In 1853, archaeologist Austen Henry Layard and his team conducted excavations in the palace library of Nineveh, the ancient capital of Assyria. Among the more unexpected discoveries were twelve tablets containing the epic of Gilgamesh, a figure regarded as both semi-legendary and semi-historical.1
The most interesting part of this literary work, however, does not concern Gilgamesh himself but the immortal Utnapishtim, who recounted the story of his survival of a great flood to the king. According to his account, the gods were angered by the clamorous behaviour of humanity and unleashed a storm that lasted seven days, wiping out nearly all living beings. However, the god Ea warned Utnapishtim and instructed him to build a large boat with a square deck, each side measuring ten dozen cubits. After the floodwaters receded, the boat came to rest on Mount Nisir (500 km from Mount Ararat, where Noah’s Ark reportedly landed according to the Bible), and Utnapishtim sent out a dove, a swallow, and a raven in succession. The cataclysm terrified even the gods, who hid and cried out in fear, regretting their decision as they began to starve from the lack of sacrifices.2
This myth closely resembles the account of the flood in the Book of Genesis, prompting scholars to consider whether the younger narrative drew from an older source. Scientists with atheistic views tend to assert that the authors of the Bible modeled their story on the Epic of Gilgamesh. However, the description in the Bible is far more detailed and plausible. It is difficult to imagine that a storm lasting only a few days could cause such destruction and lead to a catastrophe of this magnitude.
The dimensions of the ark also differ. According to the Book of Genesis, God instructed Noah to build an ark with dimensions of 300×50×30 cubits, approximately 140×23×13.5 meters, giving it a volume of 43,500 cubic meters. According to Korean naval architects, its design offered exceptional stability and made capsizing highly unlikely, even in severe conditions. People of that period would not have had access to such advanced knowledge of shipbuilding, which suggests that the construction of such a vessel supports the authenticity of divine revelation.
Utnapishtim’s ark was cube-shaped, and it would likely have capsized even in moderate winds. This is unsurprising, as two dimensions are much easier to remember than three, and equal lengths provide a sense of aesthetic harmony, which was highly valued in artistic works.3 Thus, it can be concluded that Utnapishtim’s flood story is based on an older, more accurate version that was simplified and modified to meet artistic requirements.4
Similar stories can be found in various parts of the world, although these accounts diverge from the biblical description to varying degrees. This is not surprising, as representatives of different cultures incorporate elements of their own folklore into their stories, a very common trend.
The Epic of Gilgamesh, as its name suggests, is a literary work meant to entertain, with artistic qualities taking precedence over historical accuracy. Nevertheless, it can be assumed that the flood described in it was a real event, though many elements were added, altered, or simplified.
According to anthropologists, myths often represent faded memories of real events, with details either lost or added over time through repeated retelling, while the ‘core’ of the true story remains. If two separate cultures share the same myth in their folklore, it means their ancestors must have either experienced the same event or originated from a common ancestor.5
Similar stories are encountered in various parts of the world, though they deviate more or less from the biblical account. This is unsurprising, as different cultures tend to integrate elements of their own folklore into their narratives. Around 200 such stories have been collected (there are likely many more, as not all cultures have been studied ethnographically). In 66% of myths, the Flood was brought upon the Earth due to human wickedness, and in 95%, it was a global event. In 70%, some people survived thanks to a boat, on which in 67% of cases, animals were also saved. In 57% of accounts, the boat came to rest on a mountain, and in 35%, birds were sent out before leaving the boat.6
Nick Liguori, author of Echoes of Ararat, collected 170 such stories from across the Americas. They are highly similar to one another and to the account in the Book of Genesis, although certain differences remain. In each of these accounts, the Flood is depicted as a consequence of human sin, with only a few righteous individuals surviving. The motif of releasing birds appears in many versions. In some, a hawk is sent; in others, a vulture or another bird native to the Americas is used.
Interestingly, some Native American traditions also preserve a memory of the Tower of Babel. These accounts describe the construction of a tall structure, in some versions a pyramid, after the Flood. This act provoked the anger of a god or gods who responded by confounding human language. Since these legends predate the colonisation and Christianisation of the Americas, the influence of Christian missionaries can be reasonably ruled out.7
Similar accounts appear across various regions of Australia. These stories often describe a great flood brought about by human wrongdoing, such as the murder of a child or, in another version, the harming of an owl. In some traditions, part of humanity survives in a boat that eventually comes to rest on a mountain. In others, only those who managed to climb the mountain are spared. The survivors learn that the flood has ended when a bird returns carrying a branch in its beak.8
In the Book of Genesis, the description of the Flood is the most detailed and plausible, demonstrating that the authors of the Bible were reconstructing events from the early days of the world based on precise oral traditions that lacked the embellishments and artistic additions seen in the Epic of Gilgamesh or the legends of Native Americans and Aboriginal Australians. These extrabiblical accounts, however, lend support to the credibility of the Genesis narrative and suggest that the flood tradition reflects a memory of a widespread or global event.
By the way, we recommend reading the articles:
- Anchiornis – A ‘Transitional’ Creature?
- Panspermia Does Not Explain the Origin of Life
- Did Noah’s Flood Cover the Himalayas?
- How Did Life Begin?
- Who Were the Neanderthals?
Footnotes
- J. Sarfati, Noah’s Flood and the Gilgamesh Epic, 2016, https://creation.com/noahs-flood-and-the-gilgamesh-epic.
- T. Lacey and L. Anderson, The Genesis Flood—Not Just Another Legend, 2013, https://answersingenesis.org/the-flood/flood-legends/the-genesis-flood-not-just-another-legend/.
- J. Sarfati, Noah’s Flood and the Gilgamesh Epic, 2016, https://creation.com/noahs-flood-and-the-gilgamesh-epic.
- J. Sarfati, Noah’s Flood and the Gilgamesh Epic, 2016, https://creation.com/noahs-flood-and-the-gilgamesh-epic.
- J. D. Morris, Why Does Nearly Every Culture Have a Tradition of a Global Flood?, 2001, https://www.icr.org/article/why-does-nearly-every-culture-have-tradition-globa.
- Ibidem.
- N. Ligouri, Flood Legends from the Americas, Part 3: Mexico to South America, 2021, https://answersingenesis.org/the-flood/flood-legends/flood-legends-americas-part-3/.
- H. Coates and W. H. Douglas, Australian Aboriginal Flood Stories, https://creation.com/australian-aboriginal-flood-stories.
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