Which ancient Mesopotamian epic tells a flood story featuring Utnapishtim, often compared with Noah’s Ark?

The Epic of Gilgamesh tells a Mesopotamian flood story featuring Utnapishtim, a figure often compared with Noah in discussions of flood traditions. The epic is one of the oldest surviving works of world literature.

In the flood episode, the god Ea warns Utnapishtim to build a large boat and preserve life from a devastating flood. Utnapishtim releases birds to discover whether the waters have receded, and he eventually offers a sacrifice after leaving the vessel. These motifs have prompted extensive comparison with Genesis.

The comparison does not mean the two accounts are identical. The names, gods, settings, narrative purposes, and details differ. The Epic of Gilgamesh preserves a Mesopotamian version within a story about the hero Gilgamesh, while Genesis presents Noah’s flood within its own theological history.