The First Author

In our modern era, there is a prevailing notion that the ancient Greek poetess Sappho holds the distinction of being the foremost female author. However, this claim often stems from adherence to discriminatory societal norms or a lack of thorough exploration. Unbeknownst to many, there exists an even earlier luminary from antiquity who not only assumes the mantle of the earliest known female author but also claims the title of the very first author in recorded history. This remarkable figure lived over 4,300 years ago in the land of Mesopotamia, and her enduring significance in the records of history continues to fascinate both the general populace and scholars alike. And so, in this article, let us feast our eyes on the narrative of this alpha female from a bygone age.

Before we proceed, let us acknowledge the concept of the “alpha female” as it relates to the context of this article. Within this evocative notion resides an interesting interplay of strength, influence, and intellectual brilliance. It exemplifies a woman who fearlessly challenges societal norms, transcending the confines of conventional roles to leave her mark on history.

The Genesis of Written Language in Mesopotamia

Some 5,500 years ago, in the ancient land of Mesopotamia, a remarkable event occurred — the birth of the written language. At its inception, the system was composed of rudimentary pictorial symbols that gradually evolved into a more elaborate arrangement of characters. These characters represented the sounds of the Sumerian language and other languages prevalent in the southern reaches of Mesopotamia. Around the year 2900 BCE, another unique innovative technique surfaced: impressing these characters onto damp clay tablets using a stylus made of reed. The result was a distinctive form of writing marked by wedge-shaped impressions, now famously known as cuneiform. Over the next six centuries, the art of cuneiform underwent a series of refinements.

During this transformative period, curvilinear features were discarded, and signs were simplified to enhance readability and efficiency. Additionally, the direct correlation between pictograms and their original referents gradually faded away. As cuneiform evolved, the orientation of the symbols transformed immensely. Initially read from top to bottom, a new convention emerged, favoring a left-to-right reading direction in horizontal lines. However, the tradition of vertical alignments persisted for more customary proclamations. Consequently, the symbols themselves were reoriented and rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise to adapt to this evolving script.

A Historical Figure of Matchless Significance

In the year 2340 BCE, a significant turning point unfolded as the Sumerian civilization succumbed to the forces led by Sargon, the Akkadian king. Sargon ruled over a northern Semitic people who had coexisted alongside the Sumerians. By this juncture, cuneiform had already been employed for several centuries as a writing system, facilitating bilingual compositions in Akkadian.

During the 23rd century BCE, a skilled sculptor carved a remarkable depiction onto a pristine limestone disk. This artwork portrayed a woman presiding over a sacred temple ritual. This woman was none other than Enheduanna, a high priestess and the daughter of King Sargon. Garbed in an elaborate ceremonial robe and adorned headdress, she was portrayed as a figure of authority and admiration, which she was. Positioned before her and behind her were male attendants, engaged in the act of libation upon an altar, symbolizing their participation in the sacred ceremony.

What makes this limestone disk even more remarkable is the inscription on its reverse side, for it sheds light on Enheduanna’s true identity and her pioneering role in the ancient world. It also attests to her position as a high priestess and showcases the significance of her contributions and influence during that era.

Introducing Enheduanna: Architect of Ancient Brilliance

Enheduanna served as a priestess to Nanna, the principal (idolatrized) deity of the city. As the daughter of King Sargon, she wielded significant political power. Some historians credit her father as the progenitor of the world’s first empire. Enheduanna played a crucial role in consolidating the northern Mesopotamian region of Akkad and subsequently conquering the Sumerian city-states in the south. Her efforts to amalgamate the beliefs and rituals associated with the (idolatrized) Sumerian goddess Inanna and the Akkadian goddess Ishtar contributed to this accomplishment.

Through her literary and religious hymns and poems, Enheduanna emphasized the interconnectedness of these deities, establishing a cohesive system of beliefs throughout the empire. Remarkably, her poems also reveal a great understanding of mathematics, a discipline that finds its roots in Mesopotamia alongside the development of cuneiform and other early writing systems. Such knowledge in mathematics likely sprung up from the necessity of counting agricultural yields and documenting trade and commerce in the booming economy of Mesopotamia.

An Ancient Mesopotamian Voice

Enheduanna remained unknown to the modern world until 1927 when archaeologists unearthed artifacts bearing her name. Through these stunning discoveries, Enheduanna’s significance and literary contributions have come to light. She composed an impressive collection of temple hymns and independent poems, earning her a place of distinction in Mesopotamia’s literary heritage, akin to the Epic of Gilgamesh.

