The 8 Oldest Professions in World History

Farmer

Farming is one of the oldest professions in world history, and it is also one of the most important. Farmers serve an important role in modern society, growing much of our food and other materials for clothing and manufacturing. While much of mankind was nomadic for its early existence, the rise of agriculture made being a farmer a crucial job for the flow of society.

Every great civilization that has passed through the annals of time has been supported and propped by the humble farmer first and foremost. It is thought that farming began in the Fertile Crescent, an area comprised of modern-day Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Iran, Palestine, and Israel, among others.

The history of agriculture itself is a deeply fascinating topic, and one I implore you to look into on your own if you have an appreciation for the origins of things. Early farming was primarily intended for subsistence and would utilize methods like slash-and-burn harvesting. Since its beginnings, it has become a cornerstone of any society.

Builder

It is hard to think of any of the great ancient civilizations and not marvel at the architecture on display. The many great cathedrals, monuments, and even the Great Pyramids of Egypt all have a singular thing in common: builders. Builders are another one of the oldest professions in world history, and mark the transition from nomadic groups to permanent settlements.

Building has its start in the same manner as farming, starting back in the Neolithic period. However, most early structures were intended as merely a means of shelter for families and groups to provide safety and cover from the elements.

The rise of the city-state coincided with the need for builders as a dedicated profession. Much of history’s great monuments are the results of professional craftsmen, hired labor, and indentured servitude coalescing to create something special. Builders are still in demand today, as you can likely imagine.

While the methods have certainly changed, construction is going nowhere in the foreseeable future. There is still a demand for skilled tradesmen who can ably create and maintain structures.

Artist

Since mankind took its first steps into the wider world, there has been a propensity towards the visual arts. You can clearly see the early cave paintings found around the Stone Age, but the profession itself is still very much in vogue today. While there certainly isn’t a demand in the same manner as dedicated artists with patrons during the Renaissance, it is still a job.

The visual arts have transitioned from religious works and portraiture to a whole slew of dedicated fields like graphic design, UI/UX engineering, and 3D modeling. The earliest art examples produced by humans that we know of can be found in Spain, in the Maltravieso cave.

Humanity loves the means to express itself, and the artist remains one of the oldest professions in world history to enjoy continued success and patronage in the modern era.

Musician

If you’re ever in the mood for a deep dive, the history of music is deeply fascinating. It is wholly a human invention, and just about every civilization has its traditions and instruments unique to the area. The earliest musical instruments date back to the Stone Age and have been dated to around 42,000 to 43,000 years of age.

As one of the oldest professions in world history, the musician is still in active demand. You’ll find numerous professionals working in the field who are employed for the sake of creating bespoke music for the likes of commercials, film, and television.

In addition to that, pop culture centers around the professional musician in some regard. It is hard to imagine a world where someone like Taylor Swift or Madonna aren’t absolute titans in their industry. Music has never been more accessible than it is right now for any aspiring musician to start making and likely will continue to become easier for beginners to grasp as time goes on.

Entertainer

Mankind’s imagination is a vivid and vibrant place, and stories have always been a fixture in cultures around the world. The entertainer has gone by many names over the years, but make no mistake it is one of the oldest professions in world history.

It is hard to pinpoint when mankind’s first oral traditions began. Essentially the advent of language brought about the first stories. Entertainers served as prototypical scholars and academics in this capacity, telling stories that upheld mythology and histories.

Today, the entertainer takes many shapes like actors, radio presenters, and so much more. the professional entertainer is still a central fixture in modern society, with each culture having its own history and oral traditions combined with forms of media that are more typical to modern palates.

Hunter

There has always been a need to feed people. Early hominids were very much hunter-gatherers. It is far harder to nail down an estimated date as to when the profession began. This is one of the oldest professions in world history, however, predating even the concepts of currency and employment.

The hunter is no longer really a profession in itself. Modern society has allowed for it to become a form of sport. When you consider the scale and breadth of modern livestock farming, it is absolutely breathtaking that you can just go hunt for your own food as a hobby.

Hunting itself predates even the concept of language. Early hominids are thought to have engaged in the activity as far back as almost three million years ago. While the profession itself has died out, it persisted for eons until the modern era.

Butcher

While hunting has fallen out of practice as a profession, there is still a vital need for the butcher. Butchering animals is a grisly job but is one of the oldest professions in world history. Processing and selecting the best cuts of meat from animals has been refined thoroughly since its earliest days.

In ancient times, the butcher would remove the hide and inedible parts of the animal. This left the rest to be cooked and preserved as necessary. Today, it is far more refined, with choice cuts being readily available for purchase at your local grocery store.

The processing of animals is thought to have started nearly two million years ago. It was practiced by early hominids before the modern homo sapiens were on the world stage. As such, this was a tradition practiced by mankind’s long-forgotten ancestors, well before the start of recorded history.

Tool Maker

Rounding out the oldest professions in world history is a crucial one. Part of what differentiates humanity from any other animal on the planet is the use and manipulation of tools. Mankind has a long history of creating tools for certain jobs. The earliest examples are simple chisels, knives, and axes knapped from flint.

That said, this is a practice like hunting and butchering that was practiced by many hominids. Homo sapiens are the true masters of the craft. You can flip through any history book and see terms like the Stone Age, Bronze Age, and Industrial Age.

Tool making is still very in demand. Modern machining, construction, and other crafts rely on the expertise honed over centuries to get us to this point. It is considered a skilled trade, meaning you can readily get your start through the right school with some dedication.