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By Sara Stan
Have you ever wondered who was the very first author? You’re probably thinking about Homer, but you’re a little off. That is, by a whopping 1500 years. Most people would suggest a figure from ancient Greece, never anyone from Mesopotamia and definitely not a woman. If they do mention a female author at all it’s Sappho, but that’s even farther (chronologically) from the truth. The mind-blowing thing is that, the first author to be named in recorded history was actually both a woman and originated from the sumerian city of Ur (2285–2250 BCE) around Mesopotamia, and it really shouldn’t be that big of a surprise, given that Mesopotamia is the birthplace of the first forms of writing, math and even the very first empire.
If you've never heard of her, you're not alone. Enheduanna was unknown to modernity altogether until 1927, when the archaeologist Sir Leonard Woolley excavated objects that bear her name. We now know that her name, in Sumerian, means "Ornament of Heaven", and as the high priestess of the moon deity Nanna-Suen, she composed 42 temple hymns and three stand-alone poems that, like the Epic of Gilgamesh (which is not credited to a named author), scholars consider an important part of Mesopotamia's literary legacy.
The life of Enheduanna
Enheduanna was the daughter of King Sargon of Akkad, history’s first empire builder, who conquered the independent city-states of Mesopotamia under a unified banner to bridge the gap between cultures. Sargon appointed his only daughter, Enheduanna, as high priestess in the empire’s most important temple. Female royalty traditionally served religious roles, and she was educated to read and write in both Sumerian and Akkadian, and make mathematical calculations.
There were 34,000 people in Enheduanna's Ur, a city with narrow streets, multiple-story brick houses, granaries, and irrigation systems. Enheduanna was the city's high priestess, supervising hundreds of temple workers, interpreting sacred dreams, and overseeing new moon festivals and equinox rituals.
After her father’s death, a general took advantage of the loophole in power it created and staged a coup, exiling Enheduanna. Eventually, her nephew, the legendary Sumerian king, Naram-Sin, ultimately crushed the uprising and restored his aunt as high priestess.
Art imitates life
Each Mesopotamian city was ruled by a patron deity, so her hymns, inscribed on clay tablets in cuneiform, were dedicated to the ruling god of each major city. Her most valuable literary contribution though is The Exaltation of Inanna, in which Enheduanna describes Lugalanne’s attempts to force her from her role at the temple. Enheduanna’s pleas to the moon god were apparently met with silence. As a result, she turned to Inanna, who was praised for restoring her to office. This poem is a deeply emotional tribute to the goddess Inanna, who is associated with love, war, and political power. It is a poem that not only honors Inanna, but also reflects Enheduanna's struggle with power, faith, and abuse.
Ancient feminism
Enheduanna’s works are often considered precursors to feminist literature because they highlight themes of empowerment, resilience, and the divine feminine. Her poetry celebrates Inanna as a multifaceted goddess, unbound by the binaries of submission and dominance. Through Inanna, Enheduanna portrays women as both nurturers and warriors, capable of commanding respect and wielding influence.
In fact, back then, Mesopotamia was less patriarchal than anywhere else, as women could own property and it could be inherited through the female line.
Innovations and influence
In addition to feminism, Enheduanna also contributes to literary innovation. Her odes to Inanna mark the first time an author writes using the pronoun “I” and the first time writing is used to explore deep, private emotions, marking a significant departure from the impersonal tone typical of earlier Sumerian writings.
In her writing, she humanized the once aloof gods: how they suffered, fought, loved, and responded to human pleading.
What’s more, her written praise of celestial deities has been recognised in the field of modern astronomy. Her descriptions of stellar measurements and movements have been described as possible early scientific observations. Indeed, a crater on Mercury was named in her honour in 2015.
After her death, she became a minor deity, and her poetry was copied, studied, and performed throughout the empire for over 500 years. Her poems influenced the Hebrew Old Testament, the epics of Homer, and Christian hymns.
In the end, the survival of Enheduanna’s works for over four millennia is nothing short of extraordinary. Enheduanna’s legacy also underscores the enduring need for women’s voices in the creation of culture and history. Her life and works remind us that even in ancient times, women were creators, leaders, and innovators.
Enheduanna translator Betty De Shong Meador writes in her 2009 book, Princess, Priestess, Poet: "The voice we hear in the hymns is that of a gifted poet." “She describes with candour the everyday lives, cares, and inherent nature of the deities and their temples. She populates the entire surrounding cosmos with active, engaging, uncontrollable divine beings.”
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