Of documents relating to
the life of the people under the rule of the kings of the Country of the
Sea we have none, and, with the exception of the unpublished chronicle
which has been described earlier in this chapter, our information for
this period is confined to one or two short votive inscriptions. But the
case is very different with regard to the reigns of the Semitic kings of
the First Dynasty of Babylon. Thousands of tablets relating to legal and
commercial transactions during this period have been recovered, and more
recently a most valuable series of royal letters, written by Hammurabi
and other kings of his dynasty, has been brought to light.
[Illustration: 264.jpg Upper Part of the Stele of Hammurabi, King of
Babylon.]
The stele is inscribed with his great code of laws. The Sun-
god is represented as seated on a throne in the form of a
temple facade, and his feet are resting upon the mountains.
Photograph by Messrs. Mansell & Co.
Moreover, the recently discovered code of laws drawn up by Hammurabi
contains information of the greatest interest with regard to the
conditions of life that were prevalent in Babylonia at that period.
From these three sources it is possible to draw up a comparatively full
account of early Babylonian life and customs.
CHAPTER VI--EARLY BABYLONIAN LIFE AND CUSTOMS
In tracing the ancient history of Mesopotamia and the surrounding
countries it is possible to construct a narrative which has the
appearance of being comparatively full and complete.
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