Enheduanna’s compositions include hymns dedicated to Inanna, such as The Exaltation of Inanna and In-nin sa-gur-ra. Another notable work, titled The Temple Hymns, explores the sacred nature of the temples themselves and pays homage to the deities they housed. In these poetic pieces, Enheduanna manifested herself as a bold and introspective voice, transitioning from third-person to first-person narrative, expressing her thoughts and experiences.

The Emergence of Personal Attribution

Within the preserved clay tablets, a remarkable narrative poem reveals Enheduanna’s assertion: “I took up my place in the sanctuary dwelling, / I was high priestess, I, Enheduanna.”

In Sumer, where writing originated in southern Mesopotamia, personal attribution was uncommon in texts. Therefore, if Enheduanna did indeed pen those words, she represents the dawn of authorship, rhetoric, and even autobiography. This particular poem, inscribed in cuneiform’s distinctive wedge-shaped marks, chronicles a period of crisis in the priestess’s life. While celebrating the grandness and splendor of the (idolatrized) gods and the might of the Akkadian empire, it also unflinchingly delves into somber and earthbound themes, including Enheduanna’s traumatic experiences of abuse by a corrupt priest. Interestingly, this is possibly the earliest recorded instance of sexual harassment in world literature, as theorized by scholars and historians.

Verily, through her courageous and evocative writing, Enheduanna was an ancient trailblazer, challenging the traditional conventions of her time.

The Mystical and Heroic Voice of Ancient Mesopotamia

Enheduanna personifies an enthralling duality as both a mystical and heroic figure. Her literary works, highly regarded during and after her time, continue to absorb the imagination of modern audiences, particularly in an era today that is absurdly marked by burgeoning feminism and the reclamation of ancient feminine archetypes. Through her eloquent hymns, Enheduanna brings the (idolatrized) deities and their sacred abodes to life, populating the universe with dynamic and engaging divine beings.

During her time, Enheduanna’s compositions formed an integral part of the curriculum in scribal schools. These institutions educated aspiring priests and civil servants in the art of cuneiform writing and Sumerian grammar. Enheduanna’s words were carefully carved onto clay tablets, and the existence of approximately one hundred surviving copies of The Exaltation of Inanna exposes her lasting influence in ancient times.

Debates Surrounding Enheduanna’s Authorship

Since the unearthing of her works, scholars have engaged in passionate debates regarding Enheduanna’s authorship. While some argue that the presence of “signatures” within the texts and the involvement of Old Babylonian scribes provide sufficient evidence of her authorship, others propose that the linguistic style utilized exceeds Enheduanna’s own time, suggesting a potential role of scribes in attributing her name to foster cultural identity. The ongoing debate, however, has not dampened the flourishing resurgence of interest in Enheduanna in academic and popular spheres.

Scholars acknowledge that Enheduanna’s claim to being the first author is based on her status as the “first-known” or “first-recorded” author in written literary history. While it is plausible that countless women may have participated in oral literature prior to Enheduanna, the focus here is on the “earliest-known” figures in written literary history. It is imperative to recognize the possibility that authors, both male and female, dating back ten millennia or more, may have yet to be discovered or attributed.

The Shaping of Mesopotamian Deities

Now, let us dive into the histories of the past to gain a deeper understanding of the world inhabited by Enheduanna and the circumstances that shaped it. Firstly, it is worth noting the widespread use of cylinder seals in Mesopotamian society. These small objects, resembling a spool of thread, were a means of personal identification and a mechanism for validating communications or the contents of vessels, such as jars. What makes these seals truly stunning is the beautifully elaborate designs and images they bore, capturing rich information that spanned across society’s various strata.

Among the diverse array of depictions etched upon these cylinder seals, the portrayal of deities holds a prominent place. It is within this sphere that Enheduanna made her contribution apparent. She played a decisive role in amalgamating the dynamic nature of two major female deities, Inanna and Ishtar, into a singular, interchangeable (idolatrized) goddess. Before Sargon’s conquest of Sumer, Inanna personified the divine feminine principle, assuming the roles of a nurturing mother and a celestial queen. She oversaw and safeguarded the affairs of life, symbolized by concentric rings of bundled reeds. Enheduanna’s verses, however, cast Inanna/Ishtar in a new light. The goddess arose as a powerful deity, embodying both valor in combat and conquest, as well as the domains of love and abundance.

Yet, the winds of change were stirring. In the years to come, a fragment of a vessel reveals the visage of a female deity manifested in human form. Decorated with a horned crown featuring leafy, plant-like protrusions from her shoulders and clutching a cluster of dates, she captured the essence of fertility and fecundity associated with Inanna. However, the presence of an animalistic crown hints at an underlying fierceness within her divine nature.

