Laying Down the Law

When found in 1901, Hammurabi’s code was celebrated as the earliest set of written laws. We now know that the Sumerians are responsible for the first set of written codes or laws. Known as the code of Ur-Nammu, these laws are very interesting to examine. They connect us with the Sumerians by illuminating common societal problems and humanizing an extinct civilization.

The code

Ur-Nammu

1. If a man commits a murder, that man must be killed.


2. If a man commits a robbery, he will be killed.


3. If a man commits a kidnapping, he is to be imprisoned and pay 15 shekels of silver.


4. If a slave marries a slave, and that slave is set free, he does not leave the household.


5. If a slave marries a native (i.e. free) person, he/she is to hand the firstborn son over to his owner.


6. If a man violates the right of another and deflowers the virgin wife of a young man, they shall kill that male.


7. If the wife of a man followed after another man and he slept with her, they shall slay that woman, but that male shall be set free. 


8. If a man proceeded by force, and deflowered the virgin slavewoman of another man, that man must pay five shekels of silver. 


9. If a man divorces his first-time wife, he shall pay her one mina of silver. 


10. If it is a (former) widow whom he divorces, he shall pay her half a mina of silver. 


I have included the first ten of these laws, and yes there are more. They can be found here.

Writing, and especially written law is essential to the order and security of civilizations. Whereas spoken language is flexible and open to interpretation, a written code can be highly specific and allow very little wiggle room (although lawyers may try their best to find some). Laws that are written down and presented to the public cannot be denied; they have increased authority.

            This excerpt from an informative website reveals the advantages of writing in their legal system.

            “Law was an integral part of Sumerian society. Nearly every aspect of civil life was recorded in writing on a tablet. The tablets were used as evidence when a legal dispute arose.”

Not only were there written laws, but records of civil life were used as evidence when solving disputes.

            What’s interesting to me is that the Sumerians utilized writing for their laws, and for these recordings of civil life, and yet according to Professor Stratford none of the argumentation preceding the ruling was recorded. Writing was clumsy and time consuming, and so they likely prioritized what they wrote down.

            (I really enjoyed reading Jared Jones’ blog post on cuneiform (the Sumerian writing system), and his personal experience with cuneiform. While they were obviously not constructing their symbols with Popsicle sticks and glue, the post effectively demonstrates the pros and cons of the system.)

Jared Jones' magnificent Cuneiform creation 

This link is here simply because lawyer jokes are funny.

Marriage was also governed by writing. From the same website above, “The tenants of the marriage were contained in a sealed tablet. The guidelines detailed the process for the marriage and the divorce.” Marriage and family, as basic tenants of society, warranted special attention in the form of written regulations.

For a long time writing was clumsy and restricted to the elites. Once writing expands, we see a proliferation of writing. However, for civilizations such as Mesopotamia, you can almost always bank on the fact that if it was written down, it was highly important to them (The same can not be said for the digital age; anyone can write anything they want and have it be accessible). Laws, as the structure for civilized society, were significantly important to the Sumerians.

I apologize if portions of this are rambling or incoherent, and for the relative brevity of the post. This raging fever and headache is kicking my figurative butt. I'm planning on some extra posting when I feel better. Rock on "In the Know(ledge)" peeps, rock on.