Mythologis
Flood Myths: The Great Deluge in the Mythologies of the World

Mythology Themes

Flood Myths: The Great Deluge in the Mythologies of the World

Noah, Utnapishtim, Deucalion and the Drowning of the World

The complete guide to the world's flood myths: the Mesopotamian deluge of Gilgamesh, the biblical Noah, the Greek Deucalion, and the many cultures that told of a flood sent to drown the world.

180 pagesPDFEnglishMythologis Library

$14.99

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Inside this book

What you will read

  • 11 chapters, primary sources
  • Instant PDF download
  • Original ink illustrations
  • Mesopotamian, biblical, Greek and global floods
  • Designed for print quality
See all chapters  +
  1. 01The Most Widespread Story
  2. 02Why the Gods Drowned the World
  3. 03Atrahasis and the Mesopotamian Flood
  4. 04Utnapishtim and the Ark of Gilgamesh
  5. 05Noah and the Biblical Deluge
  6. 06Deucalion and the Greek Flood
  7. 07Manu and the Flood of India
  8. 08Flood Stories of China and Asia
  9. 09Flood Stories of the Americas and the Pacific
  10. 10One Flood or Many? The Great Debate
  11. 11The Meaning of the Deluge

About this book

About this Mythology Themes mythology guide

Cultures that never met told the same tale: a flood sent to drown the world, and one family who survived in a boat. This is the complete guide to the flood myths of the world.

Of all the stories the peoples of the world share, none is stranger or more widespread than the flood. From Mesopotamia to Greece to India to the Americas, cultures that never met told the same tale: the gods, angry or weary with humankind, sent a great flood to wipe the world clean, and a single righteous family survived in a boat to begin again. The flood is the great reset of mythology, and the parallels between the versions have puzzled and gripped people for centuries.

This is the complete guide to the flood myth across the world. The Mesopotamian flood of Atrahasis and the eleventh tablet of Gilgamesh, where Utnapishtim builds his ark; the biblical story of Noah and how it relates to the older versions; the Greek flood of Deucalion and Pyrrha, who repopulated the earth from stones; the flood stories of India, China and the Americas; and the long debate over whether a real catastrophe lies behind them all.

The book gathers the flood myths and sets them side by side, drawing on Gilgamesh, the Hebrew Bible, Ovid and the sacred texts, and every chapter cites where it comes from.

Delivered as a print-quality PDF within 24 hours of purchase.

What you will discover inside

  • The Mesopotamian flood and Utnapishtim, the ark-builder of Gilgamesh
  • How the story of Noah relates to the older flood myths
  • Deucalion and Pyrrha, who remade humankind from stones
  • Manu and the flood that opens Hindu tradition
  • The flood stories of China, the Americas and the Pacific
  • The long debate over whether a real catastrophe lies behind them

Mythology Themes mythology book at a glance

TraditionMythology Themes mythology
Chapters11 chapters
Length180 pages
SourcesDrawn from the primary sources, cited inline
Reading levelBeginner-friendly. Every name and place is explained from scratch
FormatPrint-quality PDF
DeliveryPDF within 24 hours

Formats and editions

EditionWhat you getPrice
Instant PDFPrint-quality download, readable on any device. PDF within 24 hours.$7.99
PaperbackA paperback edition is on the way. Sign up on this page to hear when it lands on Amazon.Coming soon

About the author

Guillaume Henry, founder of Mythologis

Guillaume Henry

Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Mythologis

Guillaume Henry founded Mythologis to make the world's mythologies readable without losing what makes them strange. Every Mythologis book draws on the primary sources first, cross-references multiple translations, and avoids inventing details that aren't in the originals.

More about the author

Questions about the Mythology Themes mythology book

When will I receive my PDF?

Within 24 hours of purchase. Your download link arrives in your inbox automatically.

Does it cover the link between Noah and Gilgamesh?

Yes, that is one of its central threads. The book lays out the Mesopotamian flood of Utnapishtim and the biblical flood of Noah in detail and shows exactly where they overlap, without forcing a conclusion the sources do not support.

Is this book based on primary sources?

Yes. It draws on the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Atrahasis, the Hebrew Bible, Ovid's Metamorphoses, the Hindu sources and other flood traditions, with references to the standard translations.

How long is the book?

Eleven chapters, around 180 pages depending on the final layout.

Will there be a paperback on Amazon?

The PDF is available immediately. A KDP paperback edition follows once the book has been validated by readers.

What formats is this book available in?

Every title is available as an instant PDF, downloaded the moment you buy it: the link appears on the confirmation page and lands in your inbox. Selected titles also have a paperback edition on Amazon. Where the paperback is not out yet, you can sign up to be notified the day it does.

What is the return policy?

The PDF is delivered instantly by Mythologis. If a download ever fails or a file looks wrong, get in touch and we will make it right. Paperbacks bought on Amazon are handled under Amazon's own returns and refund policy.

Can I order from outside the United States?

Yes. The PDF is a digital download, so it works instantly anywhere in the world, with nothing to ship. Where a paperback edition exists, it is sold across Amazon's international marketplaces, with shipping rates and delivery times depending on your country.

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