# How old are the oldest bones

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-are-the-oldest-bones/996008>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 12, 2024, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-are-the-oldest-bones/996008 "2024-01-12T17:06:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2024, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-are-the-oldest-bones/996008/21 "2024-01-14T19:38:56Z")

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Depending on what you consider “bone”, the oldest bones are either [conodont](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conodont) elements or [ostracoderm](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ostracoderm) armour. We have actual examples of both that retain the original mineralization. Around 480-450 Ma is a good timeframe.

I’d say conodonts, myself, they seem to be around around 10 Ma before the armoured fishies. The elements are hydroxyapatite, the same mineral that makes up much of bone.

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