Adab, Archaeological site in Wasit Governorate, Iraq
Adab is an ancient Sumerian city located in Wasit Governorate with remains spread across several large mounds. The site contains layers of structures including temples, administrative buildings, and homes from different periods of antiquity.
The city emerged during the Early Dynastic period as an important center of power under rulers like Lugal-Anne-Mundu. It remained a significant place for many centuries, continuing through the period of the Ur-III dynasty.
Temples were built at this site to honor several deities, with the goddess Ninhursag receiving special worship from the people who lived here. The religious beliefs of the inhabitants remain visible in the structures and remains you can see scattered across the mounds.
The site is remote and difficult to reach, located in an area with limited visitor infrastructure. The remains show signs of damage from erosion and past looting, so plan for careful observation when exploring the mounds.
Excavations in 1903 and 1904 by American archaeologist Edgar James Banks uncovered buildings spanning thousands of years of settlement history. The structures revealed at that time range from the earliest occupation layers through the later Ur-III period.
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