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8. Code of Hammurabi

The Code of Hammurabi is one of the earliest and most complete written legal codes, dating back to around 1754 BC. It is carved on a large black diorite pillar and was created during the reign of King Hammurabi of Babylon. This artifact, displayed in the Richelieu Wing, Room 227, features 282 laws covering a wide range of topics like trade, property, family, and crime, with the principle of “an eye for an eye” being famously associated with it. The top of the stele shows Hammurabi receiving the laws from Shamash, the sun god and god of justice, symbolizing the divine origin of these laws.