En-hedu-anna

En Hedu -anna / En Hedu -anna (also en- Hedu -ana, En chedu - ana, Akkadian En - he2 - DU7 -an- na, also Enheduanna / Encheduanna / Enheduanna ) is the daughter of Sargon of Akkad known. In addition to their important positions in the country they regarded as the first historically known author whose works have been handed down in writing.

Your Life

Appointment to Entu Priestess

First was Hedu En -anna Naditum - priestess of the sky god Anu in Uruk, Inanna in Uruk and of Nanna in Ur. After the death of the old Entu priestess she called her father to 2270 BC on the new High Priestess in Egipar in Ur. It was thus automatically the " wife " of the moon god Nanna ( Akkadian Su'en, Babylonian- Assyrian Sîn ).

The epithet s stands for (priest) mr and pontifical supremacy. The exact meaning is unclear, but their rank was higher than ensi (city prince, later for governor ). The Sumerians distinguished " De - growth " (nam -en ), " Ensi date " (nam - ensi ) and " lugal date " (nam - lugal ). The title lugal was the ruler title par excellence.

In order to secure power and probably in the service of integration policy ( the subject sumererischen population), it remained under the successors of Sargon custom to occupy the highest priesthoods with the daughters of rulers. En -men- ana, daughter of Naram -Sin, took over as corresponding to En - Hedu - annas successor to the Office of the Entu Priestess.

The 40 temple hymns

For the purposes of this her father's policy En -anna Hedu put together a collection of forty temple hymns that follow in their arrangement the geographical principle of the south, beginning with Eridu, to the north with Akkad, and Sippar Eshnunna. Thus, the hymn collection includes all major cities in the country at the time of Sumer and Akkad Sargon.

In a hymn to Inanna of Uruk ( "Heaven mistress "), it goes beyond the traditional styling and reported in the story of the expulsion En Hedu - annas from their office and their subsequent return by the mercy of Inanna. In another very personal text praises Inanna as "the great-hearted mistress ." With passion carries En -anna Hedu their feelings before, including gloomy thoughts about suffering and fate, human action and divine retribution.

Your literary " pioneering role " she was well aware: it is the first writer personality, mentioned by name themselves and the Personal writes in their works. In the final part of the texts she calls her name as a colophon.

In the hymns to Inanna En -anna Hedu calls her name to the places where usually the name of the ruler stood in the royal hymns and inscriptions. They documented impressively their royal authorship. This pronounced self-confidence a man of letters was singular for a long time in Mesopotamia.