What's the Oldest Human-Made Object You Own?

Middle Stone Age silcrete lithic rejects (that’s stone tools that didn’t make the grade for whatever reason, or possibly only served as cores for microliths) from the Stillbaai complex. Around 100 000 BCE, give or take 10 ka.

This.

That’s pretty awesome (and the front runner, age-wise). Is there a story as to how you got them? Were you working on an archaeological dig site?

The Mauser Models 1910 and 1914 were both sold commercially. Japanese officers privately purchased their own handguns, so it might have made its way there via that route. It might also have been the property of a Philippine citizen and made its way into Japanese/American hands due to looting.

Roman coins, like lots of other people.

Lots of colonial era antiques. Quite a few 19th century rifles.

Probably my bedroom dressers, which belonged to my great-great-great grandmother. So, mid-1800s.

I will inherit several items from Revolutionary War times, including a gorgeous hot chocolate set from the 1700s, possibly the early 1800s. (When Antiques Roadshow came to Boston, I tried to talk my mom into coming up with the set, because it’s fascinating to me and I’d love to know more. But no go. :slight_smile: )

I have a pretty glass and pitcher set that I purchased as a gift for my mom back in 1975 or so.
I have photographs that are pretty old and I probably have a book or two that are pretty old as well.

I think that’s about it.

I have a first edition of a book printed in 1854. I also have some wooden beads my grandmother had in the 19th century, which may be older, for all I know.

No (although I’ve been to the site they come from on a Uni field trip), they were given to me by an archaeologist friend because he knew I’d think they were cool.

Not as cool as the Precambrian stromatolites and Barberton greenstones I collected myself on fieldtrips (which would be the oldest natural things I own - ~1.5 Ga and ~3.6 Ga, respectively. That’s old).

You know, I really should get my rock collection back out of storage soon.

I have two widow’s mites (coins spoke of in the Bible - though I don’t have any idea of the dating), don’t know offhand of anything older.

An uncle was stationed in North Africa with the Air Force, late 40’s, early 50’s. I’ve got a marble chunk that looks like it was part of a column–there are ridges.

Probably from Leptis Magna, early centuries AD.

Thanks – looking at the pictures, it was a 1914 model.

I’ve got a few of these. They’re not all that rare but infinitely cool.

Oldest recent thing is an old indenture about 400 or so years old. It’s on sheepskin and still has the wax seals and such. I’ve got it framed and on display.

We have several old books. The oldest dates from the late 1700s. We have maps that are older dating to the 1600s. We own a grandfather’s clock that my grandparents purchased as a wedding gift to each other. They were married in 1911 so it’s a bit over 100 years old.

I have an Indian Head Penny dated 1898.

A pre-Colombian clay figure.
Or maybe some ivory netsukes.

I have an ax from the early 1800s. Of course the handle has been replaced several times and the ax head once.

The clay figure would be older, AFAIK netsuke date from the 17th C onwards.

Scrimshaw?

I have a carved detail of a Maya structure I found at Uxmal–it’s a small face with a headdress and curlicue, possibly ornamental and not related to the face. Probably between 800-1100 AD.

You’re not supposed to take things, I now know, but it was in a pile of rubble, and somehow I can’t see the use of trying to give it back.