oldest martial art

[hiddendragon98]

when was the oldest rcorded martial art formed and what was it?

[Chunmonchek]

What's a "martial art"? What's a "fighting system"? What's a "fighting art"?

[MasterPain]

when was the oldest rcorded martial art formed and what was it?

As far as existing evidence, Greek wrestling. Of course, given the impermanent nature of writing, that does not mean there were none before, just that we don't have them now. The oldest existing sports manual was found in Egypt last year. It was a wrestling manual that spoke of the importance of underhooks.

I always point out Cain's rock. Most likely a #1 Angle caveman swing, but we'll never know. The Book of Genesis was written generations later, which further illustrates my point.People were fighting and killing, and figuring out better ways to do so long before they started writing about it.

[Zaine]

Like MasterPain said, it's hard to tell. You're always going to get competing doctrines and people saying that this or that system was first. The Egyptian one mentioned I believe is the oldest that we have evidence of, but that in no way means that there isn't something else that we just haven't found yet.

[sensei8]

Imho...whatever the caveman did...that could be the oldest MA...maybe.