Mariam Amash

Mariam Amash (born 1888)^[1] is a claimant to the title of the oldest living person.

Amash, born in the now defunct Ottoman Empire, lives in the town of Jisr az-Zarqa in northern Israel. She is an Arab citizen of Israel of Bedouin descent.^[1][2] The discovery that she may be the oldest person in the world came when she applied for an identity card from the Israeli government using a birth document issued by the Ottoman authorities who ruled the region at the time.^[2] The date of her birth, in 1888, appears on the Ottoman issued birth certificate, and Israeli officials have confimed that Amash is currently listed in the Israeli population registry as having been born in that year, though they are unsure if it is correct.^[2][1]

The Guinness Book of Records, the group who authorizes the "official" oldest living person record, have not yet validated her claim.^[3] If validated, she would be the last survivor of the 1880s. Her birth month has not been reported, but if she was 120 years old, she would be older than Sarah Knauss (who is currently recognized as the second oldest person ever). If Amash were to still be alive, she would pass the age of the verified oldest person ever, Jeanne Calment, in the summer of 2010.

As of February 2008, Amash was reported as being "remarkably sprightly",^[2] with 10 children, 120 grandchildren, 250 great-grandchildren and 30 great-great-grandchildren.^[2][1] Amash says the key to longevity is a healthy diet abundant in vegetables.^[2] In particular, she attributes her own longevity to drinking olive oil every day, avoiding alcohol, and eating a local herb Palestinians often use in salads. She also stated that she expected to live "another ten years".^[4]

Amash has bad hearing and can only recall portions of the past at a time, making her difficult to interview.^[4] In a 2008 interview with Al Jazeera English, she recalled the Ottomans as being "nice", but did not like the British when they took over in 1917, and is satisfied with life in modern day Israel, especially with her government-provided social security.^[4] A devout Muslim, she has made the Hajj to Mecca five times.^[2]

See also

• Longevity claims

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} She claims six score, if you’re keeping score
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} Patience, Martin; 15-02-08 World's oldest person in Israel BBC News. Accessed 15-02-08
3. ^ Associated Press; 14-02-08 Woman Applying for New ID Says She's 120 ABC News; Accessed 16-02-08
4. ^ ^{a b c} Al Jazeera English: The oldest woman in the world? - 23 Feb 08

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Name	Amash, Mariam
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