It was during the reign of her father — Sargon of Akkad, arguably the first emperor in history — that Enheduanna declared her own genius. After writing a temple hymn lauding the powers of the Sumerian goddess of writing and grain, the high priestess signed her own name with a flourish.
More than 4,200 years later, archaeologists and literary enthusiasts seem to agree: Enheduanna is the earliest known named author in history.
Like many other famous writers, Enheduanna didn’t reach this level of artistic acumen without having first experiencing her share of trauma and violence.
By her own account, she may have survived sexual violence during a rebellion that temporarily deposed her position as high priestess in the Sumerian city-state of Ur. But she persevered and continued to support her father’s dynasty through her position and through writing — even after his death.
“She certainly had a very powerful cultic ...
