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*Francisco Huppazoli (1587–1702) of Italy lived 114 years and fathered four children after age 98.<ref>{{Cite book|title=[[Ripley's Believe It or Not!]] 15th Series|publisher=[[Pocket Books]]|location=New York City|date=September 1969|author=Ripley Enterprises, Inc.|page=56|quote=Francisco Huppazoli (1587–1702) of Casale, Italy, lived 114 years without a day's illness and had 4 children by his 5th wife — whom he married at the age of 98}}</ref>
*Francisco Huppazoli (1587–1702) of Italy lived 114 years and fathered four children after age 98.<ref>{{Cite book|title=[[Ripley's Believe It or Not!]] 15th Series|publisher=[[Pocket Books]]|location=New York City|date=September 1969|author=Ripley Enterprises, Inc.|page=56|quote=Francisco Huppazoli (1587–1702) of Casale, Italy, lived 114 years without a day's illness and had 4 children by his 5th wife — whom he married at the age of 98}}</ref>


===Other testimonies===
===Religious apologist testimonies===
The following additional cases were cited by [[Arthur Custance]] in 1976 (most collected by James Prichard in 1836):<ref name=jp/>
The following additional cases were cited by [[Arthur Custance]] in 1976 (most collected by James Prichard in 1836):<ref name=jp/>
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"

Revision as of 06:01, 11 November 2010

This article is about historical, incomplete unvalidated supercentenarian claims. For validated specific supercentenarian claims by modern standards, see List of the verified oldest people. For modern, or complete, unvalidated supercentenarian claims, see Longevity claims. For controverted supercentenarian claims, see List of disputed supercentenarian claimants.

Longevity myths are traditions about long-lived people (generally supercentenarians), either as individuals or groups of people, and practices that have been believed to confer longevity, but for which scientific evidence does not support the ages claimed or the reasons for the claims.[1][2] Longevity myths are narratives or traditions that seek to explain why a few individuals or cultures reportedly reach ages beyond scientific likelihood (generally age 130+).[citation needed]

The phrase "longevity tradition" may include "purifications, rituals, longevity practices, meditations, and alchemy"[3] that have been believed to confer greater human longevity, especially in Chinese culture.[1][2]

Categorization

In fall 1955, Guinness World Records began maintaining a list of the verified oldest people that developed into a list of all supercentenarians that had been verified with three documents in a standard process. Unverified cases ("claims" or "traditions") that have not been controverted by reliable sources vary widely in their plausibility as determined by reliable demographic data. While no firm distinction exists, cases with complete birthdates and deathdates, or with last updates within the Guinness era, are easier to present in tabular format, while incomplete cases last updated prior to fall 1955 are easier to present in narrative format (below).

An essay appearing in many editions of Guinness World Records in the 1980s lists four categories of recent claims: "In late life, very old people often tend to advance their ages at the rate of about 17 years per decade .... Several celebrated super-centenarians (over 110 years) are believed to have been double lives (father and son, relations with the same names or successive bearers of a title) .... A number of instances have been commercially sponsored, while a fourth category of recent claims are those made for political ends ...."[4] Guinness implies other (historical) categories of longevity traditions to exist as well; this distinction is elaborated in more detail in Lucian Boia's 2004 book Forever Young: A Cultural History of Longevity from Antiquity to the Present. Both Arthur Custance[5] and demographers Jacques Vallin and France Meslé[6] make this distinction explicit, drawing a direct comparison and contrast of "longevity in antiquity" (the genealogies of Genesis) with "longevity in historical times" (common-era cases through twentieth-century news reports), though with differing conclusions. Actuary Walter G. Bowerman states that longevity assertions originate mainly in remote, underdeveloped regions, among illiterate peoples, evidenced by nothing more than family testimony.[7] Longevity traditions may also include "purifications, rituals, longevity practices, meditations, and alchemy"[3] that have been believed to confer greater human longevity, especially in Chinese culture.[1][2]

Historical traditions

Testimonies

Sumer

Age claims for the earliest eight Sumerian kings in the major recension were in units and fractions of shar (3,600 years) and totaled 67 shar or 241,200 years.[8]

