It’s that time of year when love is on everyone’s mind and I thought I’d throw together a little something of the romance variety.
First, I thought I’d remind you that the world’s first love poem ever written down was Sumerian, and dates back to 2025 BC.
“This inscription, dating from the 8th century BC and belonging to the Ancient Babylonian Era, is described as the world’s oldest known love poem. According to the Sumerian belief, it was a sacred duty for the king to marry every year a priestess instead of Inanna, the goddess of fertility and sexual love, in order to make the soil and women fertile. This poem was most probably written by a bride chosen for Shu-Sin in order to be sung at the New Year festival and it was sung at banquets and festivals accompanied by music and dance.” (Source)
I introduced this poem back in October, and thought it perfect to revisit for Valentine’s Day. I’ve also added a new link for you to read about it further. It is just lovely.
So forget all that violent history of Valentine’s Day madness from Ancient Rome being posted all over the internet and go back to a simpler time, when a ritual between a king and the goddess of love conjures up nothing but images of romance.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
The tablet that holds the world’s oldest love poem, “Istanbul #2461” at the Istanbul Archaeology Museum. (All Mesopotamia, 2012) 
ALL MESOPOTAMIA 