is normally bolted shut came loose, Snooty was able to swim in but was unable to escape the area. The museum ceased operations for the remainder of the day to give both staff and Snooty fans time to mourn the loss and also to allow an investigation regarding the circumstances surrounding his death.^[9]

1 Honored with a Living Memorial

After the sorrowful news broke of Snooty’s death, fans across the globe and Bradenton city officials alike sent an outpouring of tributes to the museum. Some left posts via social media, while others flocked to the museum leaving cards, flowers, and lettuce outside.

A living memorial was created on the South Florida Museum website, given that Snooty had spent nearly seven decades assisting in vital scientific research and manatee conservation programs. The memorial included a specific timeline of Snooty’s life and accomplishments and also allowed those who loved him to share photos and heartfelt words.

In addition to the memorial, the South Florida Museum also hosted a Snooty Memorial Open House on September 24, 2017, which allowed guests to watch a visual tribute to the famous manatee. It also provided the opportunity for those in attendance to create memorial projects that would honor Snooty’s legacy.^[10]

The past two years have seen many establishments having to close their doors either temporarily or permanently. Whether it has been learning institutions, entertainment venues, or places to eat, their value is appreciated now more than ever.

With the recent closure announcement of a pub—Ye Olde Fighting Cocks in St. Albans, just north of London—that had been in business for 1,000 years, it is time to take a look at some of the oldest establishments of their kind that have stood the test of time and are still operational as of this writing.

Related: Top 10 Most Talked-About Hotels In The World

10 Airport

College Park Airport—Opened in 1909

The world’s oldest airport still in operation is located in Maryland, USA. The airport was established after the Wright brothers managed to convince the U.S. Army to purchase one of their planes. The brothers were then required to train two army officers to be able to fly it. They needed a space large enough to ensure a level of safety, and College Park had the area they required for Wilbur Wright to train the two officers.

Today, College Park Airport is used for civilian pilots and also boasts a museum. Due to the airport being so close to Washington, DC, there are restrictions around who can land at the airport, and background checks are protocol. In aviation history, College Park Airport also holds the title for having the first female passenger in a plane in the United States and for being the location of the first controlled helicopter flight.^[1]

9 Movie Theater

State Theater—Opened on May 14, 1897

Grab a big box of popcorn for this one. In 2016, the State Theater in Washington, Iowa, was given the official title of being the world’s oldest, continuously operating movie theater. When it opened in 1897, many of the films screened there were brought in from France, and ticket prices were between 15 and 35 cents.

Unfortunately, in 2010, a fire broke out in the projection room, and the theater had to close for refurbishments temporarily. The theater has kept up to date with technology where they even screen 3D movies; however, the classic, old-fashioned feel that the locals love is still there for everyone to go and experience. If only the ticket prices could have stayed the same…^[2]

8 Shopping Mall

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II—Opened in 1877

Of course, the oldest, continuously operating shopping mall is in one of the fashion capitals of the world—Milan. The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, which took 12 years to build, is an architectural masterpiece, and many high-end clothing stores can be found there, including Gucci and Prada. You can walk around and look at the magnificent mosaics inspired by Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas. The mosaic garnering the most attraction is the Turin Coat of Arms, which features a bull. It is believed that if one spins their heel three times over the bull’s testicles, it will bring good luck.

If you get hungry, then you can stop by Café Biffi, which has been operating since 1867, 10 years before the mall officially opened. And if you are broke after shopping at Prada, there is a McDonald’s decorated in black and gold—because it has to blend in somehow. It is a requirement that the store signs have their company names in gold font on a black background. Even without spending a cent, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is worth visiting for its beauty alone.^[3]

7 Zoo

Tiergarten Schönbrunn—Opened in 1752

Located in Vienna, Austria, the Tiergarten Schönbrunn opened to the public in 1779. This was 27 years after Franz Stephan I of Lorrain, a Holy Roman Emperor, decided to move his private menagerie to his summer residence, the Schönbrunn Palace, in 1752. He ordered a man by the name of Adrian van Stekhoven to build him a place to keep all of his animals. Keeping private collections of animals, mostly brought back from foreign expeditions, was very much the norm in Europe among royals. After Franz’s death, his son, Joseph II, brought in different types of animals that his father had not previously had in his collection, such as carnivores. Franz was not a fan of their odors, apparently.

Joseph II decided to open the park to the public in 1779 and made a promise that the zoo would be “A place of recreation dedicated to all the people by their Esteemer,” a quote that is still a feature in the zoo for everyone to read. Today, the zoo focuses on conservation and education and boasts a variety of animals from around the world. It also includes an aquarium, polarium, and simulated Amazon rainforest. The Tiergarten Schönbrunn survived through World Wars and a financial crisis and still stands today as the world’s oldest operating zoo—as well as a UNESCO World Heritage site.^[4]

6 Restaurant

Restaurante Botín—Opened in 1725

Remember to reserve your table for this entry as the world’s oldest restaurant still in operation is situated in Madrid, Spain. It can definitely be argued that there are many older restaurants still in business; however, Restaurante Botín takes the title as it has remained in the same building and has kept its 18th-century interior since it opened in 1725. It continuously ran until it had to close temporarily due to the pandemic and reopened on July 1, 2020. It had even stayed open during the Spanish Civil War. Luckily, the temporary pandemic closure will not change the title given to them by Guinness World Records.

In 1725, Jean Botín and his wife established a small inn. Guests would have to bring their own food to be cooked there as, at the time, selling food in such an establishment was banned as it could have interfered with other businesses.As the couple had no children, the restaurant was left to their nephew upon their deaths, who renamed it Sobrino de Botín, which translates to Nephew of Botín. It was run by generations of the Botín family until 1930, when the González family took over. Since then, the restaurant has maintained its interior and even has the original fire oven that is still used to roast their famous menu item—suckling pig.^[5]

5 Theater

Teatro Olimpico—Opened in 1585

Located in Vicenza, a town in Italy, the Teatro Olimpico is not only the oldest operating indoor theater in the world but also a UNESCO World Heritage site. It could be said that the star of this show is the Roman architecture and sculptures. Andrea Palladio, a famous Renaissance architect, designed the theater inside of a pre-existing, abandoned fortress in order to create a space for entertainment that was greatly inspired by Roman theaters.

