Which Babylonian epic contains a flood survivor named Utnapishtim, often compared with Noah?

The story behind the answer

The Epic of Gilgamesh contains the flood survivor Utnapishtim, often compared with Noah.

In the flood story embedded in the Epic of Gilgamesh, the god Ea warns Utnapishtim to build a large boat and preserve life from a coming catastrophe. Utnapishtim survives with his family, craftsmen, animals, and possessions. After the vessel comes to rest, he sends out birds to learn whether the waters have receded.

The episode shares important motifs with Genesis, including a divinely warned survivor, a large vessel, preservation of living creatures, and birds sent after the flood. The names, divine setting, boat description, and chronology differ substantially.

The Epic of Gilgamesh is an ancient Mesopotamian literary work preserved on clay tablets. Its flood account is related to the earlier Atrahasis tradition, in which the survivor is named Atrahasis. Utnapishtim is the name used in the Gilgamesh epic, making the title of that work the single canonical answer here.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Oct. 2026

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