Enheduanna

Enheduanna was an Akkadian high priestess of the moon god Nanna and a poet whose name survives on works attributed to her. She is often regarded as history’s earliest known named author.

Akkadian Empire: A Mesopotamian empire founded by Sargon of Akkad in the twenty-fourth century BCE. Enheduanna’s priestly office linked her to the dynasty that ruled this empire.
The Exaltation of Inanna: A Sumerian hymn in which Inanna’s power and Enheduanna’s personal crisis are central. Its first-person voice is among the strongest evidence for Enheduanna’s authorial identity.
Enheduanna disk: An alabaster disk from Ur depicting Enheduanna in a temple ritual and naming her in an inscription. Its inscription and image connect a named historical figure to her priestly role.
Authorship: The attribution of a work to the person or people who composed it. Enheduanna’s case tests what named authorship can mean for texts preserved in later copies.
Sumer: An ancient civilization of southern Mesopotamia, known for its city-states and cuneiform writing. Her compositions drew on Sumerian language and religious traditions.
Inanna and Ebih: A Sumerian poem recounting Inanna’s victory over the mountain Ebih. The poem portrays Inanna’s forceful divine authority in a work attributed to Enheduanna.
Ur: An ancient Sumerian city in southern Mesopotamia, near the Euphrates River. Enheduanna served as high priestess at Ur, a major center of Nanna’s worship.
Women in ancient Mesopotamia: The varied social, economic, and religious roles held by women in ancient Mesopotamian societies. Her high office and literary legacy stand out within the surviving record of women’s lives.
Nanna: The Sumerian moon god, worshipped especially at the city of Ur. Enheduanna held the high priestess office in Nanna’s temple at Ur.
Sumerian Temple Hymns: A collection of hymns praising temples and their associated deities across Sumerian cities. Tradition attributes this influential collection to Enheduanna.

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