UR-NAMMU CODE
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Before the Code of Hammurabi, there was the Code of Ur-Nammu.
ca. 2050 B.C. · Sumeria
The Code of Ur-Nammu was written during the reign of Ur-Nammu, who ruled after his predecessor successfully expelled the Gutian invaders from Sumeria. Ur-Nammu initiated a vigorous revival of Sumerian culture, of which the code is the most enduring legacy.
Usually seen as its precursor
- Ruler: Ur-Nammu of Sumeria, ca. 2050 B.C.
- Before his reign: His predecessor expelled the Gutian invaders from Sumeria.
- A rare survivor: One of the earliest lists of laws yet discovered.
- Written in: Cuneiform, which can be only partly interpreted today.
- Its place in history: The most enduring legacy of Ur-Nammu’s Sumerian revival.
What did one of the earliest known lists of laws contain?
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- A Sumerian RevivalAfter the Gutian invaders were expelled from Sumeria, Ur-Nammu initiated a vigorous revival of Sumerian culture. The code is that revival’s most enduring legacy.
- What the Code ContainedTo the extent the original cuneiform can be interpreted, the code is a list of:Tax codes
Ceremonial laws
Courtroom procedures
Rules for litigation
Penalties for various infractions - Beyond SumerAlthough the Sumerians were not Semites, the civilization they created shaped the Semitic empires that followed, including the Babylonian Empire of Hammurabi.
An early step on the long road toward the ideal of the rule of law.
The Code of Ur-Nammu is one of the earliest lists of laws yet discovered and is usually seen as the precursor to the Code of Hammurabi.
Where to read more about the Code of Ur-Nammu and its world.
- 1963The Sumerians: Their History, Culture, and CharacterKramer, Samuel Noah · University of Chicago Press
- 1997Law Collections from Mesopotamia and Asia MinorRoth, Martha · Scholars Press
- 2003The Babylonian Gilgamesh Epic: Introduction, Critical Edition and Cuneiform TextsGeorge, Andrew R. · Oxford University Press
- 2010Ancient Mesopotamian Law: A Documentary HistoryWestbrook, Raymond · Brill
- 2014The Ark Before Noah: Decoding the Story of the FloodFinkel, Irving L. · Hachette UK
- 2018Ancient Mesopotamia: New PerspectivesMaekawa, Kazuya · ABC-CLIO
- 2020The Ancient Mesopotamian CityVan De Mieroop, Marc · Oxford University Press
("Code of Ur-Nammu - World History Encyclopedia." Photograph, 2000s. https://www.worldhistory.org/Code_of_Ur-Nammu/)
Two reddish-brown clay fragments with inscribed text, stacked on a clear stand next to a blue label partially visible as "UR-NAMMU".
(AI-Generated)
In 2300 BC, Sumer, in ancient Mesopotamia (modern-day southern Iraq), thrived with city-states like Uruk and Ur, known for irrigation, ziggurats, and cuneiform writing. Skilled in trade and craftsmanship, the era saw conflicts that paved the way for the Akkadian Empire's rise.
("Code of Ur-Nammu." Photograph, 2000s. https://www.meisterdrucke.us/fine-art-prints/Sumerian/149232/Code-of-Ur-Nammu.html)
A tall, broken cylindrical clay artifact with cuneiform inscriptions running vertically, set against a black background showing cracks and fragments.