Some city-states of Mesopotamia had different number systems from neighboring city-states; within each city-state were multiple number systems, used for counting or measuring different objects.[1] During the third millennium BC, these archaic numbers were gradually replaced by wedge-shaped cuneiform numbers in a positional sexagesimal system using alternating bases 10 and 6.[2]

Biblical longevity
Name Age LXX
Methuselah 969 969
Jared 962 962
Noah 950 950
Adam 930 930
Eve 930 930
Seth 912 912
Kenan 910 910
Enos 905 905
Mahalalel 895 895
Lamech 777 753
Shem 600 600
Eber 464 404
Cainan — 460
Arpachshad 438 465
Salah 433 466
Enoch 365 365
Peleg 239 339
Reu 239 339
Serug 230 330
Job 210? 210?
Terah 205 205
Isaac 180 180
Abraham 175 175
Nahor 148 304
Jacob 147 147
Esau 147? 147?
Ishmael 137 137
Levi 137 137
Amram 137 137
Kohath 133 133
Laban 130+ 130+
Deborah 130+ 130+
Jehoiada 130 130
Sarah 127 127
Miriam 125+ 125+
Aaron 123 123
Rebecca 120+ 120+
Moses 120 120
Joseph 110 110
Joshua 110 110
The Sacrifice of Noah, Jacopo Bassano (c. 1515–1592), Staatliche Schlösser und Gärten, Potsdam-Sanssouci, c. 1574. Noah was traditionally age 601 at the time.

Hebrew Bible

The Biblical upper limit of longevity has been categorized by Bible scholar Witness Lee as having four successive plateaus of 1,000, 500, 250, and finally 120 years.[3] The Torah and Book of Job claim several individuals with long lifespans.

Biblical scholars that assert literal translation give explanations for the advanced ages of the early patriarchs. In one view man was originally to have everlasting life, but as sin was introduced into the world by Adam and Eve, its influence became greater with each generation and God progressively shortened man's life; "four falls of mankind" (according to Witness Lee) correspond to four observable plateaus in longevity upper limits.[4] Second, before Noah's flood, a "firmament" over the earth (Genesis 1:6–8) could have greatly contributed to man's advanced age.[5] Third, biological DNA damage may cause genetically accelerated aging; experimentation with lengthening telomeres on worms has yielded increased worm life spans by about 20%[6] and this may slow aging at the cost of increasing cancer vulnerability.[7]

Some literary critics explain these extreme ages as ancient mistranslations that converted the word "month" to "year", mistaking lunar cycles for solar ones: this would turn an age of 969 "years" into a more reasonable 969 lunar months, or 78½ years of the Metonic cycle.[8] Donald Etz says that the Genesis 5 numbers were multiplied by ten by a later editor.[9] These interpretations introduce an inconsistency as the ages of the first nine patriarchs at fatherhood, ranging from 62 to 230 years in the manuscripts, would then be transformed into an implausible range such as 5 to 18½ years.[10] Others say that the first list, of only 10 names for 1,656 years, may contain generational gaps, which would have been represented by the lengthy lifetimes attributed to the patriarchs.[11] Nineteenth-century critic Vincent Goehlert suggests the lifetimes "represented epochs merely, to which were given the names of the personages especially prominent in such epochs, who, in consequence of their comparatively long lives were able to acquire an exalted influence."[12]

Persian empire

The reigns of several shahs in the Shahnameh, an epic poem by Ferdowsi, are given as longer than a century:

China

Lucian wrote about the "Seres" (a Chinese people), claiming they lived for over 300 years.

  • In Chinese legend, Peng Zu was believed to have lived for over 800 years[13] during the the Yin Dynasty (殷朝, 16th to 11th centuries BC).
Emperor Jimmu.

Japan

Some early emperors of Japan ruled for more than a century, according to the tradition documented in the Kojiki, viz., Emperor Jimmu and Emperor Kōan.

