1
Code of Hammurabi
- Approx. Year (BCE)
- 1754
This ranking features the best-preserved and historically significant ancient inscribed stelae in human history. Selected based on legibility, completeness, academic value, and cultural impact, these monuments represent the pinnacle of ancient epigraphy and historical recording.
These stelae serve as the 'hard-wired memory' of ancient civilizations.
| Rank | Name | Approx. Year (BCE) | Civilization Origin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Code of Hammurabi | 1754 | - |
| 2 | Rosetta Stone | 196 | - |
| 3 |
Behistun Inscription |
515 |
| - |
| 4 | Mesha Stele | 840 | - |
| 5 | Victory Stele of Naram-Sin | 2254 | - |
| 6 | Decree of Canopus | 238 | - |
| 7 | Merneptah Stele | 1208 | - |
| 8 | Tel Dan Stele | 850 | - |
| 9 | Gudea Cylinders | 2130 | - |
| 10 | Code of Ur-Nammu | 2100 | - |
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