Kyle HiltonARTH-2710-001-F15T-R 1:00-2:20pmProfessor David CarneyTerm PaperDue 12/10/15

“When the god Marduk commanded me to provide just ways for the people of the land (in order to attain) appropriate behavior, I established truth and justice as the dec1aration of the land, I enhanced the well-being of the people.”

Kyle Hilton | ARTH-2710-001-F15 | Fall Semester of 2015

Stele of HammurabiRESEARCH PAPER

- Translation from the prologue of the Hammurabi Code Roth, Martha Tobi., Harry A. Hoffner, and Piotr Michalowski. “Law Collections from Mesopotamia and Asia Minor.” Altanta, GA: Scholars, 1995. Web.

The Stele of Hammurabi, famously notorious for containing the

first widely followed and respected laws, “The Hammurabi Code”, is

significant because it allows us to truly understand how the Babylonian

people lived and how their culture behaved and perceived order and law.

It also has become another great example to the styles and techniques

used during the time period.

The stele was found at Susa, or modern-day Shush, Iran. But

it is most likely that the Stele was originally from Sippar, the city of

the sun god Shamash. It is also predicted that I was created around

1792-1550 BCE. The stele is now located at the Musee du Louvre

in Paris, France.

The basalt stele, as shown in Figure 1,

stands at 2.25 meters tall with a diameter of 2

feet. The top quarter of the stele is a low relief

sculpture, a form of sculpture common for the

time era, which depicts the legendary discussion

of Hammurabi receives the laws from the sun

god, Shamash, god

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The stele was found at Susa, or modern-day Shush, Iran. But it is

most likely that the Stele was originally from Sippar, the city of the sun

god Shamash. It is also predicted that it was created around 1792-1550

BCE. The stele is now located at the Musee du Louvre in Paris, France.

The basalt stele, as shown in Figure 1, stands at 2.25 meters tall

with a diameter of 2 feet. The top quarter of the stele is a low relief

sculpture; a form of sculpture common for the time era, which depicts

the legendary discussion of Hammurabi receiving the laws from the sun

god, Shamash, god of justice. From there to the middle of the stele,

it is wrapped with the ancient text: the “Hammurabi Code”.Figure 1: Stele of HammurabiMusée du Louvre, 75058 Paris - France

At the top of the stele, Hammurabi stands before Shamash. Some

iconography to notice is the beams of sunlight radiating from Shamash, a

symbol used to show that Shamash is a godly figure. We see Shamash

holding the measuring rod and the rope circle1, possibly offering it to

Hammurabi. Thus, another symbolic sign of Shamash’s divine presence

and quite possibly symbolizing Hammurabi’s rising prominence2.

Shamash also wears the horned crown of divinity, moreover signifying

his holiness. Looking at Hammurabi, he has his hand gesturing outwards

from his mouth, illustrating that Hammurabi is speaking or conversing

with Shamash, which makes a powerful statement that he is addressing

the god directly. Looking at it as a whole, it almost appears that as the

deity tells the king of the laws, the decrees of justice themselves flow

onto the stele.

The “Hammurabi Code” is famous for providing famous quotes

such as “An eye for an eye” and other decrees that have influenced laws

today. The stele has around 300 individual laws engraved into its sides,

each depicting and describing how domestic, commercial, property, and

assault issues are to be handled. The most common punishment

delivered to the wrong-doing citizen would be death, even the accusers

1 It is thought that the Rope and Rod is “the emblematic power to mark off a boundary, the circle indicating the power to enclose, and the rod the measuring stick, so that the deity holding these symbols may be views as the fixer of boundaries.” - Whatham, Arthur E.. “The Meaning of the Ring and Rod in Babylonian-assyrian Sculpture”. The Biblical World 26.2 (1905): 120–123. Web...2

It could almost be noted that because there is no hierarchical scale (the bigger in size, the more importance the person has), Hammurabi may be portrayed as an equal towards Shamash.

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would be sentenced to death if they attempted to indict someone and

failed to have proof to his claim. The “Hammurabi Code” did favor the

wealthy over the poor, citizens over the slaves, men over women, and so

forth (a citizen wouldn’t have to forfeit so much to a slave than if a slave

were to have committed a crime against a citizen, etc.). But even so, it

was a huge leap for civilization to have regulated rules and punishments

rather than having someone decide for themselves how to pass

judgement upon the criminal.