  • Emperor Jimmu (traditionally, 13 February 711 BC – 11 March 585 BC) lived 126 years according to the Kojiki. These dates correspond to 126 years, 27 days, on the proleptic Julian and Gregorian calendars. However, the form of his posthumous name suggests that it was invented in the reign of Kammu (782–806),[14] or possibly during the time in which legends about the origins of the Yamato dynasty were compiled into the Kojiki.

Korea

  • Taejo of Goguryeo (46/47 – 165) is generally accepted as having reigned in Korea for 93 years beginning at age 7. After his retirement, the Samguk Sagi and Samguk Yusa give his age at death as 118.[15]

Roman empire

In Roman times, Pliny wrote about longevity records from the census carried out in 74 AD under Vespasian. In one region of Italy many people allegedly lived past 100; four were said to be 130, others even older. The ancient Greek author Lucian is the presumed author of Macrobii (long-livers), a work devoted to longevity. Most of the examples Lucian gives are what would be regarded as normal long lifespans (80–100 years).

  • Tiresias, the blind seer of Thebes, was alive for over 600 years (Lucian).
  • Nestor lived over 300 years (Lucian).
  • According to one tradition, Epimenides of Crete (7th, 6th centuries BC) lived nearly three hundred years.[16]

Poland

Christianity

Islam

  • Abdul Azziz al-Hafeed al-Habashi (عبد العزيزالحبشي) lived 581–1276 of the Hijra (11 June 1185 – 19 September 1859, 674 years, 100 days[citation needed]), i.e., 673/674 Gregorian years or 694/695 Islamic years, according to 19th-century scholars.[24]
  • Amm Atwa el Ais (العم عطوة العيص), nicknamed Abu Hamdi Abu Ahmed, claimed to recall the French entering Egypt in 1798, and died in 1998 according to a Japanese website (age over 200).[25]

Hinduism

Falun Gong

  • Chapter 2 of Falun Gong by Li Hongzhi (2001) states, "A person in Japan named Mitsu Taira lived to be 242 years old. During the Tang Dynasty in our country, there was a monk called Hui Zhao [慧昭, 526–815[30]] who lived to be 290 [288/289] years old. According to the county annals of Yong Tai in Fujian Province, Chen Jun [陈俊] was born in the first year of Zhong He time (881 AD) under the reign of Emperor Xi Zong during the Tang Dynasty. He died in the Tai Ding time of the Yuan Dynasty (1324 AD), after living for 443 years."[31]

Longevity practices

Diets

The Okinawa diet has some reputation of linkage to exceptionally high ages.[32] The tradition of Okinawan lifestyle being suitable to longevity has been lost lately, as demonstrated by comparison of 1995 and 2000 statistics; in a journal article, this tradition of lifestyle was called both "myth" (a colloquialism) and "fact".[33]

Alchemy

Traditions that have been believed to confer greater human longevity include alchemy.[34] Nicolas Flamel (early 1330s – 1418?) was a 14th-century scrivener who developed a reputation as alchemist and creator of an "elixir of life" that conferred drink immortality upon himself and his wife Perenelle. His arcanely inscribed tombstone is preserved at the Musée de Cluny in Paris.

  • Fridericus (Ludovicus) Gualdus, author of "Revelation of the True Chemical Wisdom", lived in Venice in the 1680s. His age was reported in a letter in a contemporary Dutch newspaper to be over 400. By some accounts, when asked about a portrait he carried, he said it was of himself, painted by Titian (who died in 1576), but gave no explanation and left Venice the following morning.[35][36] By another account, Gualdus left Venice due to religious accusations and died in 1724.[37] The "Compass der Weisen" alludes to him as still alive in 1782 and nearly 600 years old.[35]

Fountain of Youth

Main article: Fountain of Youth

The Fountain of Youth reputedly restores the youth of anyone who drinks of its waters. The New Testament, following older Jewish tradition, attributes healing to the Pool of Bethesda when the waters are "stirred" by an angel.[38] Herodotus attributes exceptional longevity to a fountain in the land of the Ethiopians.[39] The lore of the Alexander Romance and of Al-Khidr describes such a fountain, and stories about the philosopher's stone, universal panaceas, and the elixir of life are widespread.

