The Fascinating Life and Controversial Age of Zaro Aga the Alleged Century-Old Legend
- Daniel Rasul
- Dec 21, 2025
- 9 min read
Zaro Aga's story captures the imagination with its extraordinary claim: a man who lived for over 160 years. Born in the late 18th century and passing away in the early 20th century, his life spans a period of immense historical change. Yet, the truth about his age remains uncertain, sparking debate and curiosity. This post explores the life, claims, and controversies surrounding Zaro Aga, a figure who became famous as one of the longest-living persons ever.
The story of Zaro Aga (claimed birth 1774/1777 – d. 1934) is one of the most compelling and controversial tales of extreme human longevity. Hailed in his time as the "World's Oldest Man," his life spanned one of the most transformative eras in history—the decline of the mighty Ottoman Empire and the birth of the modern Kurdistan state. While his alleged age of 157 to 160 years remains unverified by modern gerontological standards, his celebrity and the mystery surrounding his true age offer a profound look into history, cultural storytelling, and the enduring human fascination with living an extraordinarily long life.
🌍 Early Life and Historical Context
Zaro Aga was reportedly born on February 16, 1774, in the village of Medan (now Meydan) in Mutki, which was then part of the Ottoman Empire. As an ethnic Kurd, his background placed him within a large, diverse community that was often on the periphery of the central Ottoman administration.
A Life Under the Sultans
Zaro Aga's claimed lifespan would have seen him live under the reign of 10 Ottoman Sultans and witness nearly a century and a half of the empire's slow, painful decline. This period, from the late 18th century to the early 20th century, was characterized by territorial losses, internal reforms (like the Tanzimat era), and increasing influence from European powers. The world Zaro Aga was born into was pre-industrial, vast, and governed by an ancient feudal system.
Birth (1774): Just two years after the Ottoman Empire's defeat in the Russo-Turkish War, which exposed its military weakness and led to territorial concessions.
Abolition of the Janissaries (1826): He was reportedly 50 years old when Sultan Mahmud II forcibly disbanded the powerful, centuries-old Janissary corps, a pivotal moment of modernization and centralization in the empire.
The Crimean War (1853–1856): He lived through the first major European war to be widely reported by modern media.
The Balkan Wars (1912–1913): He was allegedly over 130 when the empire lost almost all its remaining European territory.
His experiences weren't just observational; he reportedly participated in six different wars and claimed to have been wounded six times. One oft-cited claim is that he fought in the Battle of Plevna (1877–1878) during the Russo-Turkish War, allegedly volunteering at the remarkable age of 100.
💼 Career and the Move to Istanbul
Zaro Aga's working life was one of relentless physical labor, which starkly contrasted with the sedentary lives of many modern centenarians. In his youth, he worked as a construction worker in his native region. He later moved to the Ottoman capital, Constantinople (Istanbul), a sprawling, dynamic city, where he became a porter (hammal).
The Kurdish porters of Istanbul were famous for their strength and endurance. Zaro Aga himself was known to boast of his strength, even claiming he could carry a piano on his back. For over a century, he reportedly carried heavy loads through the city's ancient streets. He retired as a janitor (doorman) at a coffee house in Ortaköy, a role he held into the final years of his life. This long, arduous working life arguably contributed to the image of his rugged health and longevity.
✈️ The Rise to International Fame
Zaro Aga lived in relative obscurity until around 1930, when his incredible claims of longevity and historical encounters were brought to the attention of the press. This sudden celebrity status was driven by a sensationalist appetite in Western media for exotic human-interest stories.
Global Tours and Exploitation
He was quickly turned into a global spectacle and taken on tours, primarily to the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy. He was marketed as the "Eighth Wonder of the World" and the oldest person on Earth.
Visit to America (1930): His arrival in the US in July 1930 caused a media frenzy. He was photographed on the Empire State Building , was featured in the Gershwin musical Girl Crazy, and was even a guest on American radio.
Endorsements and Health Claims: His fame led to a cottage industry of health claims. During the American Prohibition era, his long life was often attributed to his reported abstinence from alcohol. Simultaneously, he was widely touted as an advocate for yogurt, or ayran, and other traditional Turkish foods, to the benefit of various food companies. His diet was generally described as being largely vegetarian, consisting of soup, cheese, cornmeal, yogurt, and very little meat.
