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The oldest bee remains known to exist are preserved in a small bit of amber. This bee is believed to be over 80 million years old and is kept at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. The earliest record of honey bees and people interacting is a rock painting found in Spain…about 6000 to 8000 years old. Paintings have also been found in other parts of the world, especially southern Africa. The honeybee was the symbol of Lower Egypt and papyri dated 256 BC tell of a beekeeper with 5000 hives. Honey was an ingredient in over 500 Egyptian medicines and beeswax and propolis were important products used in the embalming process.

The Greeks and Romans were keeping bees 3000 years ago. They called honey "nectar of the Gods" and Greek athletes used honey as a carbohydrate boost. According to the Roman, Pliny, originator of the doctrine of signatures, drinking a glass of honey and cider vinegar every day cleans the system and promotes good health. D.C. Jarvis, M.D. in his book Folk Medicine re-popularized honey and apple cider vinegar in more modern times.