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There is no conclusive proof that one came before the other, however both physical and literary evidence evidence suggests that the Epic of Gilgamesh predates the Biblical account of Noah and the flood by hundreds, perhaps thousands of years.
The earliest physical account of the Epic of Gilgamesh was found written on a series of Akkadian tablets that are dated earlier than 2000BCE. Conversely the earliest physical account of Genesis (the Dead Sea Scolls) has been dated as between 150BCE and 70ACE
Additionally certain features of the two myths suggest that the Biblical account borrowed from the Mesopotamian flood story. For example, the concept of a single omnipotent god is a relatively recent one. It was commonplace in ancient culture to believe in multiple deitys that have relatively human-like qualities. Indeed the Epic of Gilgamesh discusses many gods that bicker with and deceive one another.
The most common means of learning about mythology in ancient times is through aural tradition. It is likely that the passing on of the flood myth from generation to generation lead to various changes (e.g. changing the name of the hero from Utnapishti to the more culturally appropriate Noah). When the author of the Biblical flood account wrote the story of Noah, they were simply writing the most culturally salient and up-to-date version of the story.
"According to the question "Which is older Noah's ark or epic of Gilgamesh & why?". Noah's ark which is the object that Noah built is older than the epic which was written later. As far as the accounts of each, being as how God is the author of the biblical account penned by men, then the author's account is older than the epic of Gilgamesh."
- That is if you believe that Noah's ark is a literal story that actually happened and that the Bible is literally the word of God.
What else can I help you with?
Is Gilgamesh from the New Testament?
AnswerNo. Gilgamesh was supposedly a quite ancient king whose story is recorded in the Epic of Gilgamesh. There are parallels between the Epic and the Book of Genesis, but this is evidence of no more than than borrowing or of common sources.
Was The Epic of Gilgamesh composed at about the same time as the poems of Homer?
No. Gilgamesh was originally composed in the Sumerian times and passed through the Babylonian and Assyrian before being lost until recently. The estimate is around 2000 B.C. Homer's epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey, were written in the times of Ancient Greece. The estimate for them are in the 800-700 B.C. So the Epic of Gilgamesh is at least 1000 years older than Homer's epic poems.
Which is older the story of Noah or the Epic of Gilgamesh?
The Sumerian and Babylonian versions were written down before the Biblical version of the flood but they may have the same cultural memory to thank as a point of origin. The stories were passed down for hundreds of years as oral retelling so there's no positive way to say which one edged out the others. Through literary analysis it is assumed in Middle Eastern scholarship that Gilgamesh's Utnapishtim preceded the Bible's Noah. See the Related Links for "Noah's Flood and the Gilgamesh Epic" The origin of the idea that the Gilgamesh epic came first was through the promoters of the now discredited Documentary Hypothesis which contained anti-biblical evolutionary presuppositions. As the above link details it is more likely that Gilgamesh was a corrupted version of the Biblical account rather than the other way around. The other possibility (which can be also simultaneously correct) is of course that Gilgamesh is a corrupted version of the true event. Every culture has their own ancient flood legends, many with uncanny similarities to the Biblical account. These cannot all have copied , as Gilgamesh may have, from the Biblical record, but certainly they reflect 'cultural memory' of a true event in the distant past. _______________________________________ Actually, I have to disagree with the answer provided above. The Gilgamesh flood story is clearly dependent upon the Atrahasis epic, or a common precursor or variant of this tale (See The Evolution of the Gilgamesh Epic by Tigay). Although we cannot be certain, the flood story was probably added to the Gilgamesh epic when it was standardised in the early 2nd millennium BCE. The oldest extant copu of Atrahasis is dated to the old Babylonian period - around 1700 BCE. Consequently, it is ludicrous to argue that there is any literary dependence by either Atrahasis or Gilgamesh on Genesis. Genesis is closer in content to Atrahasis than Gilgamesh, so even if Mosaic authorship of Genesis was granted (nearly all scholars, however, date Genesis to the 5th or 6th centuries BCE) it would still be at least two hundred years too late.
What is another tale that in inside the Epic of Gilgamesh?
The tale other than Gilgamesh's journey is the Flood Story. This is the story of Utnapishtim and how he survived the flood the gods sent.
Was Gilgamesh the precursor to Noah?
The story of the flood in the Epic of Gilgamesh is both older than and remarkably similar to the story of Noah's Ark. It is very possible that the story of Noah's Ark came out of Gilgameshand many scholars believe that to be the case. Others believe that Gilgamesh is not actually the predecessor to the story of Noah's Ark, but that they both evolved from a common, even earlier legend.
Is Gilgamesh the precursor to Noah?
While there are similarities between the Epic of Gilgamesh and the story of Noah's Ark in the Bible, they are considered separate stories from different cultural traditions. The Epic of Gilgamesh is an ancient Mesopotamian myth from around 2100 BCE, while the story of Noah's Ark is part of the Hebrew Bible and dates back to around 500 BCE. Both stories involve a great flood, but they are not direct precursors to each other.
Gilgamesh a new English version which feature of epic poetry does this excerpt most clearly show?
The excerpt from "Gilgamesh: A New English Version" most clearly showcases the characteristic of grandeur found in epic poetry, as it portrays larger-than-life events and heroes in a majestic and impressive style typical of the genre.
Is the epic Ramayana older than the Vedas?
No. Vedas came before Ramayana
What pleasure does Siduri tell Gilgamesh to content himself with in the book the flooding?
In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Siduri advises Gilgamesh to find pleasure in everyday activities like wearing clean clothes, bathing, and enjoying food and drink. She encourages him to appreciate life's simple pleasures rather than seeking immortality.
What universal themes are expressed in the epic of Gilgamesh?
It is a story about a bull thing named Gilgamesh, he ruled over the city Uruk, where people did not like him very much. Thats all I know so far! Hope it helps. Just search on any website and you should be able to find it pretty easily
Was humbaba a midget?
In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Humbaba is often portrayed as a giant or a powerful monster rather than a midget. The descriptions of Humbaba's size and strength emphasize his formidable and intimidating presence in the story.
Are Gilgamesh and Enkidu homosexuals or at least bisexuals?
In the Middle Eastern culture of that time, everyone was pretty much bisexual. They didn't have the labels or taboos on sex that we have today. While there is no explicit mention of Gilgamesh and Enkidu having sexual relations with each other, it is hinted and many scholars believe that they do have a relationship as more than just friends.
