{{Short description|none}} The following is a '''list of the world's oldest ''surviving'' physical [[documents]]'''. (That is, the oldest—or earliest—known ''writings'', ''written works'', or ''works of writing'' in the [[historical record]] surviving as physical documents to the present.)
== List == === 35th–32nd centuries BCE === The [[Kish tablet]], a small [[limestone]] tablet from the middle [[Uruk period]] of ancient [[Mesopotamia]], contains [[Pictogram|pictographic]] inscriptions exemplifying an early precursor to [[Cuneiform]]. Many similar tablets have been found from the same period, all of which have proven difficult to date using [[radiocarbon dating]]; among these, the Kish tablet has the earliest proposed date of manufacture, although it may be from the later Uruk IV period, around 3200 BCE.<ref>Hayes, John L., 1990 ''A Manual of Sumerian Grammar and Texts'', Undena Publications, p.266</ref>
The [[Kushim (Uruk period)|Kushim tablets]] from the same period feature possibly the oldest [[Historical figure|named person]] (''Kushim'').
Another Uruk Period clay tablet that featured names dating back to around 3100 BCE includes the names of a slave owner (Gal-Sal) and their two slaves (a man, En-pap X, and a woman, Sukkalgir). This tablet was likely produced one or two generations after the Kushim Tablet.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/phenomena/2015/08/19/whos-the-first-person-in-history-whose-name-we-know/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180707050035/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/phenomena/2015/08/19/whos-the-first-person-in-history-whose-name-we-know/|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 7, 2018|work=[[National Geographic]]|title=Who's the First Person in History Whose Name We Know?|last=Krulwich|first=Robert|date=2015-08-19}}</ref>
From the same period, the first named Egyptian ruler, [[Iry-Hor]], has been found, as well as the soon-following, possibly oldest-named female ruler, [[Queen Ha]], just before the contemporary of [[Narmer]], Queen [[Neithhotep]].
===31st century BCE=== The [[Narmer Palette]], a carved slab of [[siltstone]] from the [[Early Dynastic Period (Egypt)|Early Dynastic Period]] of [[Ancient Egypt]], contains some of the earliest known examples of [[Egyptian hieroglyphs]]. Notably, the palette contains carved [[Serekh]]s bearing the [[rebus]] symbols ''n'r'' (catfish) and ''mr'' (chisel). These are believed to be a phonetic representation of [[Narmer]], the first [[Pharaoh]] of [[Upper and Lower Egypt]] following their unification around 3100 BCE.
=== 25th century BCE === The [[Palermo Stone]], a [[stele]], containing the names of Pharaohs and other information, is made of [[basalt]]. Fragments of the piece exist, with some of them reportedly found in [[Memphis, Egypt|Memphis]] and others in [[Middle Egypt]]. As of 2026, the primary piece that is referred to as the Palermo stone is on display in Italy, having been purchased by a Sicilian lawyer named Ferdinand Guidano in 1859.<ref>{{cite web |author=<!--Not stated--> |date= November 2021 |title= The Palermo Stone |url= https://www.researchgate.net/figure/The-Palermo-Stone-recto-here-and-verso-next-page-C-The-Palermo-Stone-Project-M_fig5_356658465 |access-date= March 18, 2025 |website= ResearchGate |publisher= |quote=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=<!--Not stated--> |date= |title= The Regional Archaeological Museum Antonio Salinas |url= https://mainlymuseums.com/post/806/the-regional-archaeological-museum-antonio-salinas/ |access-date= March 18, 2025 |website= Mainly Museums |publisher= |quote=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=<!--Not stated--> |date= |title= Regional Archaeological Museum Antonio Salinas |url= https://www.weekendinitaly.com/en/sicily/regional-archaeological-museum-antonio-salinas |access-date= March 18, 2025 |website= Weekend in Italy |publisher= |quote=}}</ref>
The [[Diary of Merer]] (also known as Papyrus Jarf) is the name for papyrus logbooks written over 4,500 years ago by Merer, a middle ranking official with the title inspector (sHD). Buried in front of man-made-caves that served to store boats at [[Wadi al-Jarf]] on the Red Sea coast, the papyri were found and excavated in 2013.