The Man of Many Wives and Children
Zaro Aga’s personal life was as extraordinary as his purported age. Reports vary, but he is said to have married between 11 and 13 times and fathered approximately 36 children. A remarkable detail is the claim that he married his twelfth wife at the age of 152 and had a daughter when he was over 90 years old. By the time of his death, only one of his children, a daughter who was reportedly around 80 years old herself, survived him. This fact, if true, provided anecdotal evidence against the most conservative estimates of his age.
Encounters with Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
One of the most culturally significant aspects of Zaro Aga's later life was his meeting with Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the military hero who founded the Republic of Turkey in 1923. He is documented as having met with the new President on at least two occasions.
The Clash of Eras
These meetings perfectly encapsulated the cultural and generational chasm of the time. The transition from the theocratic, imperial Ottoman state to a secular, modern Turkish republic was rapid and often jarring.
The "Sultan" Reference: Zaro Aga's traditionalist worldview was evident in his address to Atatürk as "Sultan," a term that the staunchly republican leader had officially rejected, highlighting the old man’s adherence to the imperial past.
The Critique of Modernity: According to Turkish newspaper reports, Zaro Aga praised Atatürk's leadership but offered a notable critique: he complained that the President had given "too much freedom to women." This comment was a direct response to Atatürk’s revolutionary reforms, such as abolishing the veil, granting women the right to vote and hold office, and ensuring their equal rights in marriage and divorce—changes that fundamentally altered Turkish society. Zaro Aga, who held conservative views on women’s dress and public roles, became a momentary voice of the old guard resisting the radical pace of Kemalism.
🔬 The Great Age Debate: Fact vs. Fiction
The debate over Zaro Aga's true age is the core of his legacy and is a case study in the challenges of verifying extreme longevity before the establishment of modern documentation standards.
The Official and the Skeptical Claims
Official Turkish Claim: Zaro Aga's death certificate, issued by his Turkish doctor, listed his age as 157. His tombstone in the Eyüp Sultan Cemetery records his age as 160.
Physical Examinations During Life: During his life, doctors were already skeptical. Examinations, including X-rays of his bones, led medical professionals to estimate that he was unlikely to be older than 120. This assessment, while still a remarkable age, significantly undercut his public claim.
Walter Bowerman's Investigation (1939): The most aggressive challenge to his age came posthumously from statistician and demographer Walter Bowerman. His investigative report, published in 1939, analyzed the available evidence and concluded that Zaro Aga was likely closer to 97 years old at the time of his death.
The Autopsy and Posthumous Research
Adding to the mystery, immediately following his death in Istanbul on June 29, 1934, Zaro Aga's body was transferred to the United States for post-mortem research. This transfer was highly unusual and indicative of the global scientific and public interest in his case.
The Research Goal: The aim of the autopsy was to scientifically determine his age and discover any physiological secrets to his incredible longevity, particularly focusing on his pituitary gland, which some doctors hypothesized could be responsible for his long life.
Autopsy Details: According to reports, the autopsy was conducted. The findings were not conclusive in proving his claimed age, which is why the debate continued. Some sources mention that his brain weighed 1,340 grams and appeared "good in all folds."
The Son’s Age as Evidence: One piece of potentially verifiable evidence mentioned in scientific literature is a birth registration record suggesting Zaro Aga had a son who was 90 years old in 1918. For this to be true, Zaro Aga would have been at least 134 years old when he died in 1934, a figure far beyond Bowerman's estimate of 97 and closer to the official claim, but still short of 157. However, the reliability of the birth record itself remains unvalidated by modern standards.\
Ultimately, like other unverified supercentenarian claims of the era, Zaro Aga’s age could never be fully authenticated to the standards required by organizations like the Gerontology Research Group (GRG). The oldest fully authenticated person in history remains Jeanne Calment of France, who lived to 122 years and 164 days (1875–1997).
💫 The Enduring Legacy
Zaro Aga's story transcended mere record-keeping; it became a powerful narrative in popular culture across the globe.
A Cultural Icon
His image—often a man with a distinct turban, rugged clothes, and a weathered face—was widely circulated in newspapers, newsreels, and advertisements. He became a symbol, not just of age, but of a vanishing era, a living link to the Ottoman past in a quickly changing world. He even found a mention in international art and literature, such as the Bangla short story Spotlight by Satyajit Ray, demonstrating his worldwide cultural impact.
