Enheduanna: The World's First Author

Enheduanna: The World's First Author

It's hard to imagine a time when we didn't write things down- on stone, papyrus or parchment. Who was the first to actually put 'pen to paper' and write. Well, her name was Enheduanna. She was an Akkadian poet, writer and high priestess, remembered as the first named author in recorded history. She lived in the 3rd millennium BCE in the city-state of Ur, and was a figure of immense significance in the Mesopotamian world. As the high priestess of the moon god Nanna, she would help to cement ties between the newly merged Sumerian and Akkadian civilisations. She would also pen the first authored literary works, and her poems on womanhood and faith hold great meaning through to this day. Dan speaks to Sidney Babcock, the Jeannette and Jonathan Rosen Curator at the Morgan Library and Museum, to find out how we know so much about her, and what her significance is today.


Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.


If you'd like to learn more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe to History Hit today!


Download the History Hit app from the Google Play store.

Download the History Hit app from the Apple Store.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jaksot(1490)

The Vandals

The Vandals

Known for bringing about the fall of the Western Roman Empire - the Vandals have a reputation for violence, destruction, and conquering. Moving from Eastern Europe across Gaul, and eventually taking C...

25 Tammi 202449min

One Life: The 'British Schindler' Nicky Winton & The Kindertransport

One Life: The 'British Schindler' Nicky Winton & The Kindertransport

Nicholas Winton masterminded an effort that saved the lives of 669 Jewish Children from Czechoslovakia on the eve of World War Two. There's a new movie out called 'One Life' telling the incredible sto...

24 Tammi 202443min

The Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal is one of the most iconic and romanticised buildings on earth. Commissioned by a Mughal ruler to mark the passing of his beloved wife, it is thought that this monumental marble mausoleum...

23 Tammi 202429min

The Life and Death of Vladimir Lenin

The Life and Death of Vladimir Lenin

Vladimir Lenin died just over 100 years ago, on the 21st of February, 1924. The Russian revolutionary leader fought in no battles, spent much of his time in libraries and was in his 40s before he held...

22 Tammi 202436min

What if Hitler Had Invaded Britain?

What if Hitler Had Invaded Britain?

How prepared was Britain for a Nazi invasion? The common perception is of a country woefully unprepared for war; hastily assembled defences manned by characters from 'Dad's Army', and a government unf...

17 Tammi 202442min

Mike Sadler: The Last SAS Soldier

Mike Sadler: The Last SAS Soldier

In this episode, we remember Mike Sadler the last of the original SAS men who recently died at the age of 103. Major Sadler was the navigator for the regiment’s founder David Stirling, guiding raiding...

15 Tammi 202446min

Japan's Tokugawa Shogunate

Japan's Tokugawa Shogunate

The Warring States period brought Japan to its knees. It was a time of turbulence and treachery, with rival warlords fighting bitterly for control of the land. But by the dawn of the 17th century, one...

11 Tammi 202429min

The Plague of Athens

The Plague of Athens

In 430 BC, in the midst of the Peloponnesian War, the powerful city-state of Athens was struck down by a disastrous plague. Athenians fell sick with a dizzying array of symptoms, from fevers and vomit...

10 Tammi 202425min

Suosittua kategoriassa Historia

olipa-kerran-otsikko
gogin-ja-janin-maailmanhistoria
mayday-fi
huijarit
mystista
totuus-vai-salaliitto
konginkangas
tsunami
rss-ikiuni
rss-subjektiivinen-todistaja
rouva-diktaattori
rss-kirkon-ihmeellisimmat-tarinat
rss-i-dont-like-mondays-2
sotaa-ja-historiaa-podi
tiedetta-ja-sirkushuveja-vanhojen-aikojen-podcast
historiaa-suomeksi
rss-iltanuotiolla
rss-sattuu-sita-suomessakin
historian-nurkkapoyta
rss-kuningashuone