Utnapishtim is the ship’s survivor in the flood story of the Epic of Gilgamesh, a narrative often compared with Noah’s Ark.
In the Babylonian epic, the god Ea warns Utnapishtim to build a large boat and preserve living creatures, family members, and skilled workers. After the devastating flood, Utnapishtim releases birds to determine whether the waters have receded. The similarities to Genesis include a divinely commanded vessel, a flood survivor, birds, and the preservation of life.
The stories are not identical. Utnapishtim’s account belongs to Mesopotamian literature and presents different gods, instructions, boat details, and outcomes. In the epic, Utnapishtim and his wife receive extraordinary life, while Genesis centers on Noah’s covenant with God and the rainbow.
The Epic of Gilgamesh survives in cuneiform tablets, with the best-known flood episode appearing on Tablet XI of the Standard Babylonian version. Its flood story is also related to the older Atrahasis tradition.