The Mesopotamians were probably the first to write on soft-clay tablets using a wedge-shaped stylus or pen made from reed, bone or metal. In this context, answer the following questions:

1. What do you mean by the cuneiform script?
2. What is the Code of Hammurabi?

1. The Mesopotamians' script is known as the cuneiform script. The word 'cuneiform' literally means wedge-shaped, due to the triangular tip of the stylus used for impressing signs on wet clay.
2. The Code of Hammurabi (developed during the reign of Hammurabi) is one of the earliest set of laws found. It is also one of the best preserved documents of ancient Mesopotamia. Through these codes, the king could look after the weak, the poor and the needy. The code is carved on a nearly eight-feet high stone column. It lists 282 case laws dealing with family, economy, civil and criminal cases. Moreover, it prescribes different punishments depending upon the severity of the offence.