After the death of Juan Ponce de León, Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo wrote in Historia General y Natural de las Indias (1535) that Ponce de León was looking for the waters of Bimini to cure his aging.[40]

Recent traditions

Old Tom Parr.
For additional controverted supercentenarian claims, see List of disputed supercentenarian claimants.

Overadvancements

Guinness estimates that very old people tend to advance their ages by about 17 years per decade, as corroborated by the 1901 and 1911 British censuses.[41] The 1970 U.S. census listed 106,000 people claiming to be 100 years old or older, some over 130. In 2000, the Social Security death master file contained 23 records with birth year 1800 and death year 1975 or later; a monograph by K. Faig suggests that coding of "1800" might represent unknown year of birth, or an error for 1900.[42]

Double lives

Several supercentenarian claims are believed to constitute double lives, conflating father and son, relations with the same names, or successive bearers of a title.[41] For instance, it is possible that the records of Old Tom Parr, allegedly 152, were confused with those of his grandfather.[43]

A National Geographic article in 1973 treated with respect some longevity traditions like those of the high mountain valley of Vilcabamba, Ecuador.[44] In February and March 1978, Mazess and Forman published their discovery that inhabitants used their fathers' and grandfathers' baptismal entries.[41]

File:Li chingYuen.jpg
Li Ching-Yuen, photographed in 1927 at the residence of General Yang Sen.

Political claims

China
  • A New York Times story announced the death on 5 May 1933 in Kaihsien, Szechwan, of the Republic of China's Li Ching-Yuen (李青云, Li Qing Yun), who claimed to be born in 1736, age 197.[45] A Time article noted that "respectful Chinese preferred to think" Li was 150 in 1827 (birth 1677), based on a government congratulatory message, and died at age 256.[46] Tai chi chuan master Da Liu stated that Li learned qigong from a hermit over age 500.[47]
France
Great Britain
  • The Shoreditch burial register for 28 January 1588 reads "Aged 207 years. Holywell Street. Thomas Cam"[49] or "Carn", which supplied a traditional birth year of 1381.[20] According to Old and New London, "the 2 should probably be 1".[49] Chapter 2 of Falun Gong by Li Hongzhi (2001) states, "According to records, there was a person in Britain named Femcath who lived for 207 years."[31]
  • Peter Torton reportedly died in 1724 age 185.[17]
  • A brief biography of Henry Jenkins, of Ellerton-on-Swale, Yorkshire, was written by Anne Saville in 1663 based on Jenkins's description, stating birth in 1501; he also claimed to recall the 1513 Battle of Flodden Field.[50] However, Jenkins also testified in 1667, in favor of Charles Anthony in a court case against Calvert Smythson, that he was then only 157 or thereabouts.[51] He was born in Bolton-on-Swale,[20] but the only date given, 17 May 1500,[52] does not agree with the age of 169 on his monument (he died 8 December 1670).[53]
  • A tombstone in Cachen churchyard near Cardiff, Glamorganshire, read, "Heare lieth the body of WILLIAM EDWARDS, of the Cairey, who departed this life the 24th of February, Anno Domini 1668, anno aetatis suae one hundred and sixty-eight" (age 167/168).[20]
  • Joseph Surrington was reported as 160 (1637–1797).[20]
  • The parish registers of Church Minshull, in the county of Chester, state, "1649 Thomas Damme of Leighton. Buried the 20th of February, being of the age of Seven-score and fourteen" (154 years), signed by vicar T. Holford and wardens T. Kennerly and John Warburton.[20]
  • A tombstone in Brislington, Bristol, reads, "1542 THOMAS NEWMAN AGED 153 This Stone was new faced in the Year 1771 to Perpetuate the Great Age of the Deceased."[54]
  • Mrs. Eckleston of Philipstown, King's-county, was stated to be 143 (1548–1691).[55]
  • Margaret Patten reportedly died in 1739 age 137.[17]
  • Mary Yates of Lizard Common, Shifnal, reportedly died in 1776 age 127.[56]
  • William Wakley was baptized at Idsal in 1590 and was buried at Adbaston 28 November 1714 age 124 according to the register of St. Andrew's church, Shifnal, Salop.[56]
  • Old Tom Parr's great-grandson Robert Parr reportedly died in 1757 at age 124.[57]
  • Geoffrey N. Wright in Discovering Epitaphs says of grave inscriptions, "Isaac Ingall, butler of Battle Abbey, East Sussex, reached a mere 120 years. Stoke-on-Trent churchyard has the graves of Henry and Sibil Clarke, who both died in 1684 aged 112. The epitaph of Matthew Peat at Wirksworth, Derbyshire, who died in 1751 aged 112, poses the question: 'Few live so long: who lives well?' ... William Billinge, of Longnor, Staffordshire, was born in a cornfield, served at Gibraltar and Ramillies and died in 1791 aged 112."[54]
  • Margaret Melvil, who reportedly died 1783 age 117, Jane Lewson, who reportedly died 1811 age 116, and Mary How, who reportedly died 15 July 1751 age 112, were each known for growing new teeth in old age.[58]
Hungary
  • Netherlands envoy Hamelbraning reported in 1724 of the death in Rofrosh, Hungary, on January 5 of Peter Czartan, reportedly born 1539 and age 184.[20] Charles Hulbert, who reported Czartan's case in an 1825 collection, added that John Rovin (172) and his wife (164) both died in Hungary in 1741 after 148 years of marriage, with a youngest son age 116.[20]
Pakistan

