Enheduanna – The First Known Poet and Writer in History

Enheduanna is a prominent historical figure, regarded as the first known poet and writer in human history. Her writings carry deep religious and personal themes. She lived during the reign of King Sargon of Akkad (circa 2334–2279 BCE), the founder of the Akkadian Empire in Mesopotamia.

In 1927, a joint excavation team from the British Museum and the University of Pennsylvania discovered the ruins of the Royal Cemetery in the ancient city of Ur, which contained many royal tombs and precious treasures dating back to the mid-third millennium BCE.

Among the findings were over 5,000 ancient Mesopotamian literary tablets. One of the most remarkable discoveries was a small round alabaster disc depicting the high priestess Enheduanna, daughter of King Sargon of Akkad. She is shown wearing a long robe and a headdress, with braided hair cascading over her shoulders. The disc shows her holding a scepter and leading a religious ritual in front of a deity’s altar, offering prayers and sacred rites.

Harvard art historian Irene J. Winter described the disc as being carved from semi-translucent alabaster, with a diameter of approximately 25.6 cm and a thickness of 7.1 cm..



The disc features Enheduanna approaching the altar to offer a sacrifice, and the inscription reads:

"Enheduanna, wife of the god Nanna, daughter of Sargon, king of the world, for the temple of the goddess Inanna, made this seal in dedication to the god Anu."

Alongside the disc, other objects bearing her name were found, including seals and clay tablets. The disc is currently housed in the Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in the United States.

Among the tablets discovered was one containing preserved lines from a long poem in which she wrote:

“I am Enheduanna... I have taken my place in the temple dwelling. I am the high priestess.”

These words are considered among the earliest known examples of autobiographical writing and self-authored literary work.

Before this discovery, Enheduanna was unknown to modern scholars, but the finding of the disc and clay tablets significantly expanded our understanding of ancient Iraqi history.

In global literature, Enheduanna is recognized as the first recorded female author, credited with the earliest known written poetry. She was the first woman to sign her name to her literary work—at a time when most texts were anonymous.

William W. Hallo, an Assyriologist at Yale University, described her as the "Shakespeare of Sumerian literature." She preceded the Epic of Gilgamesh by 800 years, and the Greek poet Homer—author of the Iliad and Odyssey—by 1,100 years. She also lived around 1,700 years before the Greek poetess Sappho.

Enheduanna combined her status as a princess, her religious role as high priestess, and her brilliance as a poet, making her a truly exceptional figure in the history of ancient Iraq. Her writings have inspired countless scholars and writers worldwide, and her works have been translated into English and German.

Roberta Binkley, professor of English literature at the University of Tennessee, described her as “the bold, strong voice women need to hear.”

In recognition of her literary and intellectual contributions, the International Astronomical Union named a crater on the surface of Mercury “Enheduanna” in 2015—selected from over 3,500 proposed names.

The Poem “Exaltation of Inanna”

Among Enheduanna’s most famous works is the poem Exaltation of Inanna, which consists of 153 lines. The poem is a hymn of praise to the goddess Inanna, the Sumerian deity of love and war.

This piece is considered one of the earliest preserved literary compositions. It was written in Sumerian on clay tablets using cuneiform script. One of its lines reads:

“Lady of all divine powers, radiant light, glorious woman, jewel of heaven and earth, priestess of the highest god.”

Enheduanna was not just a writer or poet—she was an intellectual pioneer and a proto-feminist voice striving to erase the lines of gender inequality. She left an indelible mark on human history and gave voice to women in a time when writing was dominated by men.

As an Iraqi descended from this generous land, I am proud that a woman from the land of my ancestors had her name chosen for a crater on the planet Mercury—selected by the International Astronomical Union in 2015, from among 3,500 proposed names.