Unfortunately, he died before the theater opened, and his son, Silla, saw to the completion of the theater. The first production shown at the theater was the play Oedipus the King. Vincenzo Scamozzi designed the stage to replicate the seven streets in the city of Thebes. This structure has remained to this day as a part of the theater. The theater, which seats 400 people, puts on a variety of shows every year, including plays and concerts.^[6]

4 Amusement Park

Bakken—Opened in 1583

The Bakken amusement park, located in Copenhagen, Denmark, is a fun day out for the whole family. At first, during the summertime, people were drawn to the healing springs found in the area. Eventually, people started to provide entertainment and sell products for everyone visiting the springs. From there, it continued to develop into an amusement park. Along with the modern rides found today, one can also ride a wooden roller coaster that is over 80 years old! Entrance is free, and you pay for the rides you want to experience.

Once you are inside, you can take your pick of the 31 rides available or choose from some of the other 78 attractions, including a gaming arcade. On a hot summer’s day, you can grab an ice cream or enjoy some delicious Danish treats. For the past 200 years, a clown called Pjerrot has brought laughter to many children visiting the park. Despite its age, the park is bright, colorful, and welcoming to all of its visitors. Instead of using big brands/companies for stalls, small businesses operate within the park in order to preserve the historical value of Bakken.^[7]

3 Museum

Musei Capitolini—Opened in 1471

Situated in Rome, the Musei Capitolini’s history started when Pope Sixtus IV donated a large number of bronze artifacts to the Roman people in 1471. They were displayed on Capitoline Hill, which today is a museum made up of three buildings. Over the years, many different items were added to the exhibit, including jewelry, statues, coins, artworks, and many other kinds of artifacts.

Various popes were involved in the growth of the museum. Popes Pius V and Paul III donated pieces to the growing collection, Pope Clement XII took part in the opening of the Palazzo Nuovo building for the public to visit, and Pope Benedict XIV helped open the art gallery. The art gallery, Pinacoteca, is the oldest public display of paintings. Michelangelo—you might have heard of him—had a hand in the redesign and renovation of parts of the museum but, unfortunately, died before he could complete his vision. Today, the museum is home to many ancient and medieval artifacts, including the famous statue of Emperor Marcus Aurelius on his horse.^[8]

2 University

The University of al-Qarawiyyin—Opened in 859

The University of al-Qarawiyyin has an incredible history. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, holds the Guinness World Record for the oldest, continuously operating university in the world, and it was also the first education institution to award a degree. Founded in Fez, Morocco, the university’s focus has been on Islamic studies.

A woman named Fatima al-Fihri used money that she had inherited to open a mosque for her community. It also had a school called a madrasa, an Islamic college focusing on the teachings of the religion. The school developed into a university where both men and women have studied many subjects, including medicine, astronomy, and music, along with Islamic studies. It was in the mid-1900s that the university adapted to the state education system and introduced chemistry, physics, and foreign languages.^[9]

1 Hotel

Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan—Opened in 705

Book a relaxing stay at the world’s oldest, continuously operating hotel that, up until today, has been run by an astonishing 52 generations of the same family. The hotel was built during the Keiun era, and therefore the inn, founded by Fujiwara Mahito, was named after it. It has kept up to date with modern amenities but maintains the elegance of Japanese architecture and offers peace and tranquility.

The hotel is famous for its free-flowing hot springs that pump around 1,630 liters (430 gallons) of water a minute. Along with the breathtaking views, the hotel offers a restaurant that serves meals made from seasonal ingredients and top-quality Koshu beef.^[10]

There’s something about monsters that just won’t die. No matter how many times they’re debunked or disproven, these mythical creatures continue to capture our imaginations. Perhaps it’s because we all have a little bit of monster inside of us, just waiting to come out. Or maybe it’s because these stories have been passed down for generations, becoming a part of our collective consciousness.

Whatever the reason, there’s no denying that monsters are here to stay, and here is a list of the monsters who have lived in our collective consciousness for the longest time.

10 The Chupacabra

The chupacabra is a mythical creature that is said to live in Puerto Rico, South America, and Mexico, even venturing into the American southwest. It is often described as a dog-like creature with spikes down its back. The first sighting of the chupacabra was in 1995 when a farmer in Puerto Rico found some dead animals with puncture wounds in their necks. There has been a myriad of other supposed sightings, with the latest one being a video from 2019, making this one active monster.

The chupacabra may be scary, but it has not lived for too long compared to the other monsters on this list. Although its myth is certainly becoming an enduring one.^[1]

9 The Mokele-Mbembe

The mokele-mbembe is a mythical creature that is said to inhabit the Congo Basin in Africa. It is described as a large, elephant-like creature with a long neck and a long, snake-like tail. Some believe that the mokele-mbembe is a real animal.

The first recorded sighting of the mokele-mbembe was in 1909 when the famed hunter Carl Hagenbeck wrote of hearing it from others. They had heard about the creature from natives that it was “half elephant, half dragon” in his autobiography Beasts and Men.

In 2016, a travel documentary crew visited many villages in the area and heard one of two stories: either that it was still there or that it had died a decade ago. According to legend, the mokele-mbembe would have lived for around 100 years, and it is interesting to see a mythical creature die which doesn’t happen with most others.^[2]

8 Bigfoot

Bigfoot, also known as a sasquatch, is a creature said to inhabit forests, mainly in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. It’s usually described as a large, hairy, ape-like creature.

The history of Bigfoot is shrouded in mystery, with many Native American groups having myths and legends surrounding the hairy creature for generations. A few sightings of it sprang up in the 19th century. Since the 1950s, though, there have been an exceptionally large number of sightings of the creature, but it has never been caught or killed.

Some believe that Bigfoot is a Yeti, a mythical creature from the Himalayas. Others believe it is a descendant of an ape-like creature that lived in North America millions of years ago. There are even those who believe that it is just a human wearing animal skin.

Whatever the truth might be, one thing is for sure: this Bigfoot fellow, if it is one entity, has got to be really old now.^[3]

7 The Yeti

The Yeti, also known as the Abominable Snowman, is a mythical creature that inhabits the Himalayan region of Nepal and Tibet. The Yeti is said to be a large, hairy, human-like creature that is sometimes described as ape-like or bear-like.