The 1973 National Geographic article on longevity also reported, as a very aged people, the Burusho or Hunza people in the Hunza Valley of the mountains of Pakistan.[44]

Russia (Soviet Union)

Deaths officially reported in Russia in 1815 listed 1068 centenarians, including 246 supercentenarians (50 at age 120–155 and one even older).[20] Time magazine considered that, by the Soviet Union, longevity had elevated to a state-supported "Methuselah cult".[59] The USSR insisted on its citizens' unrivaled longevity by claiming 592 people (224 male, 368 female) over age 120 in a 15 January 1959 census[60] and 100 citizens of Russia alone ages 120 to 156 in March 1960.[41] Such later claims were fostered by Georgian-born Joseph Stalin's apparent hope that he would live long past 70.[59] Zhores A. Medvedev, who demonstrated that all 500-plus claims failed birth-record validation and other tests,[59] said Stalin "liked the idea that [other] Georgians lived to be 100".[41]

  • An early 1812 Russian Petersburgh Gazette reports a man between ages 200 and 225 in the diocese of Ekaterinoslaw.[20]
  • Shirali Muslimov (26 March 1805? – 4 September 1973), of Barzavu, Azerbaijan, in the Caucasus mountains, was allegedly age 168 years, 162 days, based solely on a passport. National Geographic carried the claim.[44]
Sweden

Swedish death registers contain detailed information on thousands of centenarians going back to 1749; the maximum age at death reported between 1751 and 1800 was 127.[61]

  • Dorothea Andersdotter died in 1860 at the registered age of 110, but the omission of age in months and days was atypical.
Switzerland

Swiss anatomist Albrecht von Haller collected examples of 62 people ages 110–120, 29 ages 120–130, and 15 ages 130–140.[62]

Turkey

Commercial sponsors

Barnum
  • P. T. Barnum exhibited Joice Heth as 161 until her death 19 February 1836; her autopsy indicated she was "probably not over eighty".[67]
Ripley

Robert L. Ripley regularly reported supercentenarian claims in Ripley's Believe It or Not!, usually citing his own reputation as a fact-checker to claim reliability. Ripley reported that:

  • Javier Pereira, an aboriginal resident of Colombia, claimed to have been born in 1789. In 1956, in his only departure from Colombia, Pereira was examined by New York Hospital–Cornell Medical Center physicians, who described him as "possibly ... more than 150 years old". He died 30 March 1958, in Montería, Colombia (age 168/169),[68] and was honored by a local postage stamp with the motto, "Don't worry. Drink coffee and smoke a good cigar."[69]
  • Yaupa (1768/1769–1899) of Futuna Island, Vanuatu, continued to work his farm at the age of 130.[70]
  • Horoz Ali, gatekeeper in Nicosia, Cyprus, before Turkish defeat in 1878, lived to 120.[71]
  • Francisco Huppazoli (1587–1702) of Italy lived 114 years and fathered four children after age 98.[72]

