In the Epic of Atrahasis, Atrahasis is the human survivor of the great flood.
Atrahasis is the title character of an Old Babylonian Akkadian poem preserved on clay tablets. In the story, the god Enki warns Atrahasis about a destructive flood and instructs him to build a boat. Atrahasis survives with people, animals, and provisions, making him one of the major Mesopotamian flood heroes.
The narrative is an important comparative text for studying flood traditions alongside Genesis and the Epic of Gilgamesh. The Gilgamesh version calls its survivor Utnapishtim, while the Sumerian King List and related traditions use the name Ziusudra. These names belong to distinct literary traditions, even though their stories share themes and motifs.
The Atrahasis poem is also notable for its discussion of the gods, humanity, population, labor, and catastrophe. It is not simply another title for the Genesis account, and its details and theological framework differ substantially.