Which Mesopotamian literary work contains the ancient flood story of Atrahasis?

The ancient flood story of Atrahasis appears in the literary work known as the Epic of Atrahasis.

The Epic of Atrahasis is an Akkadian composition from ancient Mesopotamia. Its central human figure, Atrahasis, is warned by the god Enki that the gods intend to send a flood. He builds a vessel and preserves life, creating a narrative with important similarities to later flood traditions, including the story of Noah.

The work is especially important because it survives in cuneiform tablets and is generally dated to the early second millennium BCE, making it an early written witness to Mesopotamian flood traditions. The story’s theological setting differs from Genesis: it involves a group of gods whose decisions and conflicts shape human history.

The Epic of Gilgamesh also contains a flood narrative, featuring Utnapishtim, and draws on related Mesopotamian traditions. Atrahasis and Utnapishtim are therefore connected figures in comparative flood studies, but they belong to different literary works.