The phrase began to be associated with prostitution in the last decade of the nineteenth century following Rudyard Kipling's short story about an Indian prostitute, On the City Wall (January 1889). Thou hast sworn to put to death every human being fate throws into thy hand.'Īssociation with prostitution Lalun ( William Strang) The hierophant, on initiating the candidate, says to him: 'Thou hast chosen, my son, the most ancient profession, the most acceptable to the deity. In The Secret Societies of All Ages and Countries (1875), Charles William Heckethorn, describing the Thugs of India, said: The phrase had also been applied to murderers. Humbugging is held the most ancient profession. Of all trades and arts in repute or possession, The Song in Praise of the Merchant-Taylors, attested from 1680, which was routinely performed at pageants at the Lord Mayor's Show, London, if the current mayor happened to belong to the Perhaps the earliest recorded claim to be the world's oldest profession was made on behalf of tailors. The claim to be the oldest profession was made on behalf of farmers, cattle drovers, horticulturalists, barbers, engineers, landscape gardeners, the military, doctors, nurses, teachers, priests, lay preachers and even lawyers. Formerly, various professions vied for the reputation of being the oldest. However, it did not start to acquire that meaning until 1889, after a Rudyard Kipling story, and it did not do so universally until after World War I. The oldest profession in the world (or the world's oldest profession) is a phrase that, unless another meaning is specified, refers to prostitution. The biblical Tamar poses as a harlot to seduce Judah ( Horace Vernet, 1840) For the 1967 French film, see The Oldest Profession.

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