Zaro Aga

About

Proclaimed Eighth Wonder of the World, as he was titled during his time touring with circus crowds. He claimed to be one of the oldest people to ever live. There are few documented and/or verified facts concerning his life and longevity. He worked most of his life in construction, and then later as a porter and janitor, residing in what is now known as the country of Turkey. He lived in obscurity until the 1930s, when it is suggested that someone on hearing his wild stories of his life's adventures and encounters with notable people, suggested that Zaro could potentially set a record for the longest life lived. This led to his rise in popularity as, during the turn of the century, he began to market himself internationally as the oldest person in recorded history. He toured the United States as a carnival act. With such little evidence to support his claims, it is considered a longevity myth.

Before Fame

Born in a village that was part of the autonomously Kurdish emirate, referred to as Bitlis, inside of the Ottoman Empire; he lived quite a long life, this is for certain. However, the length of that lifespan was always hotly debated, even after his death. He possessed a document he proclaimed to be his birth certificate, but it was never verified. His birth year is claimed to be between 1774 and 1777. His Turkish birth certificate formally declares his age to be 157 years at the time of his death, on June 29, 1934. His body was quickly shipped to the United States to be studied by autopsy, and the results declared the age range stated on the certificate as false. A report released in 1939 by Walter Bowerman declared there was no evidence to suggest Zaro had been older than 97 years at the time of his death. 

Trivia

Amongst some of his most bizarre claims, he claimed to have met French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte III during the height of his power. He would tell stories of losing his teeth around the same time that Napoleon lost at Sedan, which lead to Napoleon's capture and eventual banishment to Waterloo for his remaining years. 

Family Life

Very little clear information is available regarding his family life. There are varying claims about the number of wives and children he fathered throughout his life. 

Associated With

He held very traditional and conservative views, especially concerning matters of feminism and equality among the sexes. He had the honor to meet the founding father of the nation of Turkey, its first President Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, on two separate occasions. He would only regard the elected official as Sultan as well as chastise him for his progressive policies, especially when it came to the political freedom of and suffrage for women.