Enheduanna, Priestess and Poet the world’s first known writer The Enheduanna Research Pages Women in Ancient Mesopotamia Inanna: The Opera The relief depicts Enheduanna, standing behind a nude priest who is pouring a libation over a plant stand in front of a stepped structure. She is raising her right hand which has a ritual significance. In this restored version of the disk, she is wearing a cap over her braids, however, in the unrestored version (next photo) she is wearing a high conical hat. To the right of Enheduanna stands a priestess holding up a stick or wand and a priestess carrying a handled jug or ritual basketas mentioned in nin-me-sar-ra. The alabaster disk was discovered in 1926 by Sir Leonard Woolley. The inscription on the back alerted the world of Enheduanna's existence. The disk was found in several pieces; this heavily restored version can be seen at the University Museum in Philadelphia. The disk was intentionally defaced in antiquity but that must have happened after 1900 B.C. as an Old Babylonian tablet copy of the inscription has also been found in its entirety Original tablet Reconstuction of alabaster disk,Philadephia

Enheduanna’s Inscription Here are the first 4 lines of cuneiform: 1) en-he-du-an-na.....................En-he-du-ana, 2) MUNUS.NUNUZ.ZI.............zirru priestess 3) dam-nanna........................... wife of the god Nanna, 4) dumu-...................................daughter The inscription continues: 5) sarru-GI............................ of Sargon, 6) [ lugal]............................... [king] of 7) KIS................................... the world (Kish), 8) e-INANNA.ZA.ZA............. in the temple of the goddess 9) uri.KI-ma-ka...................... Inanna- ZA.ZA in Ur, 10) bara-si-ga........................ made a socle and 11) bi-e-du 12) bara bansur-an-na...........named it: 'dais, table of 13) mu-se bi-sa......................the god An'.

THEOCRACY: Kings: Servants of the Gods The powerful gods communicate their desires to humanity through the medium of a powerful priestly class or autocratic king who serves as the intermediary. - Government of the gods/priest class - Ruler may be divine himself, or chosen by the god/gods - Each city had its own gods This system centralizes power in the hands of a small group of people and gives political decisions a religious authority 3. One of the most important cultural developments of this period is the concept of the powerful god communicating their desires to humanity through the medium of a powerful priest class or autocratic ruler who serves as the intermediary. - Theocracy govt. of the gods/priest class - ruler may be divine himself, or chosen by the god/gods - each city had it's own gods This system centralizes power in the hands of a small group of people and gives political decisions a religious authority King Ur-Nammu rebuilt and enlarged one of the most important temples in ancient Mesopotamia - the E-kur of Enlil, the chief god of the pantheon. This figurine, which was buried in a foundation box beneath one of the temple towers, represents the king at the start of the building project - carrying on his head a basket of clay from which would be made the critically important first brick. The foundation deposit also contained an inscribed stone tablet; beads of frit, stone and gold; chips of various stones; and four ancient date pits found perched atop the basket carried by the king. Sumerian King List

The City Center Temples served civic and religious purposes Daily sacrifices and rituals Storage of surplus grain and other foods Dwelling of priests and priestesses Locale where craftsmen and artisans could practice their trades Ziggurats: Temples to the Gods In Mesopotamia some gods were thought to be physically present in the materials and experiences of daily life, while others were ethereal and diffuse. Enlil, considered the most powerful Mesopotamian god during most of the third millennium B.C., was a "raging storm" or "wild bull," while the goddess Inanna reappeared in different guises as the morning and evening star. Deities literally inhabited their cult statues after they had been animated by the proper rituals, and fragments of worn statues were preserved within the walls of the temple. This standing figure, with clasped hands and a wide-eyed gaze, is a worshiper. It was placed in the "Square Temple" at Tell Asmar, perhaps dedicated to the god Abu, in order to pray perpetually on behalf of the person it represented, was physically present in the statue. Similar statues were often inscribed with the names of rulers and their families. Civilization of the Sumerian type dominated the whole of Semite Mesopotamia, particularly Mari, modern day Tell Hariri in Syria, explored from 1933 onwards by André Parrot, and in our own time by Jean Margueron. Here, statuary developed rapidly from the middle of the third millennium, and with a marked originality in comparison with the South. A cheerful optimism distinguishes it sharply from the severe expressions connected to the angular stylization of the preceding epoch, illustrated by the statuette of Ginak. The "superintendent" was in fact more the equivalent of a Minister of Finance. He had himself portrayed in the fur skirt which is rendered with remarkable realism revealing the "kaunakès" in the style shown for example on the Urnanshe relief.

