In the Epic of Gilgamesh, what is the flood hero’s name who builds an ark?

In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Utnapishtim is the flood hero who builds an ark.

Utnapishtim receives a warning from the god Ea, who tells him to build a large boat and preserve living creatures, family members, and skilled workers. The flood story appears on Tablet XI of the standard version of the Epic of Gilgamesh, an ancient Mesopotamian literary work.

After the flood, Utnapishtim releases birds to discover whether the waters have receded. He eventually offers a sacrifice, and the god Enlil grants him and his wife a special form of immortality. These elements resemble parts of the Genesis account, including the ark, the flood, birds, and a post-flood sacrifice.

Utnapishtim is not Noah under another name. He belongs to a different Mesopotamian tradition, although scholars compare the stories because they share notable narrative motifs.