Religious apologist testimonies

The following additional cases were cited by Arthur Custance in 1976 (most collected by James Prichard in 1836):[17]

Name Death date Alleged age
unknown (Frederic Town, U.S.) 1797 180
Elizabeth Yorath 1668 177
Baba Harainsingh fl. 1952 176
Robert Lynch 1830 160
Iwan Yorath 1621 156
Catherine Hiatt 1821 150
Joseph Bam 1821 146
Rebecca Tury 1827 140
Juan Moroygota fl. 1828 138
Catherine Lopez 1807 134
Margaret Darby 1821 130
Statira 1823 130
Francis Peat 1830 130
Charles Layne 1821 121
May Innes 1830 120
Annie Firlotte fl. 1954 113

See also

References

  1. ^ Nissen, Hans J.; et al. (1993). Archaic Bookkeeping. University of Chicago Press. pp. 25, 27–9. ISBN 0226586596. {{cite book}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |first= (help) "Some 60 different signs identified as numerical signs have been isolated in the archaic texts [that] could be assigned to a restricted number of different numerical systems (see fig. 28). Each of these systems possesses a well-defined range of applicability .... Identical signs can occur in different systems and consequently inherit different numerical connotations." Figure 28 lists thirteen such systems for the city-state of Uruk.
  2. ^ Ifrah, Georges (1985). From One To Zero: A Universal History of Numbers. Viking Press. pp. 174–5.
  3. ^ Lee, Witness (1987). Life-Study of Genesis. Vol. II. pp. 227, 287, 361, 481.
  4. ^ Pilch, John J. (1999). The Cultural Dictionary of the Bible. Liturgical Press. pp. 144–146.
  5. ^ Vail, Isaac Newton (1902). The Waters Above the Firmament: Or The Earth's Annular System. Ferris and Leach. p. 97.
  6. ^ Joeng et al., 2004.
  7. ^ Weinstein and Ciszek, 2002.
  8. ^ Hill, Carol A. (2003-12-04). "Making Sense of the Numbers of Genesis". Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith. 55: 239.
  9. ^ Etz, Donald V. (1994). "The Numbers of Genesis V 3–31: A Suggested Conversion and Its Implications". Vetus Testamentum. 43 (2): 171–87.
  10. ^ Morris, Henry M. (1976). The Genesis Record: A Scientific and Devotional Commentary on the Book of Beginnings. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House. p. 159. Such an interpretation would have made Enoch only five years old when his son was born!
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference z was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Goehlert, Vincent (November 1887). "Statistical Observations upon Biblical Data". The Old Testament Student (in English). 7 (3). Chicago: University of Chicago Press: 76–83. doi:10.1086/469948.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  13. ^ Li, Mengyu (2008). "The Unique Values of Chinese Traditional Cultural Time Orientation: In Comparison with Western Cultural Time Orientation" (PDF). The University of Rhode Island. Retrieved 2010-03-19.
  14. ^ Aston, William (1896). Nihongi. K. Paul, Trench, Trübner. pp. 109–137.
  15. ^ Yang, S. C. The South and North Korean political systems: A comparative analysis (rev. ed.). Seoul: Hollym. ISBN 1565911059.
  16. ^ "Epimenides". [[Encyclopaedia Britannica]]. Vol. 8. Henry G. Allen. 1890. p. 482. {{cite book}}: URL–wikilink conflict (help)
  17. ^ a b c d e Prichard, James C. (1836). Researches into the Physical History of Mankind. Vol. 1. London: Houlston and Stoneman. pp. 11–5 ff.
  18. ^ Lichtenberger, Frédéric, ed. (1881). Encyclopédie des sciences religieuses. Vol. 11. Sandoz et Fischbacher. p. 570. {{cite book}}: |author= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  19. ^ Thompson, Phyllis (2005). Sadhu Sundar Singh: A Biography of the Remarkable Indian Disciple of Jesus. Armour Publishing. pp. 77, 80–3.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Hulbert, Charles (1825). "Instances of Human Longevity in Europe". Museum Europæum; or, Select antiquities ... of nature and art, in Europe. pp. 451–7.