The first recorded sighting of the Yeti was in 1832 when a British explorer named B.H. Hodgson reported seeing a large, ape-like creature in the Himalayas. What is it with these 19th-century people and giant apes?! First Bigfoot, and now this?! The myth gained more momentum in the 20th century, with—supposed—photographic evidence of a Yeti print. And like Bigfoot, tales of the mythical beast actually existed for centuries ago in local folklore.

Whether the Yeti and Bigfoot are real or not, it is certainly interesting that both are close to having their 200th birthday.^[4]

4 The Megalodon

The megalodon, a shark of insane proportions, was a real creature millions of years ago that went extinct, but some people think it still exists, now making it a mythical creature. The first (more recent) sighting of this megalodon was in 1873 when supposedly “fresh” teeth were found by the HMS Challenger. This led many to believe and fantasize about the continued existence of the megalodon.

This means that the new megalodon myth has been alive for 150 years, which is pretty bad compared to the millions lived by its real counterpart.^[5]

5 The Kraken

The kraken, the giant sea monster of legend, has been terrorizing sailors since the 12th century. The first recorded reference to the kraken was by the Norwegian king, Sverre, in 1180. The kraken continued to inspire fear among sea goers until the latest mention, which seems to be during the early 19th century. This was when the ship Ville de Paris was swallowed up in the water, and the other ships coming to its aid disappeared the same way, leading some to believe this was the work of the kraken.

Octopuses actually have a very short lifespan of one to three years, depending on species, so maybe Sverre should have thought a thousand years ahead and made it a half-immortal jellyfish, half-octopus instead.^[6]

4 The Basilisk

The basilisk is a mythical creature with the body of a snake and the head of a rooster. It is said to be able to kill with a single glance.

The first written account of a basilisk was in the work The Natural History by Pliny the Elder, published in the first century AD. Pliny said that the basilisk was born from a cock’s egg that had been incubated by a toad or a serpent.

The legend of the basilisk continued to grow in the Middle Ages, written about in The Canterbury Tales and even by Leonardo da Vinci.

The final sighting of the basilisk is that one is said to have terrorized the inhabitants of Vilnius, Lithuania, during the reign of Grand Duke Sigismund August, which lasted until 1572. This means the basilisk legend lived for 1500 years.^[7]

3 The Loch Ness Monster

The Loch Ness monster, also affectionately known as Nessie, is a mysterious creature that is said to inhabit Loch Ness in Scotland. Some people believe that the Loch Ness monster is a plesiosaur, a type of prehistoric marine reptile. Others believe the Loch Ness monster is a tree, an eel, or an enormous catfish.

The crazy thing is that Nessie has been sighted a multitude of times across 1500 years of history, including our modern age! The first recorded sighting was in the 6th century when Saint Columba saw something in the water that disturbed him. In the 1930s, there was a spate of Nessie sightings, and the Loch Ness monster became world-famous.

Google even spotted something in the loch in 2006, but it turned out to be a log. To celebrate the Loch Ness monster, they even have underwater photos of the Loch on Google Earth.

That plesiosaur, log, or tree, whatever it is, must now know that loch like the back of its… hand… er, fin… er, whatever its appendage is called!^[8]

2 The Manticore

The manticore is a mythical creature with the head of a human and the body of a lion. It is believed to be native to Ethiopia but has also been associated with ancient Persia and Egypt.

The manticore’s first appearance in literature was, again, in Pliny the Elder’s The Natural History. In this work, Pliny describes the manticore as follows: “There is another animal which is called the man-eater [manticorus]. It has a human face, with three rows of teeth in its mouth, and a voice like a trumpet.”

The manticore continued to appear throughout the Middle Ages and Renaissance. In the 13th century, the Italian poet Dante Alighieri included the manticore in his epic poem The Divine Comedy.

Luckily the manticore seems to have died in the seventeenth century when Randle Holme was the last to write “nonfiction” about it. Well, 1600 years is a good run, I guess.^[9]

1 The Sphinx

The sphinx has been a part of human mythology for millennia. It is typically depicted as a lion with a human head and is often associated with wisdom and knowledge.

The earliest known reference to the sphinx comes from ancient Egyptian culture, where the creature was said to guard temples and treasure. The sphinx was also popular with ancient Greeks, who believed it guarded the city of Thebes by famously asking a riddle—about the creature that is four-footed then two-footed and then three-footed.

The sphinx myth lived from before 2500 BC, when the Great Sphinx was built, to the 9th century, when the last pagans of Greece lived. At more than 3300 years, this makes it by far the oldest monster myth on this list!^[10]

The caves of the world contain some of the best ancient works of art ever created. Not all of them may be as spectacular as those of Altamira in Spain, which notably triggered Picasso to say that anything “after Altamira is only decadence.” They all do, however, offer understanding into the way our ancient ancestors thought, even though the works of art were created tens of thousands of years ago.

Worldwide, these ancient artworks also continue to be of particular significance to indigenous communities, who see them as an integral part of their spiritual and cultural heritage. It has also emerged as an essential source of cultural tourism and constitutes a crucial economic revenue in several countries around the globe. As we’ve looked at the oldest sculptures in the World recently, we now turn our attention to a list of the oldest cave paintings in the world.

10 Apollo 11 Cave—Namibia
(25,500–27,500 Years Old)

The Apollo 11 Cave lies about 160 miles (250 kilometers) southwest of the town of Keetmanshoop in southwestern Namibia. The surrounding region and, quite possibly, the cave was originally named “Goachanas” by the Nama people. However, the German archaeologist Wolfgang Erich Wendt was actively excavating inside the cave on July 24, 1969, when he learned of Apollo 11’s team’s safe return to Earth. He renamed the cave to celebrate the occasion.

The cave housed several of the oldest portable artworks in southern Africa, carbon-dated between 27,500 and 25,500 years old. The slabs of art discovered within the cave are commonly referred to as the Apollo 11 stones. In total, seven grey and brown quartzite slabs have been unearthed in the cave. Apart from the Apollo stones, the cave also contained numerous red and white paintings, which ranged from basic geometric shapes and patterns to images of bees, which can be a nuisance to unwary travelers to this day. Ancient artworks were also discovered in the form of engravings on the banks of a nearby river and on a massive limestone boulder a few feet from the cave’s entrance.^[1]

9 Nawarla Gabarnmang—Australia
(28,000 Years Old)

In 2006, Ray Whear, the Jawoyn Association Aboriginal Corporation’s Cultural and Environmental Manager, observed the shadow of an unusually high rock shelter while doing a periodic aerial survey of the Arnhem Land Plateau in Australia. Whear asked the pilot to land the helicopter to take a closer look. After walking the short distance up to the rock shelter, the two men were amazed to find themselves inside a spectacular ancient gallery featuring more than 1,000 paintings.

