Utnapishtim is Noah’s flood-story counterpart in the Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh.
In the Epic of Gilgamesh, the god Ea warns Utnapishtim of a devastating flood and instructs him to build a large boat. Utnapishtim brings aboard his family, craftsmen, and animals, creating a Mesopotamian parallel to the biblical ark narrative.
The boat eventually comes to rest on Mount Nisir, and Utnapishtim releases birds to learn whether the waters have receded. He later receives immortality with his wife. These details make the Utnapishtim episode one of the most important ancient flood traditions compared with Genesis.
The two stories are not identical. Their gods, motivations, boat descriptions, rituals, and endings differ, even though they share major motifs such as divine warning, a flood, preservation of life, birds, and sacrifice.