Archaeologists have revisited the image of the "eunuchs" of ancient Mesopotamia

In one of the world's first civilisations - ancient Mesopotamia - people with non-binary and fluid gender identities held high religious and political positions.

This is evidenced by cuneiform texts and archaeological finds more than 4.5 thousand years old, writes The Conversation.

Modern research shows that such people were not marginalised, as was often the case in later eras. On the contrary, their gender ambiguity was seen as a source of special power and trust, allowing them to occupy key positions at court and in the cults of the major gods.

Mesopotamia was located on the territory of modern Iraq, as well as parts of Syria, Turkey and Iran - between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The Sumerian, Akkadian, Assyrian and Babylonian cultures developed here successively, leaving an extensive written heritage.

One of these social groups were the Assinnu, the servants of the goddess Ishtar (Inanna), the patroness of love, war, power and fertility. They participated in religious rituals, tended temples and were believed to have healing and magical powers. Assinnu are described in cuneiform texts as people whose gendered nature was changed by the goddess herself, able to "change man into woman and woman into man."

Early scholars often referred to the Assinnu as eunuchs or temple prostitutes, but modern scholars note that these interpretations lack evidence. Sources show that Assinnu could be either male or female, and deliberately transcended rigid gender divisions.

Another influential group were the sha-reshi, the closest courtiers of the Assyrian and Babylonian kings. They were traditionally translated as "eunuchs," but no such term existed in Mesopotamian texts. Sha-reshi were trusted confidants of the ruler, held high administrative and military posts and often commanded troops.

The sources indicate their gender peculiarity: Sha-reshi were depicted without beards - an important symbol of masculinity in Mesopotamia - and were considered barren. At the same time, they wore the clothes of nobility and had power on a par with other members of the elite. They were entrusted with guarding harems, access to which was strictly limited, and after military victories they could receive lands and manage the conquered territories.

According to the researchers, it was the ability to transcend the usual gender roles that allowed Assinn and Sha-Rishi to occupy a unique position between the sacred and the mundane, between ruler and subjects.

The authors emphasise that these examples refute the common perception of gender diversity as a "modern phenomenon" and show that in ancient societies it could be the basis of authority and power.