What is the earliest still intact book in the world ? GeraldtheGnome: I want to know what is the earliest still intact book in the world that is not a religious book, one that is not about mythology, fantasy, religion in general or about anything like any of that. At 7.54 PM Brisbane, Queensland, Australia time I have added this. It might be the earliest book in the world of the kind that I mentioned, I though very much doubt it. Anyway the original is in the Chinese text of that time, I think I have seen what was in the original, I can't guarantee it or even that there is even the original is still accessible and even able to read so this is really a guess. If it is right then it is from 445 AD (in The Iron Age) and the title is The Western Regions according to the Hou Hansu. It is believed to be by Fan Ye and other authors of it where the first chapter at least started in 438 AD and the last chapter written in 445 AD. https://depts.washington.edu/silkroad/texts/hhshu/hou_han_shu.html The Liu Song Dynasty of China was where it was written, some others (that have not been made known to me) were authors of it as well of course was Fan Ye. Song was a country that was made up of what is now southeast China, parts of Burma and parts of Vietnam. Some of the website about it is wrong and there are also other bits about it that I do not like. Either way it is at least a translation of it in English. I have no idea if the original is still around and even if it is then I do not know really if whatever the original of it was from as far back as 445 AD. That of course the time of The Iron Age. (Edited by GeraldtheGnome) | Books Chat Room Similar Conversations |