The 6 Oldest Poems in History

Ancient emotions

The Epic of Gilgamesh by Archeology

Millions of years have gone by with each generation telling its tales to the next one. The world being a blank slate, each tale brought with it, a new concept raising varied beliefs for individuals. All that we are today is an accumulation of these years. We’re lucky enough to have the resources to store the history that we create but in the case of the ancient world, reciting and singing poetic compositions was the way stories were told. People were, in fact, employed for this, partly to remember oral history, geology, and law.

The earliest recognized poems came from the Sumerian community in the form of hymns and chants. The poetry of the past has taught us a lot about religion, culture, and prayers but also daily activities, love stories, and historical accounts.

Here are a few beautiful poems and excerpts from the long-gone past:

1. “The Love Song of Shu-Sin,” Author Unknown

This poem belongs to the Sumerian era. Since the Sumerian Civilization was the first civilization to develop a written language, this poem is considered to be the oldest love poem to have ever been written. It was a part of a yearly ritual known as “sacred marriage”. In this love song, a female speaker Innana (goddess of love and fertility) expresses her love…