Adab, modern Bismāyah, ancient Sumerian city located south of Nippur (modern Niffer or Nuffar), Iraq. Excavations (1903–04) carried out by the American archaeologist Edgar James Banks revealed buildings dating from as early as the prehistoric period and as late as the reign of Ur-Nammu (reigned 2112–2095 bc). Adab was an important Sumerian centre only up to about 2000. The Sumerian king list ascribed to the city one of the early dynasties, comprising only one king, Lugal-anne-mundu, who was said to have reigned for 90 years; according to his position on the king list this reign would have been about 2400. At almost all other times in its history Adab was ruled by kings who controlled all or most of Babylonia (southern Mesopotamia). The principal deity of the city was the goddess Ninhursag.