The Originals That Refused To Fade

Thousands of years ago, people documented everything using archaic tools like clay tablets and chisels. And somehow, a few of those scribbles are still hanging around today. They’re the original receipts of humanity that reveal the earliest traces of ideas, love, and life. Here are 20 of the oldest surviving documents that still speak across millennia.

1. Kish Tablet (c. 3500 BCE)

The Kish Tablet, dating to around 3500 BCE, marks humanity's first steps into recorded history. Discovered in ancient Sumer, this clay tablet bears proto-cuneiform inscriptions, representing the earliest known form of writing. It shows our ancestors' ingenuity in preserving information.

2. Kushim Tablet (c. 3100 BCE)

Numbers tell stories, and the Kushim Tablet does just that. Dating to approximately 3100 BCE, this Sumerian tablet records a barley transaction and bears the name "Kushim," which makes it the earliest known example of a named individual in writing.

3. Narmer Palette (c. 3100 BCE)

The Narmer Palette is a ceremonial Egyptian artifact depicting King Narmer's unification of Upper and Lower Egypt. It features some of the earliest hieroglyphic inscriptions and symbolic imagery representing royal authority and divine sanction.

4. Abusir Papyri (c. 2400 BCE)

Discovered near the pyramid of Neferirkare, these papyri comprise a collection of administrative documents detailing the operations of royal mortuary temples. They also include duty rosters, inventories, and correspondence, offering a glimpse into the bureaucratic organization of the Old Kingdom.

5. Instructions Of Shuruppak (c. 2600 BCE)

Attributed to King Shuruppak, this Sumerian wisdom text imparts fatherly advice on ethics and behavior. It’s an example of early guidance on social norms. Its proverbs, like "Do not announce it to the courtyard," resonate even today.

6. Kesh Temple Hymn (c. 2600 BCE)

The Kesh Temple Hymn, also known as the Liturgy to Nintud, is a Sumerian religious text dating to approximately 2600 BCE. It praises the temple of the goddess Nintud, which highlights the significance of temple worship in Sumerian culture.

7. Code Of Ur-Nammu (c. 2100 BCE)

This is the oldest known surviving law code. Attributed to the Sumerian king Ur-Nammu, the code outlines legal procedures and penalties. Moreover, it is written in Sumerian cuneiform, which predates the more famous Code of Hammurabi from several centuries ago.

8. Istanbul #2461 (c. 2030 BCE)

Dubbed the world's oldest love poem, this Sumerian tablet expresses affection towards King Shu-Sin. Its verses, possibly part of sacred marriage rituals, reveal intimate aspects of ancient courtship. The tablet reflects the intertwining of love, religion, and royalty in ancient Mesopotamia.

9. Complaint Tablet To Ea-nāṣir (c. 1750 BCE)

The Complaint Tablet to Ea-nāṣir is an Akkadian cuneiform tablet that documents a customer's grievance over substandard copper delivery. Written by a man named Nanni, it is the oldest known written complaint. The document illustrates the complexities of trade and consumer expectations.

10. Shang Dynasty Oracle Bones (c. 1250 BCE)

Oracle bones from the Shang Dynasty, dating to around 1250 BCE, are the earliest known examples of Chinese writing. These bones, typically ox scapulae or turtle plastrons, were used for divination, with inscriptions recording questions posed to ancestors.

11. Dead Sea Scrolls (c. 4th century BCE)

Discovered in Qumran caves, these scrolls encompass biblical texts and sectarian writings in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. The scrolls shed light on Second Temple Judaism and are often considered a monumental find in biblical archaeology.

12. Derveni Papyrus (c. 340 BCE)

The Derveni Papyrus, dating to around 340 BCE, is the oldest surviving European manuscript. Discovered in a tomb near Thessaloniki, Greece, it contains a philosophical treatise interpreting an Orphic poem, reflecting the intersection of religion and philosophy.

13. Nash Papyrus (c. 150 BCE)

Nash Papyrus is one of the oldest known Hebrew manuscript fragments. It contains the Ten Commandments and the Shema Yisrael prayer, which provides information on the textual history of the Hebrew Bible. Later, the Nash papyrus was acquired in Egypt and is now housed at the University of Cambridge.

14. Gandhāran Buddhist Texts (1st century CE)

These texts were found in ancient birch bark scrolls in what is now northern Pakistan and eastern Afghanistan. Written in the Gāndhārī language using the Kharoṣṭhī script, they date back to the 1st century CE and offer a fascinating glimpse into early Buddhist thought.

15. Vindolanda Tablets (c. 100 CE)

The Vindolanda Tablets were scribbled around 100 CE near Hadrian’s Wall in Britain. You can call them a stash of 2,000-year-old Roman tweets—on wood. These slim wooden notes talk about frontier life: soldiers whining about cold feet and even a party invite from one Roman lady to another.

16. Papyrus 75 (c. 175–225 CE)

This papyrus contains large chunks of Luke and John, making it one of the closest surviving snapshots of the New Testament to the original texts. It shows fewer differences than you'd expect over centuries of copying—like a Bible with surprisingly few typos.

17. Spitzer Manuscript (c. 80–230 CE)

The Spitzer Manuscript is like the ultimate ancient study guide. It’s the oldest known Sanskrit manuscript, found high in the Kizil Caves, China. It once held over 1,000 fragments covering early Buddhist philosophical texts and some information about mathematical thought.

18. Crosby-Schøyen Codex (c. 250 CE)

The Crosby-Schøyen Codex includes a mix of texts like Exodus, Jonah, and an early Christian homily, all bound together like a mini spiritual library. It’s one of the oldest known book-form Bibles, which shows how early Christians were switching to book-like documentation.

19. Nag Hammadi Library (c. 4th century CE)

Discovered in 1945, this ancient stash of 4th-century papyrus books is like the Gnostic version of “secret knowledge.” Bound in leather and written in Coptic, the Nag Hammadi Library contains 13 codices packed with mystical texts, including the Gospel of Thomas.

20. St. Cuthbert Gospel (c. 698 CE)

Buried alongside Saint Cuthbert in 698 CE, the St. Cuthbert Gospel is the Latin copy of the Gospel of John and is surprisingly well-preserved. Palm-sized and lovingly crafted, it’s part holy relic, part historical marvel.