What shape did the ark have in the Atrahasis flood story?

In the Atrahasis flood story, the ark is described as a circular coracle. The Mesopotamian poem gives the vessel a round form, unlike the elongated rectangular vessel described in Genesis.

The Atrahasis Epic is an ancient Akkadian composition preserved on clay tablets. Its flood account tells how the god Enki, also called Ea, warns Atrahasis about a destructive flood and instructs him to build a boat, bring aboard living creatures, and preserve life.

The circular design reflects the practical tradition of coracles, round or oval boats used on rivers in parts of the ancient Near East. Mesopotamian flood traditions were shaped by the region’s river environments, especially the Tigris and Euphrates basin.

This detail is easily lost when flood stories are blended together. Genesis gives Noah’s Ark a long, broad form with stated cubit dimensions, whereas Atrahasis presents a different vessel and a different hero. The Epic of Gilgamesh later preserves another Mesopotamian version with its own ark description.