In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Utnapishtim is the flood survivor who builds the ark-like boat.
The flood story appears in Tablet XI of the Standard Babylonian version of the epic. The god Ea warns Utnapishtim about a coming flood and instructs him to build a large boat, preserve life, and bring aboard living creatures and valuable materials.
Utnapishtim’s episode resembles the story of Noah’s Ark in several broad features, including divine warning, a great flood, preservation in a vessel, birds testing the waters, and a sacrifice after landing. The names, gods, setting, and details differ substantially.
Utnapishtim is not Noah under another spelling. He belongs to Mesopotamian literature, while Noah belongs to the Hebrew Bible and later Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions. The comparison is important in the study of ancient flood narratives.