The massive rock shelter lies on the territory belonging to the Buyhmi clan. A highly respected Aboriginal elder named Bardayal “Lofty” Nadjamerrek from Arnhem Land titled the site Nawarla Gabarnmang, which means “place of hole in the rock” in the Jawoyn language. The artworks have been mapped and carbon-dated since 2006 and have been confirmed to be the oldest ever to be discovered in Australia. Hundreds of vividly intertwined human, animal, fish, and dreamlike figures are on the shelter’s roof and pillars, all painted in radiant red, orange, white, and black pigments, portraying generation after generation of artworks comprising millennia.^[2]

8 Coliboaia Cave—Romania
(32,000 Years Old)

In 2009, a team of French researchers and Romanian spelunkers discovered 32,000-year-old art in the Coliboaia cave. The subsequent studies and research have advanced the idea that prehistoric cultures across Europe shared a common artistic culture that may or may not have been linked. Prior to the discovery, Romania had only one site with prehistoric cave art, Cuciulat Cave, which showcased only two animal drawings. The remaining instances of cave paintings in the Far East are in Russia’s Ural Mountains, but neither is older than 14,000 years.

The Coliboaia Cave was actually discovered around the early 1980s, but its initial explorers did not find any prehistoric paintings. In fact, the cave is quite challenging to explore since many of its galleries are permanently flooded by an underground river. However, in 2009, spelunkers from several Romanian spelunking clubs decided to explore Coliboaia utilizing diving equipment and finally located the incredible cave art. Many of the paintings can only be seen by drifting in the water and sticking one’s head above the surface. Upward of half a dozen images were discovered, including a horse, two bear heads, a bison, and two rhinoceros heads, almost 100% similar to the imagery discovered to date in Western European caves.^[3]

7 Chauvet Cave—France
(30,000 to 35,000 Years Old)

The first documented figurative cave art in Europe dates back more than 30,000 years and can be found in Chauvet Cave in France. While many scientists believe that the artworks are too sophisticated for this period, over 80 radiocarbon dates were collected by 2011, with tests conducted on everything from torch tracks to paintings, bone fragments, and charcoal recovered from the cave floor. The radiocarbon records from the collected samples indicate two creation phases in Chauvet. The first was around 35,000 years ago, and the second was 30,000 years ago. Another surprising finding was that some of the artworks were continuously revised over thousands of years, which explained the superior quality of some earlier paintings.

The highly diverse and significant number of animals that crisscross the internal spaces of the cave —both engraved and painted—are of such an elevated aesthetic beauty and high quality that archaeologists initially believed them to be considerably younger and in line with the prior art in caves such as that of the Lascaux Cave. Its incredible artistry and age have made us rethink the history of art and the abilities and skills of these prehistoric people. The cave was granted UNESCO World Heritage status in 2014.^[4]

6 Kapova Cave—Bashkortostan, Russia
(36,000 Years Old)

Alexander Ryumin, a senior researcher at the Bashkir State Nature Reserve, made a titillating discovery in January 1959. He identified drawings of ancient humans on the walls of the Kapova (Shulgantash) cave. Ryumin, who had actually gone into the cave looking for bats, discovered brightly colored works of art depicting various animals, including rhinos, horses, and mammoths. The discovery became a real-world sensation. In the scientific community, the prevailing belief during the 1950s was that drawings of animals from the Paleolithic era were a hallmark of prehistoric art uncovered in Western Europe and could only be found in France and Spain. Since its discovery, the Kapova cave has become a crucial cultural and historical complex that remains unrivaled throughout Eastern Europe.

The most intricate composition was discovered on the eastern wall. At the center of the panel, one can find the image of an animal now fondly called “Ryumin’s horse” because this was the first image to be identified in the cave. Following the horse is a long trail of animals, including several mammoths and a rhinoceros. Every animal seems to be strolling from right to left, with a tiny mammoth trying to stand or heading in another direction. The opposite wall sports a bison or bull and several mammoths with a calf. One can also see an image of a trapezium with peculiar lines and other geometric patterns repeated throughout the various panels in the cave.^[5]

5 Caves in the District of Maros—Indonesia
(39,900 Years Old)

The caves in Sulawesi’s Maros district in Indonesia are renowned for the thousands of handprints on their walls. In 2014, a study based on uranium-thorium dating placed the handprints at a minimum age of 39,900 years. Another recent discovery of a babirusa painting within the caves was also dated to at least 35,000 BC, firmly placing it among some of the oldest figurative representations discovered worldwide.

The discovery of prehistoric art on the island of Sulawesi significantly extends the geographical placement of the world’s first cave artists, who were long believed to have emerged in prehistoric Europe. Big and dangerous mammals are predominantly depicted in Europe and Sulawesi’s prehistoric cave art, leading archeologists to believe that they played a significant role in these people’s belief systems. The findings from the Maros cave sites further raise the likelihood that these types of artworks predate the migration of modern humans from Africa 60,000 years ago, leading many archeologists to believe that even older examples of cave art will eventually be found in mainland Asia and Africa.^[6]

4 Cave of El Castillo—Spain
(40,000 Years Old)

Hermilio Alcalde del Río, a Spanish archaeologist, was one of the pioneers in researching and studying the earliest cave art in Cantabria. It was no surprise that he discovered El Castillo’s Cave in 1903. The entrance to the cave was initially relatively narrow but was later widened as a consequence of the numerous archaeological excavations within the cave system. Alcalde del Río discovered a lengthy series of paintings, extensive markings, and ancient graffiti created in charcoal and red ochre on the ceilings and walls of several caverns from the Lower Paleolithic Era to the Bronze Age. More than 150 artworks have already been cataloged, including those highlighting deer engravings—complete with partial shading.