=== 21st century BCE === According to the [[Guinness World Records]], the oldest surviving love poem, a [[balbale]], in the world is of Sumerian origin and written in cuneiform, discovered in [[Nippur]], dated to 2031 BCE, called [[Istanbul 2461|Istanbul #2461]] by archaeologists.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/oldest-love-poem/|title=Oldest love poem|website=Guinness World Records|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-09-06}}</ref> Written on a clay tablet measuring 10.7 × 6 × 3.1 cm,<ref>{{cite book|last1=Fant|first1=Clyde E.|last2=Reddish|first2=Mitchell G.|title=Lost Treasures of the Bible: Understanding the Bible Through Archaeological Artifacts in World Museums|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Dj6zVQJz7zYC&q=Cuneiform+tablets+of+istanbul+2461&pg=PA247|date=2008-10-15|publisher=Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing|isbn=9780802828811}} {{verify source |date=November 2020 |reason=This ref was deleted Special:Diff/914092780 by a bug in VisualEditor and later restored by a bot from the original cite located at Special:Permalink/911454646 cite #1 - verify the cite is accurate and delete this template. [[User:GreenC bot/Job 18]]}}</ref> it is believed to have been written by a bride of the Sumerian king [[Shu-Sin]], who reigned between 2037 BCE and 2029 BCE. The tablet is on display at the [[Istanbul Archaeology Museums]].<ref>Sebnem Arsu. [https://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/14/world/europe/the-oldest-line-in-the-world.html The Oldest Line in the World] // The New York Times, 14-Feb-2006. {{verify source |date=November 2020 |reason=This ref was deleted Special:Diff/914092780 by a bug in VisualEditor and later restored by a bot from the original cite located at Special:Permalink/911454646 cite #3 - verify the cite is accurate and delete this template. [[User:GreenC bot/Job 18]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Madrigal |first=Marc |date=December 25, 2017 |title=The oldest love poem: A missing key to understanding Song of Songs? |url=https://evangelicalfocus.com/archaeological-perspectives/3132/the-oldest-love-poem-a-missing-key-to-understanding-song-of-songs |access-date=March 20, 2025 |website=Evangelical Focus}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Ramirez |first=David |date=May 11, 2024 |title=A 4,000 year old cuneiform clay tablet with the world's first love poem |url=https://www.anatolianarchaeology.net/a-4000-year-old-cuneiform-clay-tablet-with-the-worlds-first-love-poem/ |access-date=March 20, 2025 |website=Anatolian Archaeology}}</ref>
{{Blockquote|text=Bridegroom, dear to my heart, Goodly is your beauty, honeysweet,
Lion, dear to my heart, Goodly is your beauty, honeysweet.|sign=|source=Istanbul #2461}}
=== 18th century BCE === Dating back to 1800 BCE, to the [[Old Babylonian period]], a clay tablet containing a recipe for [[squab]] was found, written in Akkadian cuneiform.{{cn|date=September 2025}} No measurements, cooking times, nor preparation or cooking methods are given, stating only that one should cut the pigeon in half and make a mixture of water, fat, salt, breadcrumbs, milk-soaked herbs including onions, leeks, garlic, and an herb called "samidu", which was the equivalent of modern [[semolina]].<ref>{{Cite web|author=Laura Kelley|url= https://silkroadgourmet.com/some-mesopotamian-ingredients-revealed|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120723103827/http://www.silkroadgourmet.com/some-mesopotamian-ingredients-revealed/|title=Mesopotamian Ingredients|date=21 October 2017|archive-date=23 July 2012}}</ref>
The [[complaint tablet to Ea-nāṣir]], a clay tablet written in Akkadian cuneiform found in [[Iraq]], is the first recorded customer complaint. It was written by a customer named Nanni, who complains that copper which he purchased from the merchant Ea-Nasir was of the incorrect grade.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://archaeology.org/issues/may-june-2016/collection/cuneiform-letters/the-worlds-oldest-writing/|title=Letters - Archaeology Magazine|website=www.archaeology.org|access-date=2019-09-05}}</ref>
=== 14th century BCE === In 2010, a clay fragment bearing [[Akkadian Cuneiform|Akkadian cuneiform]], comparable in size to that of an [[olive]], was discovered by Israeli [[Archaeology|archaeologists]] during the excavation of a tower, the tower itself dating back to the 10th century BCE, in [[Jerusalem]], that was determined to have originated in 14th century BCE.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100712102816.htm|title=Oldest written document ever found in Jerusalem discovered|website=ScienceDaily|language=en|access-date=2019-09-05}}</ref> The document, nearly 3,400 years old at the time of its discovery, was older than any other ancient text discovered in Jerusalem by at least 600 years. Further examination revealed that the clay had originated in the Jerusalem area and that the scribe responsible was highly skilled.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.voanews.com/world-news/middle-east-dont-use/oldest-known-document-uncovered-jerusalem|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190905034637/https://www.voanews.com/world-news/middle-east-dont-use/oldest-known-document-uncovered-jerusalem|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 5, 2019|title=Oldest Known Document Uncovered in Jerusalem|website=Voice of America|language=en|access-date=2019-09-05}}</ref> It is the only cuneiform text to have ever been discovered in the area. Previously, the oldest document found in Jerusalem was a tablet, found in the [[Shiloah]] water tunnel, dating back to 8th century BCE.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/7886560/Tiny-fragment-bears-oldest-script-found-in-Jerusalem.html|title=Tiny fragment bears oldest script found in Jerusalem|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=2010-07-12|access-date=2019-09-05|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}</ref>
