Eanna

Eanna is the name given to the principal temple precinct of the Sumerian goddess Inanna in the ancient city of Uruk. The temple's name is often translated as "House of Heaven" and may also be interpreted as "House of Anu." Eanna stood at the heart of Uruk during the Uruk period, contributing to the city's religious and political life.

The precinct functioned as the central religious complex for Inanna, housing the cult statue and conducting rites. It controlled large temple estates and produced a substantial volume of administrative tablets, reflecting an early temple-based economy and urban administration.

Archaeology has shown that the Eanna precinct was a major architectural complex. Excavations at Uruk in the early 20th century uncovered multi-stage temple buildings, courtyards, and ritual spaces, alongside a rich corpus of inscriptions and economic records that illuminate temple activity and administration.

Significance-wise, Eanna provides key evidence for the emergence of urban religion in Mesopotamia and the intertwining of temple and state authority. The site illustrates early urban organization and the central role of Inanna's cult in Uruk's political and social life.

See also Inanna, Uruk, Ishtar, Mesopotamian religion.