In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Utnapishtim is the flood survivor whose boat parallels Noah’s Ark. The character appears in the epic’s flood narrative, where he tells Gilgamesh how the gods warned him about a devastating flood.
Utnapishtim’s story is one of the best-known ancient Near Eastern flood traditions related to the biblical Noah narrative. He builds a huge boat, preserves living creatures, and survives the destruction of the surrounding world. The two stories share major motifs but differ in details, names, divine action, chronology, and the vessel’s description.
Atrahasis is a different flood hero from another Mesopotamian tradition and is sometimes confused with Utnapishtim. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Utnapishtim is the specific name linked to the flood account, while Gilgamesh is the king who hears the story.