Fishing from the earliest times - Blog

—HAMMURABI'S CODE 379A document of the twenty-first century brings to lightfurther evidence of the economic importance of fish and ofthe rights of fishing, and what to us modern fishermen is ofintenser interest—the first case on record of Poaching !This occurred in the reign of Samsu-iluna, the successorto the great Hammurabi. The latter's Code of laws of 287sections was considered on its discovery some twenty yearsago to be a Digest of Babylonian decisions, but the recentfinding of a clay tablet, clearly the prototype of the Code,proves its Sumerian origin.It not only illuminates vividly the social and economic conditionsof Babylon, but estabhshed for generations the status,the rights, the duties flowing from contracts or arising frominjury.Its scope is curiously wide. It includes, for instance,provisions to meet such rare cases as injuries which resultedin the miscarriage of women. The similarity of enactmentin these cases and in divorces demonstrates inter alia howmarked was the Code's influence on the Mosaic legislation someseven centuries later.Every one of Hammurabi's subjects could by its helpacquire a clearer conception of his individual property.Theletter or rescript of Sansu-iluna shows that rights of fishingwere acknowledged and enforceable.The Rescript runs:" Unto Sin-idinnam, Kar-Sippar, and the Judges ofSiPPAR say, Thus saith Samsu-iluna. They have reported(unto me) that the ships of the fishermen go down untothe district of Rabim and to the district of ShakanimAND catch fish. I AM THEREFORE SENDING (UNTO THEE) ANofficial of the Palace Gate. When he shall reach thee,THE ships OF THE FISHERMEN WHICH ARE IN THE DISTRICTOF Shakanim (shalt thou . . thou shalt notAGAIN SEND THE SHIPS OF THE. ^) andFISHERMEN DOWN INTO THEDISTRICT OF RaBIM OR THE DISTRICT OF ShAKANIM.^^ The hiatus probably may be filled by the word "recall," or "bringaway."* Letters oj Hammurabi (London, 1898-1900), vol. III. pp. 121-3, L. W.King.2 C