According to recent studies, Neanderthals created the oldest works of art in the cave, although most of the later works were made by Homo sapiens. The studies concluded that Stone Age artists painted red disks, club-like symbols, geometric patterns, and handprints on European cave walls long before popular thought, in some instances upward of 40,000 years ago. The research results seem to point to a string of recent discoveries: significant fossil evidence that Homo sapiens lived in England 41,500 to 44,200 years ago, in Italy from 43,000 to 45,000 years ago, and that musical instruments were being made in German caves around 42,000 years ago. Scientists are also uncovering new genetic evidence of Neanderthal-Homo sapien interbreeding, revealing much closer relationships than generally believed.^[7]

3 Lubang Jeriji Saléh Cave—East Kalimantan, Borneo (40,000 Years Old)

A spotty, worn-down artwork of a beast painted on the wall of a cave system in Borneo may well be one of the oldest discovered instances of figurative rock art in the world. Fractured and faded, the reddish image depicts a healthy-looking but thin-legged mammal, possibly a species of cattle that can still be found living on the island, with a streak of ochre resembling a spear dangling from its side. The animal is just one of a trio of large animals adorning a wall in the Lubang Jeriji Saleh cave in the Kalimantan province of Borneo in Indonesia. Thousands of paintings have been discovered in limestone caves in the region and have been analyzed and studied since their discovery in 1994 by the French explorer Luc-Henri Fage.

Around and between the three large mammals are hundreds of hand stencils, the tell-tale cave art calling cards of our prehistoric ancestors. The faded markings, which show up spectacularly on their own or in groups, were created by spraying ochre paint via the mouth over a hand pressed against the rock. Scientists have determined the paintings’ ages by dating the calcite crusts that sometimes border the walls of the caves. These crusts are formed when rainwater manages to creep into the caves. Those below the artwork give scientists a maximum age for the painting, and those at the highest point provide the minimum age.^[8]

2 Caves in the District of Maros… Again—Indonesia (43,900 Years Old)

As if one appearance on the list wasn’t enough, the caves in the Maros-Pangkep karst of South Sulawesi, Indonesia—specifically the cave known as Leang Bulu’ Sipong 4—was recently found to have a painting that is over 43,900 years old. This prehistoric artwork on the island of Sulawesi, confirmed to be the world’s oldest figurative work of art, depicts part-animal, part-human figures hunting wild boars and comparatively tiny bison-like mammals with ropes and spears. The representation of part-animal, part-human hunters is believed to be the earliest evidence of our ability to perceive things that do not usually exist in the natural world. This capacity is the foundation of religious thought—the origins of which have been shrouded in mystery for thousands of years.

Apart from the exceptional age of this artwork, it’s the first example of cave art with a detailed and thorough narrative or “story” of such great age. The conventional opinion has always been that humanity’s first rock art was mere geometric symbols, which progressed into the exquisite figurative artworks found in France and Spain around 35,000 years ago. From this perspective, the first storylines and human-animal hybrids (known as therianthropes) only came into being much later. But the artworks inside Leang Bulu’s Sipong 4 now show that the main elements of sophisticated artistic culture were already prevalent in Sulawesi 44,000 years ago—therianthropes, figurative art, and scenes.^[9]

1 Maltravieso Cave—Cáceres, Spain
(64,000 Years Old)

The world’s oldest confirmed cave painting is a beautiful red hand stencil that was discovered in the cave of Maltravieso in Cáceres, Spain, along with two nearby caves: La Pasiega and Ardales. Its age alone might have been impressive, but a new study conducted by the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and the University of Southampton decisively concluded that the artworks discovered in three separate caves in Spain were painted over 64,000 years ago. This is a solid 20,000 years before our modern human ancestors arrived in Europe. Their research confirms that the Palaeolithic (Ice Age) cave paintings—which include paintings of mammals, as well as geometric designs and dots, were made by Europe’s only inhabitants at the time—the Neanderthals.

The research demonstrated how the international team of researchers used a highly developed method called uranium-thorium dating to confirm the age of artworks to over 64,000 years. All three caves contain black and red ochre paintings of groups of mammals, dots, patterns, and engravings, hand stencils, and handprints. From their findings, the researchers have also confirmed that the creation of the paintings and other artwork must have involved such highly developed behavior as location selection, pigment mixing, and even light source planning. ^[10]

Cartoons are loved by both children and adults. Walt Disney revolutionized the cartoon world with characters such as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. To this day, cartoon characters are loved and are considered some people’s favorite. Here’s some of the oldest cartoon characters. The longest airing cartoons that still haven’t quit.

Top 10 Oldest Cartoon Characters:

10- Daffy Duck

Daffy Duck made its first appearance in 1937’s short Porky Duck Hunt, made by director Tex Avery and animated by Bob Clampett. Daddy Duck was one of the first “screwball” characters and has starred in 130 shorts in the Golden Age.

He often appears with his sidekick Porky Pig and is shown to be a jealous rival of Bugs Bunny. The black duck is depicted as Bugs Bunny’s rival/friend in cartoon series such as Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies. His female counterpart is Melissa Duck.

9- Bugs Bunny

One of the most iconic characters ever made, Bugs Bunny appeared for the first time in 1940 in a Tex Avery directed cartoon named a Wild Hare. He was created by Leon Schlesinger and voiced by Mel Blanc during America’s the Golden Age of Animation.

Known for nearly always chewing a carrot, mischievous personality and Brooklyn accent, Bugs Bunny has starred and appeared in many films, TV series, comic books, amusement park rides. He became the main character in Merrie Melodies and the Looney Tunes series. Bugs Bunny has his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

8- Tom and Jerry

Created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera in 1940 for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the Tom and Jerry cartoon has become one of the most famous and loved cartoons ever. Their plot centers on Tom and Jerry, a housecat and a brown mouse’s never ending chases and fights. Tom chases Jerry, but Jerry almost always with due to his intelligence and agility.

The show won a total of seven Academy Awards for Best Animated Short Film. See also; 10 Things You Might Wanna Know About Tom and Jerry.

7- Popeye

Popeye was first created in 1929 by Elzie Crisler Segar for his Thimble Theatre comic strip, which was later renamed after Popeye himself. In 1933, The Popeye cartoon series started by Max Fleischer Studios and then continued by Paramount Studios.