The '''Wakoklon Heelel Thilen Salai Amailon Pukok Puya''', shortly known as the '''Wakoklon''', is one of the oldest scriptures ([[Puya (Meitei texts)|puyas]]) in [[Sanamahism]], the [[Sanamahism|Meetei religion]] of [[Ancient Kangleipak]] ([[Ancient Kangleipak|Antique Manipur]]). It is verified that it was written in 1398 BC (3400 years ago) by the National Archives, New Delhi.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://paochelsalaitaret.net/puya/puyaproof.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=15 October 2020 |archive-date=31 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210831014724/http://paochelsalaitaret.net/puya/puyaproof.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> The text is considered by the people and the [[Government of Manipur]] as the source of the [[Meitei script|Kanglei Eeyek (Meetei script)]].<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Noni |first1=Arambam |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OzjbCgAAQBAJ&dq=Wakoklon+Thilel+Salai+Amailon+Pukok+Puya+Govern-+ment+source+Kanglei+Eeyek+%28Kanglei+script%29&pg=PA235 |title=Colonialism and Resistance: Society and State in Manipur |last2=Sanatomba |first2=Kangujam |date=2015-10-16 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-317-27066-9 |language=en}}</ref>
=== 13th century BCE === Extant direct records from the [[Shang dynasty]] date from approximately 1250 BCE. These records primarily consist of [[oracle bones]] and [[Chinese bronze inscriptions|bronze inscriptions]], and also include a small number of other writings on pottery, jade and other materials.<ref>Qiu, Xigui, 2000 ''Chinese writing, trans. by Gilbert L. Mattos and Jerry Norman'', Berkeley: Society for the Study of Early China and The Institute of East Asian Studies, University of California, {{ISBN|978-1-55729-071-7}}. (English translation of Wénzìxué Gàiyào 文字學概要, Shangwu, 1988.)</ref>
=== 4th century BCE ===
The oldest of the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]] are thought to date from this period, although some may be as recent as the 1st century CE. They are written almost entirely in [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]], [[Aramaic]], and [[Greek Language|Greek]]. About 30% of the [[Hebrew Bible]] is accounted for in these ancient scrolls and fragments, as well as a vast library of other historical, apocalyptic, legal, and devotional texts.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Davies |first1=Philip R. |title=Dead Sea Scrolls |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Dead-Sea-Scrolls |website=britannica.com |publisher=Encyclopaedia Britannica |access-date=14 January 2024}}</ref>
The oldest [[Bamboo and wooden slips|bamboo slips]] date from this period, including the [[Tsinghua Bamboo Slips]] and [[Changtaiguan Bamboo Slips]].
=== 2nd century BCE === The [[Nash Papyrus]], a collection of four [[papyrus]] fragments written in Hebrew, was found in 1898, and was, prior to the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the oldest known example of the written Hebrew language. The fragments contain parts of the [[Ten Commandments]] and the [[Shema Yisrael]]. The documents were acquired in Egypt, by W. L. Nash, and are believed to have originated in [[Faiyum]], though it is possible they originated elsewhere.
The map found at [[Fangmatan]] Tomb 5 is the earliest extant paper (not papyrus, parchment, bamboo slips, etc.) document.
=== 1st century BCE === [[Gandhāran Buddhist texts]] are the oldest known manuscripts originating in [[South Asia]]. They are written on birch bark or palm leaves, in the [[Gandhari language]], and are housed in various collections around the world.
=== 1st century CE === [[Gabriel's Revelation]] is a stone tablet, written in ink.
=== 11th century CE === The [[Celtic Psalter]], Scotland's oldest surviving book, written in Latin, dating back to the 11th century CE or earlier is on display at the [[University of Edinburgh]] in [[Scotland]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.transceltic.com/blog/scotlands-oldest-surviving-book-still-scotland-celtic-psalter|title=Scotland's oldest surviving book still in Scotland: The Celtic Psalter {{!}} Transceltic - Home of the Celtic nations|website=www.transceltic.com|date=14 July 2017 |access-date=2019-09-05}}</ref> It's unknown as to how the university acquired the piece or where it originated. Photos of its pages show that, while its original binding is lost, the pages are still in remarkable condition, their colors still vibrant and words legible.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://images.is.ed.ac.uk/luna/servlet/view/search/what/Celtic+Psalter,+11th+C.?q=Celtic+Psalter|title=Search Results: All Fields similar to 'Celtic and Psalter' and What equal to 'Celtic Psalter, 11th C.' - University of Edinburgh|website=images.is.ed.ac.uk|access-date=2019-09-05}}</ref>
The [[Missal of Silos]] is the oldest known surviving paper document (as opposed to parchment) of European origin in existence today, dating back to at least 1080 CE. It was made by the monastery at the [[Santa María la Real of Nájera]].
== See also == * [[Ancient literature#Incomplete list of ancient texts]] * [[Ancient text corpora]]
== References == {{reflist}}
[[Category:History of writing]] [[Category:Lists of oldest things|documents]]