In the Epic of Atrahasis, Atrahasis builds the boat to survive the great flood.
The Atrahasis Epic is an ancient Akkadian narrative preserved on cuneiform tablets. In it, the god Enki warns Atrahasis about a coming flood and instructs him to build a large boat. Atrahasis follows the warning and survives with people, animals, and provisions.
Atrahasis is one of the major Mesopotamian flood traditions that predates or parallels later flood narratives. The name is sometimes written Atra-Hasis, meaning “exceedingly wise” or “very wise,” depending on transliteration and interpretation.
Atrahasis should not be confused with Utnapishtim, the flood survivor in the Epic of Gilgamesh. Utnapishtim’s story is closely related and incorporates similar Mesopotamian motifs, but the named boat-builder in the Atrahasis Epic is Atrahasis himself.