  21. ^ "Scolastica Oliveri".
  22. ^ Calvert, Kenneth (October 1999). "Ascetic Agitators". p. 28. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  23. ^ Coptic Orthodox Church Network (2005). "Commemorations for Abib 7". St. Mark Coptic Church.
  24. ^ al-Kittani, Abdul Hayye (1888–1962). Fahres-ul-Faharis wal Athbat. Vol. 2. p. 928.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) In "Chains of Narration" (PDF). Minhaj-al-Quran International (UK). 2006.
  25. ^ "أعجوبة الزمان، شيخ المعمرين: أبو أحمد بن موسى العيص".
  26. ^ Daczynski, Vincent J. (2004). "Paranormal Phenomenon: Amazing Human Abilities". {{cite web}}: |chapter= ignored (help)
  27. ^ a b c McDermott, Rachel Fell (2001). Mother of My Heart, Daughter of My Dreams. Oxford University Press. p. 145. ISBN 9780195134353.
  28. ^ Varishthananda, Swami (November 2007). "Varanasi: The City of Saints, Sages, and Savants" (PDF). Prabuddha Bharata (Awakened India). 112 (11): 632–3.
  29. ^ Medhasananda, Swami (2003). Varanasi At the Crossroads. Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture. p. 1042. ISBN 8187332182.
  30. ^ "慧昭 (526–815)".
  31. ^ a b Li Hongzhi (April 2001). "Falun Gong". Falun Gong (4th trans. ed.).
  32. ^ Willcox, Willcox, and Suzuki. The Okinawa program: Learn the secrets to healthy longevity. p. 3.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  33. ^ Oya Yusuke, University Ryukyus; Fukiyama Koshiro, Japan Seaman Relief Association (2004). "Longevity myth in Okinawa–the Past and Present". Clinic All-round. Vol. 53, no. 8. pp. 2245–8. ISSN 0371-1900.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  34. ^ Cite error: The named reference kohn was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  35. ^ a b Ferguson, John (1906). Bibliotheca chemica. Glasgow: James Maclehose and Sons. p. 351. Retrieved 2010-09-12.
  36. ^ Gualdus, Friederich (1989) [1720]. Revelation of the True Chemical Wisdom (Alchemy). Muller, Leone, trans. Restoration of Alchemical Manuscripts Society. Retrieved 2010-09-12.
  37. ^ Hally, René. "Tschoudy, Théodore Henry de Metz". Retrieved 2010-09-12.
  38. ^ John 5:4.
  39. ^ Herodotus, Book III: 22–4.
  40. ^ Fernández de Oviedo, Gonzalo. Historia General y Natural de las Indias, book 16, chapter XI.
  41. ^ a b c d e Guinness Book of World Records. 1983. pp. 16–19.
  42. ^ Faig, K. (2002). Reported Deaths of Centenarians and Near-Centenarians in the U.S. Social Security Administration's Death Master File. p. 11.
  43. ^ "Thomas Parr". NNDB.com. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
  44. ^ a b c Leaf, Alexander (January 1973). "Search for the Oldest People". National Geographic. pp. 93–118.
  45. ^ "Li Ching-Yun Dead; Gave His Age As 197". The New York Times. 6 May 1933.
  46. ^ "Tortoise-Pigeon-Dog". Time Magazine. 1933-05-15. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
  47. ^ "The amazing story of master Li Ching-Yuen".
  48. ^ Palma-Cayet, Pierre-Victor (1609). Chronologie septenaire de l'histoire de la paix entre les Roys de France et d'Espagne.
  49. ^ a b Thornbury, Walter (1878). "Shoreditch". Old and New London. Vol. 2. Centre for Metropolitan History. pp. 194–195.
