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Primary sourceSculpture18th century BCE

Votive Monument to Hammurabi, Detail

18th century BCE

A close-up photograph of a carved relief from a votive monument made during Hammurabi's reign, showing a bearded figure of his era.

This votive monument was commissioned during Hammurabi's reign, offering direct physical evidence of his era.

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Close-up of a carved relief in pale stone showing a bearded figure in profile wearing a rounded cap, with arms folded across the chest and a fringed garment; the surface is weathered and pitted.
Detail of a votive monument to Hammurabi, BM 22454. Photograph by Marie-Lan Nguyen, 2012. British Museum.

About this source

What it is

This is a detail photograph of a votive monument held by the British Museum (BM 22454), made during the reign of Hammurabi. The photograph was taken in 2012 by Marie-Lan Nguyen and shows a carved stone relief of a bearded figure in profile, wearing a rounded cap and a fringed garment, arms folded across the chest.

Why it matters

The monument was commissioned for Hammurabi's reign and gives us a rare visual glimpse of how people, objects and style looked in Babylon at the time he ruled. Votive monuments like this were often made to honour gods or kings, and studying them helps historians understand the artistic and religious culture Hammurabi presided over.

Look closer

  • What details of clothing and posture can you identify, and what might they tell us about status or role?
  • Why do you think this piece of stone has survived in a weathered and pitted state?
  • What is missing from this close-up that a wider photograph might show?

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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