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Hammurabi's Stele

Object type: Document
Formal Title: Stela: "Code of Hammurabi"
Creator: unknown
Date Created: circa 1780 BC
Origin: Sippar, Babylon
Current Location: Louvre Museum, Paris, France

Hammurabi's stele (stele: a stone which stands upright), was discovered at Susa, Iran in 1901 complete, but in three pieces.

Hammurabi's Code is the oldest full original written text of law that exists. There were older Sumerian legal codes but they have either been destroyed or have not yet been uncovered, except for fragments or extracts or references in collateral archeological finds.

Standing at seven feet tall, the imposing black stele is an international and sacred symbols of law and legal history and, arguably, the most important. The basalt slab has, at top, a carving of Hammurabi standing in submission before a sun-god called "Shamash".

View the complete reproduced code.

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Unless otherwise noted, this article was written by Lloyd Duhaime, Barrister, Solicitor, Attorney and Lawyer (and Notary Public!). It is not intended to be legal advice and you would be foolhardy to rely on it in respect to any specific situation you or an acquaintance may be facing. In addition, the law changes rapidly and sometimes with little notice so from time to time, an article may not be up to date. Therefore, this is merely legal information designed to educate the reader. If you have a real situation, this information will serve as a good springboard to get legal advice from a lawyer.

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