  50. ^ "Age Validation of Centenarians in the Luxdorph Gallery". Validation of Exceptional Longevity. Odense Monographs on Population Aging. Vol. 6. Jeune, Bernard, and Vaupel, James W., eds., Petersen, L.-L. B., and Jeune, Bernard, contribs. Odense University Press. 1999.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  51. ^ Thoms, William J. (1979) [1873]. Human Longevity: Its Facts and Its Fictions (reprint ed.). London; New York City: John Murray; Arno Press. p. 287.
  52. ^ Marden, Orison Swett (2003) [1921]. The Secret of Achivement. Kessinger Publishing. p. 228.
  53. ^ Krünitz, Johann Georg (1806). Oekonomisch-technologische Encyklopädie oder allgemeines System der Stats-, Stadt-, Haus- und Landwirthschaft und der Kunst-Geschichte. Vol. 66. Pauli. p. 764.
  54. ^ a b Wright, Geoffrey N. (1996). "Discovering Epitaphs". Osprey Publishing. pp. 25–6.
  55. ^ Wiseman, Nicholas Patrick (February–May 1862). "The Old Countess of Desmond". The Dublin Review. 51. London: Thomas Richardson and Son: 78.
  56. ^ a b Brewer, Ebenezer Cobham (1905). Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. Cassell and Co. p. 772.
  57. ^ Kirby. Wonderful Museum. In "Old Parr". Notes and Queries. Oxford Journals. 21 May 1881. pp. 415–6.
  58. ^ Wiseman, Nicholas Patrick (February–May 1862). "The Old Countess of Desmond". The Dublin Review. 51. London: Thomas Richardson and Son: 82.
  59. ^ a b c "No Methuselahs". Time Magazine. 1974-08-12. Retrieved 2009-05-13.
  60. ^ Vestnik Statistiki. Statistical Herald. April 1961.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  61. ^ Lundström, Hans; Castanova, V. (March 2000). Record Longevity in Swedish Cohorts Born Since 1700. {{cite book}}: Text "http://www.demogr.mpg.de/Papers/Books/Monograph2/record.htm" ignored (help)
  62. ^ Dunglison, Robley (1851). Medical Lexicon: A Dictionary of Medical Science. Blanchard & Lea. p. 525.
  63. ^ "Zaro Agha Dead at 160 Years". The [Melbourne] Argus. 1934-06-30. p. 21.
  64. ^ News Review. 1938-12-22. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help) In Custance, Arthur C., Ph.D. (1976). The Virgin Birth and the Incarnation.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  65. ^ http://news.ebru.tv/en/Turkiye/13903
  66. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/turkce/haberler/2009/11/091126_fooc_kulp.shtml
  67. ^ "Joice Heth". University of Virginia American Studies.
  68. ^ "Ask the Globe". Boston Globe. 1987-08-16. Retrieved 2009-05-22.
  69. ^ "U.S." Time Magazine. 1958-04-14. Retrieved 2009-05-22.
  70. ^ Ripley Enterprises, Inc. (September 1969). Ripley's Believe It or Not! 15th Series. New York City: Pocket Books. p. 112. The Old Man of the Sea / Yaupa / a native of Futuna, one of the New Hebrides Islands / regularly worked his own farm at the age of 130 / He died in 1899 of measles — a children's disease
  71. ^ Ripley Enterprises, Inc. (September 1969). Ripley's Believe It or Not! 15th Series. New York City: Pocket Books. p. 84. Horoz Ali the last Turkish gatekeeper of Nicosia, Cyprus, lived to the age of 120
  72. ^ Ripley Enterprises, Inc. (September 1969). Ripley's Believe It or Not! 15th Series. New York City: Pocket Books. p. 56. Francisco Huppazoli (1587–1702) of Casale, Italy, lived 114 years without a day's illness and had 4 children by his 5th wife — whom he married at the age of 98

Bibliography

  • Boia, Lucian (2004). Forever Young: A Cultural History of Longevity from Antiquity to the Present. ISBN 1861891547.
  • Thoms, William J. (1879). The Longevity of Man. Its Facts and Its Fictions. With a prefatory letter to Prof. Owen, C.B., F.R.S. on the limits and frequency of exceptional cases. London: F. Norgate.
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