Law-Codex of Hammurabi
Susa
First half of the 18th century BC
Basalt
H 2.25 m
Sb 8
Description
"Like a series of other remarkable works from the Mesopotamian
civilization, this tall stele originally stood in a town of Babylon
and was taken as spoil to Susa by the Elamites in the 12th century.
It was discovered by the de Morgan expedition and its text was
translated in six months by Father Vincent Scheil. Hammurabi was the
6th king of the first Babylonian dynasty, and he was first to
establish the supremacy of his city which had been of modest
standing only. What he had engraved on this stele is not so much a
"code" as a collection of exemplary royal pronouncement in
keeping with a tradition established by the Sumerians. The
bas-relief at the top is a sober representation of the meeting of
king and god. The king wears the royal headpiece like Gudea; he
holds his hand before his face in the act of prayer. The sun-god
Shamash, patron of justice, is recognizable from the flames flaring
on his shoulders."
- Louvre