The Code of Hammurabi

Laws of justice which Hammurabi (ca. 1795 – 1750 BC), the wise king, established.
A righteous law, and pious statute did he teach the land.

These laws were written on a stone tablet standing over six feet tall that was found in 1901.

228
If a builder build a house for some one and complete it, he shall give him a fee of two shekels in money for each sar of surface.

229
If a builder build a house for some one, and does not construct it properly, and the house which he built fall in and kill its owner, then that builder shall be put to death.

230
If it kill the son of the owner the son of that builder shall be put to death.

231
If it kill a slave of the owner, then he shall pay slave for slave to the owner of the house.

232
If it ruin goods, he shall make compensation for all that has been ruined, and inasmuch as he did not construct properly this house which he built and it fell, he shall re-erect the house from his own means.

233
If a builder build a house for some one, even though he has not yet completed it; if then the walls seem toppling, the builder must make the walls solid from his own mean