Earth has existed for over 4.5 billion years.
While most things change or disappear over time, some extraordinary materials, lifeforms, and artifacts have endured through eons.
These ancient relics give us a glimpse into the planet’s deep past—long before humans walked the Earth.
Here are 7 of the oldest things on Earth, complete with their location and estimated age.
1. Jack Hills Zircon – The oldest known material on earth
These tiny zircon crystals are the oldest solid materials ever discovered. They were formed shortly after Earth itself and provide scientists with critical clues about the planet’s earliest crust and the presence of liquid water.
Location: Jack Hills, Western Australia
Age: Approximately 4.4 billion years
2. Isua Greenstone Belt – Earth’s oldest rock formations
Located in Greenland, the Isua Greenstone Belt is made up of some of the most ancient rocks known to science. These rocks tell a story about the earliest geologic activity on Earth, dating back to a time before plate tectonics.
Location: Greenland
Age: Approximately 3.8 billion years
3. Stromatolites – Fossilized evidence of early life
Stromatolites are layered rock structures created by ancient cyanobacteria. These microorganisms were among the first life forms on Earth and played a critical role in producing the oxygen that made other life possible.
Location: Western Australia (notably Shark Bay) and various sites worldwide
Age: Approximately 3.5 billion years
4. Methuselah Tree – The oldest non-clonal living tree
This Great Basin bristlecone pine, nicknamed “Methuselah,” is the world’s oldest known non-clonal tree. It has been growing quietly in California’s White Mountains for nearly five millennia.
Location: White Mountains, California, USA
Age: Approximately 4,850 years
5. Pando – The oldest and largest clonal organism
Pando is not a single tree but a massive forest of genetically identical quaking aspens sharing one root system. Though the individual trees live and die, the organism as a whole has persisted for thousands of years.
Location: Fishlake National Forest, Utah, USA
Age: Approximately 14,000 years (possibly up to 80,000)
6. Tărtăria Tablets – One of the oldest known writing systems
Discovered in modern-day Romania, these clay tablets feature symbols that may represent one of the earliest forms of writing. Their meaning is still debated, but their age suggests writing may have emerged earlier than previously thought.
Location: Alba County, Romania
Age: Approximately 7,000 years (circa 5300 BCE)
7. Ming the Clam – The oldest known individual animal
This ocean quahog clam, nicknamed “Ming,” was discovered off Iceland’s coast. It lived through five centuries of world history before scientists accidentally ended its life while studying it.
Location: North Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Iceland
Age: 507 years (born in 1499)
Why these ancient things matter
These ancient stones, life forms, and artifacts are not just impressive for their age—they’re windows into Earth’s deep time. They help scientists understand everything from the formation of the planet to the origins of life and language.
They also offer something else: perspective. In a world that’s constantly rushing forward, these ancient survivors remind us just how long the story of Earth truly is—and how much more we still have to learn.