What Zaro Aga’s Life Teaches Us
Zaro Aga’s journey offers invaluable lessons regarding history, longevity, and humanity:
The Nature of Pre-Modern Documentation: His story is a powerful reminder that in times and places without standardized, centralized, and immutable birth records, extraordinary longevity claims are extremely difficult, if not impossible, to verify. Birth dates were often estimated, particularly in rural regions, based on significant local events rather than official registry entries.
The Power of Narrative: Zaro Aga was a brilliant storyteller whose colorful tales of meeting Napoleon, serving in multiple wars, and outliving dozens of family members captured the world's imagination. His personal narrative was as important as his physiological age in securing his fame. His story illustrates how a compelling narrative can become a powerful, marketable commodity.
Human Resilience and Endurance: Regardless of his true age, Zaro Aga lived a remarkable life of sustained physical labor and survived an era of immense political and social upheaval. His resilience, whether for 97 years or 157, is itself a testament to human endurance.
The Quest for the Longevity Secret: The intense media coverage and the post-mortem research highlight the relentless global pursuit of the "secret" to long life. Zaro Aga became a canvas onto which people projected their own theories—from a vegetarian diet and abstinence from alcohol to the properties of yogurt and an active lifestyle.
In conclusion, Zaro Aga was more than a number on a certificate. He was a Kurdish porter from a remote village who became a living historical document, embodying the past as his country raced toward the future. The debate over his age ensures his continued relevance, making him a fascinating figure at the intersection of history, science, and legend.
📚 References for Zaro Aga (Claimed 1774–1934)
The story of Zaro Aga is primarily documented in historical newspaper accounts, popular press features from the 1930s, and later academic studies in gerontology and history that attempt to verify his claimed age.
Here is a brief list of the types of sources relevant to his life and the controversy surrounding his longevity:
I. Academic and Scholarly Literature
These sources often attempt to analyze the validity of his age claim using historical records and medical reports:
Karahan, Ali Yavuz, and İbrahim Batmaz. "Zaro Agha, The legendary Kurdish supercentenarian." International Journal on Disability and Human Development, 2015. (This article formally introduces the case into academic literature and discusses the historical evidence, including the claim about his son's age.)
Aksel, İ. S. "Über das Gehirn des ‘ältesten Mannes der Welt’ (Zaro Aga)." Archiv für Psychiatrie und Nervenkrankheiten, 1934. (A key source reporting the autopsy findings and the examination of his brain following his death in Istanbul.)
Bowerman, Walter G. "Centenarians." Transactions of the Actuarial Society of America, 1939. (An influential demographic study that argued Zaro Aga's age was significantly exaggerated, suggesting he was closer to 97 years old.)
II. Contemporary Media and Historical Newspaper Archives
The primary documentation of Zaro Aga's fame and travels comes from the global press coverage of the 1930s:
Newspaper Reports (Turkish): Articles from papers like Cumhuriyet and Taraf reported on his life in Istanbul, his meetings with Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and the details of his death and official age claim.
International News Wire Services (e.g., Reuter, AP): Numerous reports documented his tours to the United States, United Kingdom, and Europe, often sensationalizing his age and physical strength (e.g., claiming he met Napoleon or fought in the Battle of Plevna).
Newsreels and Cinemagazines: Footage from the 1930s, such as Universal News Issues, captured his public appearances as the "World's Oldest Man" (e.g., his visit to the Empire State Building).
Magazines (e.g., Time Magazine): Covered his death and the subsequent medical investigations into his pituitary gland and actual age.
III. Primary Documents (Cited but Difficult to Access)
These are the core documents that form the basis of the age controversy:
Zaro Aga's Death Certificate: The official document provided by his Turkish doctor listing his age as 157 (Source of the highest age claim).
Passport/Travel Documents: Documents used for his international tours, which would have listed his purported birth year (1774 or 1777).
Birth Registration Records: Alleged records concerning Zaro Aga himself or his children (e.g., the claim about a son being 90 years old in 1918), which are crucial but lack full, modern verification.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/274370677_Zaro_Agha_The_legendary_Kurdish_supercentenarian
https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/newsonscreen/search/index.php/story/137150
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