--- a/src/chat.js	Wed Sep 03 07:58:46 2025 -0600
+++ b/src/chat.js	Wed Sep 03 12:36:57 2025 -0600
@@ -117,6 +117,16 @@
 	ajax(`delete_chat.js?chat=${currentChatId}`);
 }
 
+function deleteOld() {
+	let dialog = document.querySelector('dialog[delete_old]');
+	openModal(dialog);
+}
+
+function doDeleteOld(el) {
+	closeModal(el);
+	ajax(`delete_old.js?chat=${currentChatId}`);
+}
+
 let currentPostId;
 
 function getPostId(el) {

--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/src/delete_old.js.luan	Wed Sep 03 12:36:57 2025 -0600
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+local Luan = require "luan:Luan.luan"
+local error = Luan.error
+local range = Luan.range or error()
+local Io = require "luan:Io.luan"
+local Http = require "luan:http/Http.luan"
+local User = require "site:/lib/User.luan"
+local current_user = User.current or error()
+local Chat = require "site:/lib/Chat.luan"
+local get_chat_by_id = Chat.get_by_id or error()
+local Shared = require "site:/lib/Shared.luan"
+local http_push_to_users = Shared.http_push_to_users or error()
+local Utils = require "site:/lib/Utils.luan"
+local is_in_list = Utils.is_in_list or error()
+local Post = require "site:/lib/Post.luan"
+local post_search = Post.search or error()
+local Logging = require "luan:logging/Logging.luan"
+local logger = Logging.logger "delete_old.js"
+
+
+local function delete_old(chat)
+	local posts = post_search( "post_chat_id:"..chat.id, "id" )
+	for i in range( 1, #posts // 2 ) do
+		posts[i].delete()
+	end
+end
+
+return function()
+	local chat = Http.request.parameters.chat or error()
+	chat = get_chat_by_id(chat) or error()
+	local user_ids = chat.user_ids
+	local user = current_user() or error()
+	is_in_list( user.id, user_ids ) or error()
+	delete_old(chat)
+	local js = "location.reload()"
+	chat.http_push(js)
+end

--- a/src/get_chat.js.luan	Wed Sep 03 07:58:46 2025 -0600
+++ b/src/get_chat.js.luan	Wed Sep 03 12:36:57 2025 -0600
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@
 				<span onclick="openPeople()">People in Chat</span>
 				<span onclick="openMute()">Mute Chat</span>
 				<span onclick="openAddToChat()">Add Someone to Chat</span>
+				<span onclick="deleteOld()">Delete Old Messages</span>
 				<span onclick="deleteChat()">Delete Chat</span>
 			</div>
 		</span>

--- a/src/index.html.luan	Wed Sep 03 07:58:46 2025 -0600
+++ b/src/index.html.luan	Wed Sep 03 12:36:57 2025 -0600
@@ -81,6 +81,14 @@
 				<button onclick="doDeleteChat(this)">Delete</button>
 			</div>
 		</dialog>
+		<dialog delete_old>
+			<h2>Delete Old Messages</h2>
+			<p>Are you sure that you want to delete the older half of the messages in this chat?</p>
+			<div buttons>
+				<button onclick="closeModal(this)">Cancel</button>
+				<button onclick="doDeleteOld(this)">Delete</button>
+			</div>
+		</dialog>
 		<dialog delete_post>
 			<h2>Delete Message</h2>
 			<p>Are you sure that you want to delete this message?</p>