There is no single answer to the question of who the first woman in the world was. The answer depends on whether we are referring to:
- Religious perspectives: In some religious traditions, such as Judaism, Lilith is considered the first woman, preceding Eve. The legend of Lilith, detailed in sources like Lilith, The Legend of the First Woman, depicts her as a powerful and independent figure who refused Adam's dominance. [^1][^2][^4] This contrasts with the creation story in the Bible, where Eve is presented as the first woman. However, the Hebrew Bible mentions Lilith only once (Isaiah 34:14), and her story is largely derived from later rabbinical traditions. [^9]
- Scientific perspectives: Scientifically, the question is unanswerable. Paleoanthropology continues to uncover new evidence about early hominids, making it impossible to definitively identify the very first Homo sapiens female.
Therefore, the question needs clarification. Instead of asking "Who was the first woman in the world?", it is more accurate to ask about the first woman according to a specific belief system or the earliest known hominin female ancestor.
Key Figures Mentioned in Relation to "First Woman":
- Lilith: A figure from Jewish mythology, considered by some to be the first woman, symbolizing female independence. [^1, ^2, ^4]
- Eve: The first woman in the biblical creation narrative.
- Alice Augusta Ball: The first woman to earn a master's degree from the University of Hawaii. [^3]
- Sofia Ionescu: The first woman neurosurgeon in the world. [^8]
Several references mention "first women" in specific contexts such as the first enlisted woman in the U.S. military [^2], the first female police officer with arrest powers [^6], and the context of women's roles in World War I [^5]. These examples highlight that "first woman" has varying meanings depending on the context.
[^1]: Lilith, The Legend of the First Woman.
[^2]: Celebrating the First Enlisted Women > U.S. Department of Defense ...
[^3]: A Woman Who Changed the World | University of Hawai'i Foundation
[^4]: Lilith: a power symbol?
[^5]: Women in WWI | National WWI Museum and Memorial
[^6]: The First World War and the first female police officer – History of ...
[^7]: What the First Woman President Could Mean for Mexico—and the ...
[^8]: Sofia Ionescu, the first woman neurosurgeon in the world
[^9]: Who was the first woman on earth? Eve or Lilith? I have heard both ...