Ishtar’s Martial Evolution and Enheduanna’s Poetic Influence

Over time, a notable shift in the depiction of a female deity becomes apparent under the influence of Enheduanna’s hymns. Ishtar materialized as a progressively martial figure, as exemplified by her portrayal in the exhibition. She is depicted with weapons sprouting from her shoulders, her foot resting upon a lion over whose leash she holds dominion. Such cylinder seals depict scenes from Enheduanna’s poem, Inanna and Ebih.

Unity and Trial

Enheduanna’s father, Sargon, would eventually accomplish uniting the city-states of Mesopotamia, establishing what some consider to be the earliest empire in history. His dominion stretched from the shores of the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean Sea. This grand realm consisted of over sixty-five cities, each with its own unique religious customs, administrative systems, and local identities. While Sargon ruled from the city of Akkad in the north, he bestowed upon his daughter the esteemed role of high priestess at the temple dedicated to the (idolatrized) moon god, located in the southern city of Ur. This position, though outwardly religious, held significant political implications, aiding in the consolidation and harmonization of the diverse territories within the empire.

Following Sargon’s demise, the kingdom was beset by rebellions, resulting in a brief succession of rulership that momentarily passed to Enheduanna’s brothers before eventually falling into the hands of her nephew. Within the context of her poem, an insurgent named Lugalanne, a military general possibly associated with an uprising in Ur, forcibly expels Enheduanna from her sacred position at the temple.

“He has transformed that temple into a den of iniquity,” proclaims Enheduanna, recounting the transgressions of the usurper. “He barged in audaciously, treating me as an equal, approaching me in his lust!” Cast out from the city, she wanders through the desolate wilderness. “He forced me to tread upon a land of thorns. He stripped me of my revered crown of sacred authority, handing me a dagger, saying, ‘This is fitting for you.’” In a literal translation, the full weight of the usurper’s crime may be lost, but the language employed suggests a violation of a sexual nature. Moreover, it hints at an incitement to self-destruction, as Lugalanne, by presenting Enheduanna with a dagger, encourages her to take her own life. “This is fitting for you,” he remarks.

The Exaltation of Inanna

Enheduanna’s salvation hangs in the balance as her once formidable rhetorical prowess deserts her. “My once mellifluous words now turn to froth, and my power to captivate hearts has withered to dust,” she laments. Seeking a way to overcome this creative block, she first implores the moon god, only to be met with indifference. “My moonlight shows me no concern! He allows me to perish in this realm of shattered hopes.” In desperation, she turns her attention to Inanna, offering an extensive hymn extolling her magnificence. “My Lady! This land shall once again bow before your triumphant battle cry!”

Enheduanna’s crisis finds resolution through her fervent praise of Inanna and through the act of constructing the very poem itself, aptly named The Exaltation of Inanna. In a remarkably self-aware passage, the act of writing is likened to the agonies of childbirth. “It fills me, it pours forth from me, Exalted Lady, as I give birth on your behalf. What I confided to you in the depths of night shall be performed by a singer in the light of day!”

Ultimately, Enheduanna’s nephew quells the rebellion, leading to her reinstatement in her sacred office. She attributes her rescue to Inanna, proclaiming, “Let it be known that you decimate the rebellious land!” Yet, the poem also implies that Enheduanna, through her exaltation of Inanna, played a significant role in the salvation of Ur. Hence, according to them, the goddess and the priestess are closely linked, with the priestess serving as a tangible manifestation of the divine. The poem holds political significance, illuminating the relationship between power and language, while retaining an intensely personal quality that lingers in the mind.

The Permanent Mark

Enheduanna’s lasting legacy established a precedent in Sumerian history, linking the roles of priestess and princess for the following five centuries. As an individual, she set standards in each of her three roles. High priestesses’ names appeared in historical records alongside those of kings, indicating the intriguing political and cultural implications of power, particularly concerning royal women. During the interregnum between sovereigns, the priestesses safeguarded the continuity of governance for the following 500 years. Enheduanna’s life, compositions, and teachings predate Aristotle by roughly two thousand years and Sappho by seventeen hundred years. She recounts her own tale of exile and eventual restoration at the hands of Inanna. This hymn blended into the cultural myths of Sumeria, enduring as an integral component of the wisdom tradition within that civilization and the cultures that succeeded it for the next thousand years.

All images were sourced from Google Images.