The Law Code Stele of King Hammurabi

Location

• Situated in the Louvre, Paris

Significance

• One of the most famous objects in the Louvre
• Nearly 4,000 years old
• Represents the foundation of civilization based on law

Description of the Stele

• A tall carved object with relief carvings at the top
• Inscribed cuneiform writing on all sides
• Language: Akkadian (official government decrees)
• Script: Cuneiform

Structure

• Prologue: Describes the scene at the top
  • Investiture of Hammurabi
    • King Hammurabi on the left
    • Facing the sun god Shamash, god of justice
    • Shamash identified by horned crown and emanating light
    • Composite view: frontal shoulders, profile face
    • Shamash sits on a throne with mountains under his feet
    • Shamash gives Hammurabi a scepter and a ring, symbols of power

Significance of the Scene

• Indicates divine origin of Hammurabi's laws
• Authority of Hammurabi comes from Shamash

The Laws

• More than 300 laws inscribed
• Based on legal precedents, not original creations of the king
• Format: Action and Consequence (e.g., If X happens, Y consequence)
• Example: Builder's responsibility for a faulty house
• Similarity to biblical law (eye for an eye)
• Precedes biblical texts

Epilogue

• Discusses the posterity of King Hammurabi
• Emphasizes his eternal remembrance

Historical Importance

• Not unique in recording laws but survives largely intact
• Broken into three parts when discovered
• Provides insight into Babylonian culture
  • Importance of agriculture, irrigation
  • Family life and societal tensions

Cultural Impact

• Mesopotamia as an advanced civilization
• Dependent on laws for maintaining civil society
• Reminder of the cultural debt owed to ancient Mesopotamia
• Reflection on current conflicts in the region

Conclusion

• The stele is a testament to the enduring nature of law as a civilizing force.