Enheduanna: First Named Author in History and High Priestess of Ur
Enheduanna, daughter of Sargon of Akkad, was appointed High Priestess of Ur to unify Sumerian and Semitic peoples through religion. She held immense spiritual and administrative power, representing the moon god Nanna. She is the first known author to sign her works, including the Temple Hymns and the Exaltation of Inanna. During a political crisis under Lugal-Ane, she was exiled and wrote a plea to Inanna. Her writings were copied for centuries, influencing Mesopotamian religion and literature. She predates Homer by over 1,500 years.
Key facts
- Enheduanna was the daughter of Sargon of Akkad.
- She was appointed High Priestess of Ur to foster cultural unity.
- Her name means 'High Priestess Ornament of Heaven'.
- She is the first named author in history, signing her works.
- Her main works include the Temple Hymns (42 hymns) and the Exaltation of Inanna (153 lines).
- The Disk of Enheduanna was excavated in 1927 by Leonard Woolley.
- She was exiled by usurper Lugal-Ane and wrote a plea to Inanna.
- Her writings were copied for centuries after her death.
Entities
Artists
- Enheduanna
- Sargon of Akkad
- Lugal-Ane
- Joan Goodnick Westenholz
- Leonard Woolley
- Homer
Institutions
- University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
- Wikimedia Commons
Locations
- Ur
- Mesopotamia
- Kish
- Uruk
- Nippur
- Akkadian Empire
- Sumer