Priest

===Ancient priests and priestesses===
* [[Sumerian language|Sumerian]] {{smallcaps|[[EN (cuneiform)|en]]}} ({{lang-akk|entu}}), including [[Enheduanna]] ({{Circa|23rd century BCE}}), were top-ranking priestesses who were distinguished with special ceremonial attire and held equal status to high priests. They owned property, transacted business, and initiated the [[hieros gamos]] with priests and kings.<ref>{{cite book |first=Sarah |last=Dening |year=1996 |title=The Mythology of Sex – Ch.3 |publisher=Macmillan |isbn=978-0-02-861207-2 |url=https://archive.org/details/mythologyofsexan0000deni |url-access=registration}}</ref>
* [[Nadītu]] served as priestesses in the temples of [[Inanna]] in the city of [[Uruk]]. They were recruited from the highest families in the land and were supposed to remain childless, owned property, and transacted business.
* The Sumerian word {{smallcaps|[[NIN (cuneiform)|nin]]}}, {{smallcaps|EREŠ}} in Akkadian, is the sign for "lady." {{smallcaps|nin.[[dingir]]}} (Akkadian ''entu''), literally "divine lady", a priestess.
* In Sumerian epic texts such as "[[Enmerkar and the Lord of Aratta]]", {{smallcaps|nu-gig}} were priestesses in temples dedicated to Inanna and may be a reference to the goddess herself.<ref>{{cite book |first=Jeremy |last=Black |year=1998 |title=''Reading Sumerian Poetry'' |publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]] |isbn=0-485-93003-X |page=142 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Jj3bi8QAm1AC&pg=PA142}}</ref>
* [[Puabi]] of [[Ur]] was an Akkadian [[queen regnant]] or a priestess. In several other Sumerian city-states, the ruling governor or king was also a head priest with the rank of {{smallcaps|[[ensi (Sumerian)|ensi]]}}, such as at [[Lagash]].
* Control of the holy city of [[Nippur]] and its temple priesthood generally meant hegemony over most of Sumer, as listed on the ''[[Sumerian King List]]''; at one point, the Nippur priesthood conferred the title of queen of Sumer on Kugbau, a popular taverness from nearby [[Kish (Sumer)|Kish]] (who was later deified as [[Kubaba]]).
* In the [[Hebrew Bible]], {{lang-he|קְדֵשָׁה}} ''qědēšā'',<ref name="blueletterbible">{{cite web |url=http://cf.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H06948&t=kjv |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120710120059/http://cf.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H06948&t=kjv |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-07-10 |title=Hebrew Lexicon :: H6948 (KJV)|publisher=cf.blueletterbible.org |access-date=2015-07-25}}</ref> derived from the root [[Q-D-Š]]<ref name="kedeshah">{{cite web |title=Strong's H6948 |url=https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?t=kjv&strongs=h6948 |website=[[Blue Letter Bible]] |language=en |access-date=2018-08-29 |archive-date=2018-08-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180829175407/https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?t=kjv&strongs=h6948 |url-status=dead }}, incorporating [[Strong's Concordance]] (1890) and [[Wilhelm Gesenius|Gesenius]]'s Lexicon (1857).</ref> were sacred prostitutes usually associated with the goddess [[Asherah]].
* ''Quadishtu'' served in the temples of the Sumerian goddess [[Qetesh]].
* ''Ishtaritu'' specialized in the arts of dancing, music, and singing and they served in the temples of [[Ishtar]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Prioreschi |first=Plinio |title=A History of Medicine: Primitive and ancient medicine |journal=Mellen History of Medicine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MJUMhEYGOKsC&pg=PA376 |year=1996 |volume=1 |publisher=Horatius Press |isbn=978-1-888456-01-1 |page=376 |pmid=11639620}}</ref>
* In the ''[[Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', priestess [[Shamhat]], a temple prostitute, tamed wild [[Enkidu]] after "six days and seven nights."
* ''[[Gerarai]]'', fourteen [[Athens|Athenian]] matrons of [[Dionysus]], presided over sacrifices and participated in the festivals of [[Anthesteria]].