It is probable that the Stele of Hammurabi was used as a display

for people to see the laws in the cities that Hammurabi ruled over. With

that, people were able to reference these laws when problems occurred

and no longer needed the ruler or certain officials to pass his own

judgement upon the criminal. It can be thought that the low relief

sculpture on top likely had an influence upon the people who look forth

to the stele for justice. Seeing the discussion of justice between the sun

god Shamash and the King Hammurabi above the bands of laws most

likely strengthened the belief of the citizens that the commandments

were to be followed and that justice, even how cruel it was, would

prevail.

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The writing style used to inscribe the

“Hammurabi Code” onto the stele was known as a

Cuneiform writing. It is an abstract form of

pictography which was the way of writing during

the Mesopotamian time period (Figure 2).

Cuneiform writing could have possibly been even

more intricate than today’s writing method due to

that cuneiform writing is actually three dimensional

with the addition of

depth transcribed into the materials used.

Pressing harder or carving deeper into the material to make a deeper

impression could have been interpreted as an exclamation or question

mark used in today’s writing.

The style of the relief sculpture, along with the use of iconography and

cuneiform writing on the Stele of

Hammurabi is widely comparable to other

reliefs such as the Stele of Naram-Sin

(Figure 3). Both of these pieces from the

Ancient Middle East express the ideals of the king’s power and how they

relate themselves to godly figures. In the Stele of Hammurabi,

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Figure 2: Close view of the inscription along the sides of the Stele of Hammurabi

Figure 3: Stele of Naram-Sin Musée du Louvre, 75058 Paris - France

Hammurabi is portrayed as a higher being by speaking to the god,

Shamash, himself. But in the Stele of Naram-Sin, Naram-Sin is shown as

a deity himself, for he wears a horned crown which is meant only for

divinities. Another thing to compare is that it could be said that Shamash

is presented in both steles. In the Stele of Hammurabi, Shamash has a

human form while he speaks to Hammurabi. But in the Stele of Naram-

Sin, Shamash is represented as the sun itself, casting himself over

Naram-Sin’s enemies. Comparing these we see that the kings of the

time wanted their power to be known and honored as a beings closest to

the gods.

The Stele of Hammurabi has a deep cultural meaning within the

Ancient Mesopotamian life-style and its writings have influenced the way

laws are followed and created by today’s cultures. The low relief

sculpture of the god speaking to the king reigning on top of the stele

holds a profound sense of divinity and justice for all to refer to while

looking among the cuneiform engraved sides of monument. This stele

was the beginning of writing laws -given by god- onto stone, and was

adopted by other important figures such as Moses when he received the

Ten Commandments from God atop of Mount Sinai, likely influenced by

the Stele of Hammurabi. The stele has created a profound impact on the

history of art, but also in the fields of law and social science for bearing

the first structured laws in the history of mankind.

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“The great gods have chosen me, I am indeed the shepherd who brings

peace, whose scepter is just. My benevolent shade is spread over my city, I held

the people of the lands of Sumer and Akkad safely on my lap. They prospered

under my protective spirit, I maintained them in peace, and with my skillful

wisdom I sheltered them.”

- Translation from the epilogue of the Hammurabi Code Roth, Martha Tobi., Harry A. Hoffner, and Piotr Michalowski. “Law Collections from Mesopotamia and Asia Minor.” Altanta, GA: Scholars, 1995. Web.

Bibliography

Roth, Martha Tobi., Harry A. Hoffner, and Piotr Michalowski. “Law Collections from Mesopotamia and Asia Minor.” Altanta, GA: Scholars, 1995. Web.

Whatham, Arthur E.. “The Meaning of the Ring and Rod in Babylonian-assyrian Sculpture”. The Biblical World 26.2 (1905): 120–123. Web.

Claire, Iselin. "Work Law Code of Hammurabi, King of Babylon." Law Code of Hammurabi, King of Babylon. N.p., n.d. Web.

Michael W. Cothren, Marlyn Stokstad. “Art History”. Pearson. Boston, MA

Godbey, A. H.. “The Chirography of the Hammurabi Code”. The American Journal of Semitic Languages and Literatures 20.2 (1904): 137–148. Web.

"Stele with Law Code of Hammurabi." Stele with Law Code of Hammurabi. N.p., n.d. Web.

Pfeiffer, R. H.. “An Analysis of the Hammurabi Code”. The American Journal of Semitic Languages and Literatures 36.4 (1920): 310–315. Web.

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