Who was the world's first author? - Soraya Field Fiorio

Travel back in time to ancient Mesopotamia and meet Enheduanna, a high priestess and the world’s first author.

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4,300 years ago in ancient Sumer, the most powerful person in the city of Ur was banished to wander the vast desert. Her name was Enheduanna, and by the time of her exile, she had written forty-two hymns and three epic poems— and Sumer hadn’t heard the last of her. Who was this woman, and why was she exiled? Soraya Field Fiorio details the life of history’s first author.

Lesson by Soraya Field Fiorio, directed by Laura White.

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[kindateia]

I mean, it's pretty cool. He didn't make her someone's wife to bridge the cultures, he made her leader of the city.

[ericamcqueen]

It's incredible that people were writing books and poetry even thousands of years ago.

[IO-hhgw]

Imagine being so ICONIC people worship you as a Deity! You go girl!!!

[floralfemme]

"She lived 1700 years before Sappho" But now I'm thinking of an Enheduanna/Sappho collaboration that could never happen.

[musicalnerds]

The women’s choir at my school is actually singing a translation of one of her texts dedicated to Inana! It’s called Moon Goddess and it’s amazing! We all really love the song and it’s great to know more about the history of its author and who it’s dedicated to!! Thank you 💖🌙

[danstiver]

It's important to note that in early history from which surviving writing and records are scarce, when people say "the first" it really means "the first that we know of". However this technicality doesn't really undercut the importance of Enheduanna.

[Pachihiro]

Since you mentioned sappho
You should do a video about her.

[symonew]

I love that in one of her hymns she says “My king, something has been created that no one has created before.” She knew she was doing something special.

[shelbyinmon]

This is so cool! I'm a little bit sad I've never heard of her before

[ilickcatnip]

How good it sounds!..."The daughter of the first Emperor became the first author." Thanks TED-Ed for such beautiful content!

[goomba]

Thank you TED for giving us fun education in these bizarrely times

[TomSistermans]

Man, women play such an interesting role in literature, they have a lot of firsts! First author, first novelist (Murasaki Shikibu, 1100s) first modern novel (Jane Austen)
You go girls!

[albertamalachi]

Besides an author, she supposedly made one of the first museum in the world.
That's supposedly debatable, but still.

[rubyj]

The transitions in this animation is just beautiful and amazing!!!!

[johnjohn-]

It’s amazing how writing is only few thousands of years old. Humans have come so far.

It makes me hopeful that future generations will look back on the current pandemic and they’ll say, “We have come so far thanks to them.”

We stand on the shoulder of giants (our ancestors). And we’ll continue fighting so that the next generation will too.

[annamd]

Finally something about Mesopotamia 🥺❤ thank you so much I really appreciate that as an Iraqi

[Mauromoustakos]

Actually, it seems that she is really the first named author --as far as we know today.
Some dates and other claims are wrong.
The numeral forty-two, in the reference that she wrote "forty-two hymns", is actually a literary topos of mythology. Old people in my place, Kypros, use to say "I have forty-two things to do". This is not a report about how many things I have to do. Rather, it is an expression that I have a lot of work, I am very busy. So, saying that she wrote forty-two hymns it actually means "she wrote many hymns".

[mohammadalqurishy]

Yup she was live near by my City now .. in iraq between the Tigris and Euphrates ♥️♥️🇮🇶

[parushapradhan]

I may not be doing my homework but Ted-Ed ensures I stay educated even when I'm self quarantining.

[agneschristinejengalacio]

When I got to the part where the timeline was shown that ended with Abram (or Abraham) I knew her literary works have sort of influenced mythology and religion and I was delighted when when it said so. Aaahh, AMAZING! It’s also nice to know that her pops didn’t marry her off. For once (maybe there are other women who weren’t married off to men and instead were assigned for significant roles during their time), this is so SO nice to know. Something Fresh (fresh because no mention of the author being married off for family’s gain), Empowering, and Inspiring. Thank you, TedEd. Great animation as always! :)