Which ancient Mesopotamian epic tells of Utnapishtim surviving a great flood in a boat?

The Epic of Gilgamesh tells of Utnapishtim surviving a great flood in a boat.

In the flood episode of the Epic of Gilgamesh, the god Ea warns Utnapishtim to build a large boat and preserve life from a coming catastrophe. Utnapishtim later releases birds to discover whether the waters have receded. The episode is one of the best-known ancient Mesopotamian flood narratives.

The story has notable parallels with Genesis, including divine warning, a constructed vessel, survival with family and living creatures, and birds sent after the flood. It also differs in names, divine motives, boat details, and the surrounding theology. Similarities do not make the two accounts identical.

The Epic of Gilgamesh survives in cuneiform tablets from ancient Mesopotamia. Its flood account is especially associated with Tablet XI of the standard version. The work itself is a heroic epic centered on Gilgamesh, king of Uruk, rather than a biblical book.