The Bushmen or San of South-West Africa are the oldest civilisation still alive today. The Chinese culture claims an age of 3500 years, but this includes fundamental changes of their social and cultural systems. The San culture on the other hand was able to survive in a rough environment for probably up to 40.000 years.  The 100.000 San are today one of the most famous surviving hunter and gatherers. They live in small, egalitarian society of loosely organised kinship groups, without formal hierarchy and private property. They collect their food in the bushes but are also known as skilled hunters, using poised spears to even bring down lions or elephants.