He is a sailor most famous for his pipe, his huge muscular arms that have two anchor tattoos, his squinting right eye. He also eats spinach to gain super strength, as he is able to lift heavy objects and save his fiancee Olive Oyl from villains. See also – Controversial Trivia of Cartoon Characters.

6- Scooby Doo

Scoobert “Scooby” Doo is the protagonist of the series with the same name that was created in 1969 by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. Scooby Doo is a Great Dane whose companions are Fred, Velma, Daphne and Shaggy, his best friend who he shares same personality traits with.

Scooby Doo has a speech impediment, and often begins most words with ‘R’, but his friends understand him nevertheless. His catchphrase is “Scooby-Dooby-Doo!” Scooby Doo, Where Are You? Debuted on CBS network with its first episode “What a Night for a Knight” on September 13, 1969.

5- Fred Flintstone

Frederick Joseph (Fred) Flintstone was created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. His first appearance was in 1960.

He is married to Wilma Flintstone and they have a daughter called Pebbles. Fred and Wilma are best friends with their next door neighbors Barney and Betty Rubble. They live in a prehistoric town where dinosaurs coexist with humans, as Fred has a pet dinosaur named Dino. His famous look includes his black hair, big nose and the orange loin with black spots cloth he wears with a tie.

4- Bonzo the Dog

Loved by both children and adults, Bonzo the Dog was created in 1922 by George Studdy. His distinguishing features are his ears, one black and one white, a few black spots, a little tail and big blue eyes.

He appeared in films and on stage. By the mid of 1920s, bookstores, toy stores, department stores were all buying Bonzo’s merchandise products, such as toys, ashtrays, trinket boxes, car mascots,, jigsaw puzzles, books, and sweets.

3- Donald Duck

Donald Duck’s full name is Donald Fauntleroy Duck. He is one of the most popular cartoon characters out there. Also, most known for his trademark sailor shirt and hat and no pants, his short temper and many fights and silly, but loveable antics.

Donald Duck’s birthday is June 9, 1934 and his first appearance was in 1934 in a Silly Symphony cartoon named “The Wise Little Hen”. He has appeared in over 152 cartoon shorts between 1934 and 1959.

Most famously, he is also known for his love interest, Daisy Duck. See also, 10 Jobs That Donald Duck Has Attempted.

2- Mickey Mouse

Mickey Mouse is one of the oldest and most known characters ever. He was ‘born’ in 1928, the date which his first picture started. Originally, the mouse’s name was Mortimer Mouse but he was given the name Mickey Mouse by Walt Disney’s wife, Lillian Disney.

His first completed cartoon is called Plane Crazy, which failed to impress distributors. The second cartoon was The Gallopin’ Gaucho which had the same result. However, Mickey Mouse succeeded in its first attempt with Steamboat Willie.

Mickey Mouse didn’t speak until 1929. His first words were “Hot dogs!”, voiced by Walt Disney himself.

1- Felix The Cat

Felix the cat was created in 1919 by cartoonist Otto Messmer and Pat. He is identified as one of the most popular cartoon characters of the silent era with his famous grin, black body, wide eyes and The Magic Bag of Tricks from which he can pull out anything he needs at the moment.

His first appearance was in a short film called Feline Follies and then made into print. King Features syndicated Felix in over 250 newspapers. By the end of the fifties, Joe Oriolo produced 264 five minutes episodes of Felix for Trans-Lux TV.

See also; The 10 Most Popular Disney Princesses.

Cemeteries are spooky places. It doesn’t matter how old they are. There’s just something unsettling about the presence of dead bodies and ghostly gravestones. Of course, the United States is a young country, relatively speaking. Graveyards across Europe and Asia are often centuries older than those in America. Tales of the people buried on those sites are practically ancient. Stories about their rumored spirits have been handed down for generations.

While the U.S. doesn’t have quite as long of a history, it does boast its own ancient afterlife. And the burial grounds that go along with it are fascinating. Historians across America study old cemeteries to learn about the past. The stories they’ve unearthed are both unsettling and amazing. In this list, you’ll learn about ten of America’s oldest graveyards and the supposed spirits who stay within. These centuries-old cemeteries are seriously spooky!

10 NYC’s Old Gravesend Cemetery

New York City has a very long history. It’s also a modern-day travel destination and business hub. So you wouldn’t be wrong to think much of the historic Big Apple has been paved over and renovated. But not everything in NYC is moving forward. In fact, there are quite a few old cemeteries scattered across its boroughs. The city’s first Dutch settlers are buried in graveyards that date back to the 17th century.

The Old Gravesend Cemetery in Brooklyn is one of the oldest of those. The area around it was first established in 1643. The first mention of Old Gravesend itself was in a will dated 1658. So while the cemetery’s founding date isn’t precisely known, it likely came about in the 1640s. In total, there are 379 gravestones at the site. City officials have been working on renovating the stones. Upkeep is costly, but the history that comes with it is immeasurable.

The cemetery’s most famous resident is (probably) Lady Deborah Moody. She was the surrounding settlement’s founder and first settler. In fact, she was the first woman to establish a community of Dutch immigrants in all of New England. Well off during her life, Moody originally left Holland to settle in Massachusetts. But once there, she clashed with the Puritans. They didn’t like her belief in adult baptism. And her work to convert people was viewed as unseemly. So they cast her out, and she traveled down to New York.

At the time, the area was known as New Amsterdam and had a heavily Dutch population. Moody fit right in and settled in the Gravesend area of modern-day Brooklyn. But as well known as she was at the time, it’s unclear whether Moody is buried in the graveyard in her adopted home. It’s probable, but historians have no definitive proof of her burial there. Considering the age of the burial ground, it’s likely that the mystery will never be solved.^[1]

9 Boston’s Granary Burying Ground

Much like New York City, Boston’s bustle is forever moving forward. And much like New York City, Boston has its own incredible past. The Massachusetts city is full of old cemeteries, just like others up and down the Eastern Seaboard too. In Boston, one of the oldest is the Granary Burying Ground. That name was officially christened in 1737, but the cemetery site was around nearly a full century earlier. For over 200 years, until the 1880s, notable Bostonians were buried in the Granary Ground. In total, about 5,000 people were laid to rest on the site. Not all the grave markers have lasted the test of time, though. Today, officials estimate about 2,300 stones are still in order.

