Enheduanna: The World's First Author Known by Name

Q: Who is Enheduanna and what did she do?

Enheduanna is the world's first author known by name, and she was an influential Akkadian poet. She is credited with creating the paradigms of poetry, psalms, and prayers used throughout the ancient world which led to the development of the genres recognized in the present day.

Q: What is Enheduanna famous for?

Enheduanna is famous as the world's first named author and an influential Akkadian poet. As the daughter of Sargon of Akkad, she was the high priestess of the most important temple in Sumer in the city of Ur.

Q: Why was Enheduanna so important?

Enheduanna is the world's first author known by name, and she was an influential Akkadian poet. As high priestess, her writings were religious. She seems to have been the first woman to hold this position in Ur and her comportment as high priestess would have served as an exemplary model for those who followed her.

Q: How did Enheduanna die?

Enheduanna's birth and death dates are speculative and her life is usually dated to c. 2300 BCE. How she died is not known.

Joshua J. Mark

Enheduanna

The World's First Author Known by Name

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Definition

The Akkadian poet Enheduanna (circa 2300 BCE) is the world's first author known by name and was the daughter of Sargon of Akkad (Sargon the Great, reign 2334-2279 BCE). Whether Enheduanna was, in fact, a blood relative of Sargon's or the title was figurative is not known.

More about: Enheduanna

Timeline

c. 2300 BCE
Life of Enheduanna, daughter of Sargon of Akkad, and world's first author known by name.

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