I'd guess that fire-starter and flint-knapper are the two oldest actual professions, with their origins pre-dating the evolution of 'modern humans'. The so-cal

I'd guess that fire-starter and flint-knapper are the two oldest actual professions, with their origins pre-dating the evolution of 'modern humans'. The so-called 'oldest profession' (prostitution) likely required the development of agricultural civilization and wouldn't be that viable within hunter-gatherer societies. Similar arguments apply to the origins of priests and kings, to some extent. Hunter-gatherer tribes might also have had tribal leaders, shamans, and sex-for-food dealings.