The Manusmriti, or Manus Gesetzbuch, is one of the most widely used and cited ancient Indian texts in the fields of law, custom, and religion. It covers a broad range of topics: in addition to religious, ritual, political, and everyday norms, it provides precise regulations regarding inheritance, adoption, taxes, penalties, procedural law, and atonements. It takes some controversial positions, such as those regarding the status of women, the hierarchically organized caste system with the Brahmins at the top, strict purity laws, and the sometimes draconian punishments for certain offenses. However, this text, which was composed roughly between 100 BC and 200 AD, would be misunderstood if one were to view it as a collection of laws used in court.