En Hedu' Anna

En Hedu' Anna lived in Babylon around 2354 B.C. Her father was Sargon who created the Sargonian Dynasty of Babylon during that time. En Hedu' was the chief priestess of the Moon Goddess of the city of Babylon. This was an extremely powerful role, as the priestess was the only person who could name any new ruler to the city.

Sumeria and Babylon were the first cities to establish astronomy and mathematics. These disciplines were created and controlled by the priests and priestesses of the cities. Therefore, En Hedu' was one of the primary forerunners of astronomy and mathematics.

She, along with other priests, created several observatories inside religious temples, with which to view the stars and the moon. Maps were made of these celestial bodies' movements. In addition, En Hedu' helped create one of the first religious calendars, which is still used today in certain religions to celebrate Easter, Passover, and other religious events.

En Hedu' was the first female name to be recorded in technical history.


Last modified July 19, 2001 by Jennifer Bergman.

You might also be interested in:

Science, Evolution, and Creationism

How did life evolve on Earth? The answer to this question can help us understand our past and prepare for our future. Although evolution provides credible and reliable answers, polls show that many people turn away from science, seeking other explanations with which they are more comfortable....more

Archimedes

Archimedes was a Greek mathematician and engineer who lived between 287-212 B.C. His greatest contributions are in the field of geometry and in the development of war machines. Legend has it that Archimedes...more

Aristotle

Aristotle was a Greek philosopher who lived between 384-322 B.C. He was one of the greatest thinkers of the world and his written works encompassed all major areas of thought. Aristotle mistakenly believed...more

Democritus

Democritus was a Greek philosopher who lived between 470-380 B.C. He developed the concept of the 'atom', Greek for 'indivisible'. Democritus believed that everything in the universe was made up of atoms,...more

Eratosthenes

Eratosthenes was a Greek scientist who lived from 276 to 194 B.C. He studied astronomy, geography, and math. Eratosthenes is famous for making the first good measurement of the size of the Earth. He spent...more

Plato

Plato was a Greek philosopher who lived between 427-327 B.C. He founded the Academy in Athens, a school which made many important scientific discoveries during ancient times. Although Plato made no important...more

Ptolemy

Ptolemy was a Greek astronomer who lived between 85-165 A.D. He put together his own ideas with those of Aristotle and Hipparchus and formed the geocentric theory. This theory states that the Earth was...more

Pythagoras

Pythagoras was a Greek philosopher who lived between 580-520 B.C. He founded a school in Croton, which made outstanding contributions to the field of mathematics. Pythagoras and his cult members believed...more

Windows to the Universe, a project of the National Earth Science Teachers Association, is sponsored in part is sponsored in part through grants from federal agencies (NASA and NOAA), and partnerships with affiliated organizations, including the American Geophysical Union, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Earth System Information Partnership, the American Meteorological Society, the National Center for Science Education, and TERC. The American Geophysical Union and the American Geosciences Institute are Windows to the Universe Founding Partners. NESTA welcomes new Institutional Affiliates in support of our ongoing programs, as well as collaborations on new projects. Contact NESTA for more information. NASA ESIP NCSE HHMI AGU AGI AMS NOAA