Adab (city)

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Adab ( at today's Bismaja, also Tell Bismaya, south of Kut in Iraq ) was a Sumerian city.

History and Significance

Adab was also an important city in Mittelbabylonien. She was lying northeast of Shuruppak. Adab is one of the cities from which the first written sources. With the cities of Uruk, Nippur, Lagash, Umma Shuruppak and a wartime coalition seems to have passed. One of the enemy was apparently the old and legendary Sumerian city of Kish. It is likely that these coalitions could also change and that they are not only for military purposes, but have passed (such as channels) also for the construction of large temple and infrastructural projects. Adab was involved in a trading system of large cities. So Adab is called about as a trading partner Lagaschs in an inscription of the local En -Si Lugalanda.

Especially at the beginning of the Early Dynastic period of Sumer, the city was of superior importance, regional king lists have been handed down from the city. In the Sumerian King List, however, only one ruler of the city, Lugalannemundu appears. He was obviously an upstart, but also the first Sumerian ruler who had possibly brought large parts of Sumer under his rule. He is said to have brought first a certain early state system under the city-states and to the Elamites, who had previously controlled the weakened by wars Sumer repulsed, have made even tribute. After his death, however, Adab again lost its importance and could never recover again.

Akkadian period

At the time of Lugalzagesi of Umma are from Lagash city prince ( ensi ) known. Then Adab was under the regency of the Akkadians. Sargon installed in Adab as well as in other cities, one his devoted deputy. Could Sargon exercise its dominion even without large resistors, his son and successor Rimusch already saw uprisings against the Sumerians. Also from Adab is known, such a revolt. But only the Gutians ended the rule of the Akkadians and built itself a rule over Sumer and Akkad. After that, the city was part of the territory to which Gudea of Lagash exercised a loose suzerainty.

Ur III period

Also, in the last phase of Sumerian history (Ur III period ) could Adab not regain its independence. However Adab was the place where the kings of the Third Dynasty of Ur strongly consolidated their rule by captured here in Peronden Utuhengal of the Prince of Gutian, Tirigan them. That Adab was then still of some importance, proving that one of the rulers - Shu - Suen - this dynasty Swabia built a temple for his cult.

Like so many other Sumerian cities also, Adab lost almost the entire former status after the collapse of the last Sumerian dynasty of Ur. As in the time of Samsu - iluna (son of Hammurabi, second half of 18th century BC) the settlement Südbabylonies was apparently declining, lack of Adab evidence of human habitation.

History of Research

Under the direction of EJ Banks found 1903/ 04 excavations in Adab instead. Here, a palace and several houses were discovered. Of particular meanings are two inscriptions found, one each of Mesalim and one of the Ur - Nammu.