The disheveled history of those headstones took an interesting turn in the 1800s. In the middle of that century, Bostonians were frustrated with the disorder of the grounds. So, they set about a years-long project to rearrange and set right thousands of headstones. Some were moved and misplaced. Others were accidentally destroyed in the clean-up.

Today, the site is far more orderly. However, it’s unclear whether every headstone is actually in its original spot. Nevertheless, the Granary Burying Ground keeps on playing the hits. Paths inside the cemetery take scores of visitors on an incredible tour. Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Paul Revere, and Crispus Attucks are all buried in the cemetery. American history truly rests in the Granary Burying Ground.^[2]

8 Texas’s Ernest Witte Site

New York and Boston hold historic cemeteries, but they aren’t the only ancient graveyards in America. In fact, there are far older burial grounds scattered elsewhere across the U.S. And the oldest of them all can be found in Texas, of all places! In the 1970s, historians found an ancient Brazos River burial ground. Today, it is known as the Ernest Witte Site.

Archaeological evidence suggests the area was first used as a cemetery nearly 5,000 years ago. Scientists believe the final burials there happened around AD 1500. Some of these fossils were buried with primitive stone tools. More recent burials came with the presence of shell jewelry, carved stone knives, and animal skulls. The site is now a treasure trove of archaeological information about life in pre-contact America.

The story behind the burial site’s name is its own fascinating tale. Ernest Witte was a young boy growing up in rural Texas in the 1930s. One day, in the middle of the Great Depression, Witte and his brother were rooting around an area near the Brazos River. Accidentally, they uncovered some fossils. Not knowing what they found, they kept digging. Slowly but surely, they uncovered more ancient artifacts. But here’s where it gets really crazy: The brothers never told anyone about it!

For decades, Ernest kept the site a secret. Finally, in 1974, he reached out to the Texas Archaeological Survey. Shocked scientists flocked to the site and began digging. They’ve since found the remains of roughly 250 people at the site. The historical value has been immense. But it was nearly lost to history forever!^[3]

7 West Virginia’s Grave Creek Mound

West Virginia boasts its own ancient burial site. Grave Creek Mound sits in the far north part of the state, close to the Ohio border. The nearby town of Moundsville is named for it. And if you haven’t already guessed by now, the burial site is one big mound. There’s more to it than that, though.

Archaeologists have determined the graves contained within date back to about 250 BC. They are the graves of members of the local Adena tribe. When the culture was thriving, the Adena buried their dead in these raised mounds. The sheer size of the Grave Creek Mound is stunning. Scientists believe tribe members moved nearly 57,000 tons of soil to create the hill. The Adena also built smaller mounds set near the large earthen dome. In those, they placed meaningful trinkets and mementos like jewelry and religious items. For centuries, the site was their solemn way to honor the dead.

Sadly, looters got to Grave Creek Mound before archaeologists did. While science has preserved many things from the dirt structure, many more have been lost to history. Through the 18th and 19th centuries, looters raided the smaller mounds. They took trinkets, sea shells, ivory beads, copper bracelets, and other things that had been left centuries before. Thankfully, some items remained. Plus, layers of burials within the mound itself gave archaeologists plenty to learn.

Today, historians have been able to piece together a lot about the Adena despite these setbacks. But much of the mound’s earthly items remain a mystery. Researchers wonder what they missed out on after decades of grave robberies.^[4]

6 New Orleans’ St. Louis Cemetery No. 1

St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 may be the most memorable graveyard on this list. It’s a striking sight to see. Rows of above-ground tombs dot the tightly-packed cemetery. It is full of historic New Orleans flavor and mystery. Stories of haunted spirits and rumors of ghastly ghosts abound. The cemetery isn’t the oldest in New Orleans, but it’s close. It was first built way back in 1789. A series of fires and a brutal epidemic had just ravaged the Big Easy. City officials were worried existing cemeteries couldn’t hold all the dead. So, St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 was created.

At first, the dead were actually buried underground. But in 1803, New Orleans levied a law ordering all new burials must be done above ground. Since its founding, the low-lying city has been subjected to waves of flooding. Having a bunch of human remains wash up was fast becoming a public health nightmare. And so the tradition of the raised tombs began.

Just like Old Gravesend in NYC, St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 has a notable soul inside. Marie Laveau was born in New Orleans in 1801 to a Creole mother. As an adult, she worked in town as a hairdresser. But she was far more famous in the region for her side gig as a voodoo priestess. People in New Orleans swore by the spells she cast and the mystical powers she supposedly held.

Before she died in 1881, Marie was a local legend. When she was buried in St. Louis Cemetery, locals still tried to seek favor from her spirit. For decades after, mourners came to the graveyard to visit her tomb. Once there, they would paint large Xs on the tomb door. The city made the practice illegal, but that didn’t stop the superstition. Even today, Laveau’s legend lives on.^[5]

5 Providence’s North Burial Ground

The North Burial Ground has been in Providence, Rhode Island, since about 1700. Long before America was a nation, settlers came to Rhode Island. On the north side of its historic urban center, planners set aside 45 acres for a cemetery. One of the first burials was that of a prominent settler named Samuel Whipple. Over the next few years, many more locals followed. Eventually, the North Burial Ground became the place to lay the city’s elite leaders and residents to rest.

Over the next century, Providence consolidated other burial grounds. Historically, well-to-do families buried their dead on their own plots of land. But as Providence grew, that custom became inefficient. So in 1785, the city’s elite residents exhumed the bodies of many of their ancestors and elders. All the remains were carefully carted away and re-buried in the North Burial Ground. In the decades after, many more prominent citizens were laid to rest in the cemetery. Since then, the graveyard has undergone many renovations. Further grave relocations have swept in too. In the 1980s, the city even (briefly) lost a headstone after a car accident ran aground in a corner of the cemetery.

Over the years, many high-profile people have been buried within. Veterans of both the Revolutionary War and the Civil War rest there. More recently, famous Americans like pioneering outdoorswoman Annie Smith Peck and early goth poet Sarah Helen Whitman are buried there too. And today, the North Burial Ground still accepts new burials. That is rare for a 300-year-old cemetery! But the site is still active. It takes in about 200 sets of remains every year. And every year, newly-deceased Providence residents add their own life stories to the hallowed ground.^[6]

4 Salem’s Charter Street Cemetery

Whenever one says “Salem,” the implication is clear: witchcraft. The Massachusetts town was famously the supposed center of witchcraft in the 17th century. But the city has ghost stories far older than that! In fact, Salem’s Charter Street Cemetery predates the witch trials by more than six decades. The burial ground, which is known to locals as Old Burying Point, was first mentioned in written documents in 1637. Historians now think the context of that reference indicates it was around long before that. So while its founding year is unclear, this analysis suggests Old Burying Point is the oldest European cemetery in America.

