Enheduana of Sumer

Enheduana of Sumer was outrageously different, strong in character, intellectual, intelligent, and the first author of history, from both sexes (male and female). She was the daughter of one of the greatest kings of Akkad in Sumer, his name was Sargon. Her father was born the child of a farmer and he worked his way up to the cup bearer of the king and in the end he became king. He had two twin sons and a daughter names Enheduana. Her two brothers had the blood to be king, but they were not strong enough, smart enough or ready to be king. So Sargon put a lot of energy into his daughter. Sh learned how to both read and write (in cuneiform) and later on made her high priestess. While she was high priestess she had to leave Akkad and move to Ur. The people there believed in many gods and goddesses not like today where we believe in one God. She constantly told prayers and did rituals on the zigurats. And at the top of Ziguartes she made sacrifices. To please the gods and goddesses she also burned insets. The most important ritual she had was the annual new year in spring. The people during that time did not celebrate new year when we do because they believed it should be celebrated at a time when everything was new, the crops, the live stock, the animals being born. Almost all her writing had to do with her religious beliefs. She was a high priestess for almost 25 years! Originally she was the high priestess for the moon ogd but she connected more with the noon goddess and because of her the moon goddess Inanna rose to her peak of popularity. Because of her writings we know a lot about Sumer, her and the Sumerian religion. Later on one of her brothers became king and then the second and finally they both died and then her nephew became the leader of Sumer and exiled her into the desert making his own daughter high priestess. But today we know about her and the fact she was the first author this world ever had.

Leon, Vicki. "Enheduana of Sumer." Women of Ancient Times. By Vicki Leon. New York: Hold, 2010.

49-53. Print.