Gilgamesh, the Hero-King Ruled in Sumer c. 2700 bc Epic of Gilgamesh chronicles his reign Evolves from selfish, uncontrolled autocrat to benevolent ruler via: friendship rebellion loss quest recognition of mortality acceptance of responsibilty and service to the goddess Ishtar (Inanna)

LAWS: The Code of Hammurabi, ca. 1760 bce 2350 bce law reform by King Urukagina of Lagash to protect exploited citizens 21st c. bce: earliest extant law code from Ur-Nammu (1000 years before the 10 Commandments Like a series of other remarkable works from the Mesopotamian civilization, this tall stele originally stood in a town of Babylon and was taken as spoil to Susa by the Elamites in the 12th century. It was discovered by the de Morgan expedition and its text was translated in six months by Father Vincent Scheil. Hammurabi was the 6th king of the first Babylonian dynasty, and he was first to establish the supremacy of his city which had been of modest standing only. What he had engraved on this stele is not so much a "code" as a collection of exemplary royal pronouncement in keeping with a tradition established by the Sumerians. The bas-relief at the top is a sober representation of the meeting of king and god. The king wears the royal headpiece like Gudea; he holds his hand before his face in the act of prayer. The sun-god Shamash, patron of justice, is recognizable from the flames flaring on his shoulders. Law-Codex of Hammurabi,first half of the 18th century BCE, Basalt, Louvre Full Text of the Code of Hammurabi

Victory Stele of Naram Sim c. 2300- 2200 B.C.E. 61/2' tall, sandstone Continual warfare among Sumerian city states and against invading tribes eventually led to the downfall of Sumerian civilization. But the influence of Sumerian civilization was felt in throughout the Near East, Egypt, India, the Mediterranean civilizations: Crete, Mycenae, Greece, Rome, and in Judeo-Christian traditions. Naram Sin was Sargon's grandson. This stele commerates his victory over a tribe of mountain people. A stele is a monolithic monument that commemorates an historical event. The Stele of Naram Sin has a formality and rigidity similar to Egyptian art. Compare its strong diagonal composition with the horizontal registers of the Standard of Ur. Naram Sin is depicted as a god with a headdress of power and authority. - he stands above all others heading to the mountain top - the subdued enemies lie before him and he steps on one His triumph is clearly described as his army follows A stele is a monolithic monument that commemorates an historical event. The Stele of Naram Sin has a formality and rigidity similar to Egyptian art. Compare its strong diagonal composition with the horizontal registers of the Standard of Ur. Victory Stele of Naram Sim c. 2300- 2200 B.C.E. 61/2' tall, sandstone

Flood Myths Flood myths are present on every continent Leeming: “The pattern behind the many forms that the flood myth takes is the archetype of the productive sacrifice…. The flood myth…reminds us that life depends on death, that without death there can be no cycle, no birth. Floods connected with cleansing, washing away of blunders or evil Spared survivors are heroes of a new life

Ante- Diluvian Post- Diluvian Blundered creation Error or evil by mankind Period of degradation Sacrifice and thanksgiving Salvation of survivors Retreat of gods from intimate relationship with mankind But: new and renewed relationship between humanity and divine consecrated Humans must work to live: learned arts and skills for survival

Mesopotamian and Hebrew Flood Myths Gilgamesh text: ca. 2000 bce Utnapishtim or Ziusudra Enlil annoyed by human noise Ea/Enki warns Utnapishtim in dream of oncoming flood Boat built in 7 days Contents: family, kin, animals, craftsmen, gold 6 days and 6 nights of rain and rising water Ishtar (Inanna) regrets divine council’s decision Boat lands on Mt. Nisir Dove, swallow and raven released Sacrifice and libation Ishtar’s necklace set in sky as token Genesis text: ca. 1000 bce Noah God dismayed by evil of mankind Noah chosen as righteous man Noah follows God’s directions to build ark Contents: family, 7 of clean beasts, 2 of unclean 40 days and 40 nights of rain All mankind perishes except Noah’s family Ark lands on Mt. Ararat Raven, dove, dove released\ Burnt offerings Rainbow sent in sky as token of new covenant between God and mankind.