The oldest surviving headstone on site belongs to a woman named Doraty Cromwell. She died in Salem in 1673. That her gravestone has survived this long is a miracle. Early American memorials were usually made out of wood. Thus, most haven’t survived centuries of winter snow, spring rain, and summer sun. Before Cromwell, it’s impossible to know who else was laid to rest at Old Burying Point. Thankfully for genealogists, grave markers have long since switched to stone.

Historians do know one thing, though: Salem’s supposed witches were not buried at the Charter Street Cemetery. They were put on trial very close by in 1692. And Old Burying Point was already well-established as the city’s cemetery by then. But those found guilty of practicing witchcraft wouldn’t have been given a public burial in an esteemed location. It’s far more likely they were buried secretly by sympathetic family members. If no one stepped up, these accused witches were thrown into unmarked graves near their trial sites. For them, a well-regarded rest at Old Burying Point was never in the cards.^[7]

3 New Mexico’s San Esteban del Rey Mission Church

Decades before American colonists kicked off their anti-British rumblings back east, Spanish explorers were making their way through the southwest. In 1629, they founded the San Estévan del Rey Mission in what is now western New Mexico. Back then, the land belonged to the Acoma Pueblo people. The Spanish intended for the mission to bring Catholicism to the natives. Part of the Spaniards’ hopes centered on the afterlife: They wanted indigenous people to follow the church’s burial customs. For decades, the Spanish tried to attract the Acoma Pueblo to their lifestyle. The visitors had some success until the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. Then, for two decades, the natives took control of the mission and mostly shut down the Spanish incursion.

As for the cemetery on site, its creation is a story unto itself. The area sits on a mesa of bare rock with little topsoil. Opportunities for agriculture are sparse and limited. Even worse, in-ground burial is next to impossible. The Spanish solved this by forcing natives to carry tons of soil up the rocks to spread on top. Once the covered area was deep enough, it was packed down. Then, Spanish settlers could adequately bury their dead at the mission.

Today, the cemetery consists of five of these levels. Some reach 50 feet (15 meters) above what used to be the natural rocky ground. Different settlers and natives throughout history are buried there. The Acoma people got their way in the end too. Even though the mission is of Catholic origin, locals managed to sneak in a few of their traditions over the centuries.

Today, mission visitors can see sculpted faces inside the cemetery’s walls. These are guardians that carry native spirits safely into the afterlife. One section of the graveyard wall also has a large hole. There, spirits are said to freely leave the site to take on eternal existence after death.^[8]

2 NYC’s African Burial Ground

For nearly two centuries, New York City had a little-known cemetery meant for Black residents. Both enslaved and free Black people were buried there as early as the 1630s. The ground was active until about 1800. Then, the city stopped using it. Eventually, it was paved over and repurposed. For nearly 200 years, it was forgotten. Then, in 1991, construction began on a new officer tower along Broadway Avenue. As the ground underwent excavation, mass graves were found. Suddenly, the construction project became a critical preservation scene.

Archaeologists rushed in and supervised the work. Further excavations found the graveyard covered more than six acres of space. Shocked at the discovery, historians termed it the African Burial Ground. Notable Black people are thought to be buried there. That list likely includes Juan Rodrigues, the first free Black man in Manhattan, who arrived in the city in 1613.

Judging by the size of the area, historians estimate more than 15,000 people were laid to rest there. The remains include the first generations of slaves transported against their will to America. Today, it is the earliest known African cemetery in the United States. Thankfully, by 2003, all the excavated remains were placed in hand-carved coffins and properly reinterred.^[9]

1 Massachusetts’s Myles Standish Burial Ground

The Myles Standish Burial Ground calls itself the oldest “maintained” cemetery in the United States. As we’ve already seen with some dubious dates on this list, that may be up for debate. But there’s no question this cemetery is very old. It appears to have been first established as early as 1638. Its location in the Massachusetts city of Duxbury has historical meaning too. The area is close to where the Mayflower first made land from England early in the 17th century. So it should be no surprise to learn that many of the Mayflower’s notable pioneering passengers are buried there.

Other notable burials include he for whom the cemetery is named. Military commander Myles Standish was buried in it after he died near Duxbury in 1656. The man who played such a key role in protecting the Pilgrims during their early years in America is forever honored in the graveyard. In fact, his body has since been exhumed (twice!) to be honored with more significant memorials.

In addition to Standish, the site hosts many old Pilgrim grave markers. They include some fascinating examples of historic Puritan imagery. As a group, they were obsessed with mortality. And boy, do their gravestones show it. Gravestone designs of unsettling angels, smiling death’s heads, spooky skulls, and outlined coffins all confront modern visitors. Creepy!^[10]

+ Bonus: Cahokia

You didn’t think we forgot about Cahokia, did you? While grave mounds in West Virginia and New Mexico made this list, they don’t compare to the most iconic of all. Centuries ago, southern Illinois’s Cahokia was the largest settlement in America. The sprawling indigenous city had everything. At its peak from about 600 to 1350, more than 15,000 people lived there.

Cahokia had large residential neighborhoods, open spaces for events, large marketplaces, and even a permanent agricultural area. It also had a series of notable grave mounds. Today, historians believe the man-made hills were used for several purposes. Burying the dead was foremost among them, of course. But Cahokia residents also held religious ceremonies on the mounds and worshiped native gods from the top.

Today, the biggest of these hills is known as Mound 72. Archaeologists have been working on that site since the 1960s. Over the years, they have preserved the remains of more than 270 people. Some were interred in mass graves. Others were given more ornate burials. Those buried in the most shallow graves appear to show signs of violent death.

Interestingly, scientists believe those are also the most recent burials, dating to roughly 1300. Considering Cahokia was abandoned at some point in the 14th century, archaeologists think these burial mound findings point to a violent regional war that broke up the big city.^[11]