by Robert W. McDonald

Created on: February 04, 2010

In Mesopotamian mythology Utnapishtim, along with his wife and family, are the only human survivors of a great flood.  He appears as a character in the Gilgamesh legend as an immortal being who can grant Gilgamesh’s wish for immortality. 

According to modern translations of the Mesopotamian Flood Myth, Utnapishtim was a priest in the city Shurrupak. The gods, disturbed by the noise created by mankind, held a secret council near that city and agreed that humanity should be destroyed by drowning in a great flood that the gods would send on the first day of the upcoming new year. To insure the success of their plan, the god Enlil had all the gods swear a vow that none of their council would reveal their plans to the mortals.

The God Ea (also known as Enki in some translations), who had taken part in the creation of man, had second thoughts about his decision to go along with the plan but also wanted to honor his oath of secrecy. Ea went to the home of Utnapishtim and whispered instructions to the walls of Utnapishtim’s house. When Utnapishtim returned home, the walls echoed what Ea had told them and Utnapishtim heeded their advice.

Following Ea’s instructions, Utnapishtim tore down the walls of his house and used them to build a large boat onto which he, his wife, and their children's families brought one of each type of land animal. Utnapishtim and his sons worked hard and completed the boat just as the skies began to darken.

The rains came and lasted for seven days. On the seventh day, Utnapishtim opened a window on the boat and saw the entire world was underwater. The boat drifted for seven more days before it ran aground on the submerged peak of Mount Nimush. Seven days after running aground, Utnapishtim releases the animals and offers a sacrifice to Ea for saving him and his family.

The gods are pleased by Utnapishtim’s sacrifice and regret having destroyed man. Enlil, the god who had persuaded the others to act, becomes angry and accuses Ea of deceit. Ea persuades Enlil to bless Utnapishtim and his wife, which Enlil does and grants them immortality in a beautiful garden beyond the rivers.

Many years later Gilgamesh arrives at the garden and asks Utnapishtim to grant him immortality. Utnapishtim agrees to the request, but only if Gilgamesh can remain awake for seven days and seven nights. When Gilgamesh cannot remain awake, Utnapishtim prepares to send him away until Utnapishtim’s wife convinces him to reveal the location of a magical plant that restores youth to whoever eats from it.

Gilgamesh finds the plant and departs for his home in Uruk but, along the way, a snake eats the plant while Gilgamesh sleeps. The snake becomes young, sheds its skin, and Gilgamesh returns home empty handed.

In conclusion, Utnapishtim is a central figure in Mesopotamian flood legends. The many similarities between the Utnapishtim legend and the much later story of Noah and the Great Deluge strongly suggest that the Utnapishtim tale was probably introduced to other cultures by migration or trade and then adapted to support local mythologies.

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