What was the role of women according to Hammurabi's code?

In Hammurabi's Code, a
woman was
considered the property of her father or husband, who administered her dowry. If
a
woman died, her dowry would go back to her father, to her brothers, or to
her sons. A woman's
sexuality was also highly guarded, showing that she was
considered the property of her husband.
For example, if a married woman were
found guilty of adultery, she could be drowned (or only
saved at the mercy of
her husband). Adultery went against the laws of the community that
regarded
women as property. However, women were afforded some protections in the
society,
particularly if they were mothers. A man with children who left his
wife had to give her custody
of the children as well as the dowry and the use
of a field or other property to support herself
and her children. Widows were
also given some protections, such as the right to stay in their
husband's
houses for as long as they wanted (unless they chose to remarry). While women
were
inferior in status to men in Hammurabi's...