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Primary sourceSculpturereign of Hammurabi, c. 1792-1750 BCE

Votive Monument of Hammurabi

reign of Hammurabi, c. 1792-1750 BCE

An ancient limestone relief from Hammurabi's reign showing him in a pose of worship, held at the British Museum.

An ancient monument made during Hammurabi's own reign, showing him depicted in a pose of religious devotion.

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Photo of a pale limestone relief slab with a carved figure in profile on the left, hands clasped at chest, wearing a cap and robe. Right side has rows of cuneiform inscription in horizontal bands. Mounted on a grey backdrop.
Votive monument of Hammurabi, BM 22454, reign of Hammurabi. British Museum, London. Photo by Marie-Lan Nguyen, 2012.

About this source

What it is

This is a votive monument made of pale limestone, carved with a figure shown in profile with hands clasped in a gesture of worship, alongside bands of cuneiform inscription. It dates from Hammurabi's reign and is held by the British Museum as object BM 22454. The photograph of it was taken by Marie-Lan Nguyen in 2012.

Why it matters

As an object made during Hammurabi's own lifetime, this monument gives a direct glimpse of how the king wished to be shown: pious, devoted, and connected to the gods. It is a rare physical survival from his reign, alongside his famous law code, and helps historians understand Babylonian religious and royal imagery.

Look closer

  • What does the pose of clasped hands suggest about how Hammurabi wanted to be seen?
  • Why might a king commission a monument showing himself in worship rather than in battle or on a throne?
  • What can the cuneiform inscription tell us that the image alone cannot?

This sculpture is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Hammurabi on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Photo of the black basalt Code of Hammurabi stele on a dark background. The tall, tapering stone has a rounded top carved in relief with a standing figure facing a seated figure on a throne, and below are rows of carved cuneiform text.Document

Primary source

Code of Hammurabi

Hammurabi · c. 1753 BCE

Photo of a tall black basalt stele with a rounded top. Carved relief at the top shows a standing figure at left facing a seated figure with a horned crown at right. Below, the stone is covered in rows of cuneiform script.Sculpture

Primary source

Stele with the Code of Hammurabi

Hammurabi · c. 1792 BCE

Photograph of a clay cuneiform tablet, pale beige and roughly rectangular with a chipped upper-left corner, covered in wedge-shaped impressed signs in horizontal lines. It rests on a black stand against a dark background.Letter

Primary source

Letter from Hammurabi to Sîn-iddinam

Hammurabi · c. 1792-1750 BCE

Photograph of a cuneiform clay tablet on a display stand against a dark background. The tablet is pale beige, with a broken upper edge, and is covered in rows of wedge-shaped cuneiform signs. A museum label with a catalogue number is visible at the bottom.Document

Primary source

List of the year-names of Hammurabi's reign

Old Babylonian period, reign of Hammurabi (c. 1792-1750 BCE)

Five groups of black cuneiform wedge signs on a white background, rendered in a row. The signs are angular, made of wedge-shaped strokes arranged in clusters, and appear to be a short inscription.Document

Secondary source

Chronicle of Early Kings

Babylonian scribes · c. 6th century BCE copy

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