Ancient Flood Legends with Close Correspondencies to the Noachian

Region Civilization Destruction by water Divine cause Warning given Few humans spared An

Legend of Ziusudra (2000 BCE; AT

Sumerian Sent by the gods Ziusudra warned Ziusudra Veg
42-44)
Epic of Gilgamesh (2000 BCE; AT Sent by the great Utnapishtim warned Utnapishtim, wife, Livin
Sumerian
93-95) gods by god family, kin & craftsmen bea
Atrahasis Epic (3rd M. BCE; COS Sent by great gods to Atrahasis warned by Atrahasis, family, and Bird
Akkadian
1.130) stop mankind’s noise Enki neighbors crea
Middle Atrahasis Epic (12th/11th C. BCE; AT Atrahasis warned by
Middle Atrahasis Bea
Babylonian 104, 105) god
East (8) Atrahasis Epic (9th-7th C. BCE; AT Atrahasis warned by Atrahasis, wife, family, Bea
Neo-Assyrian
105, 106) god Ea relations & craftsmen of th
Neo- Xisuthrus Account by Berossus (3rd Xisuthrus warned by Xisuthrus, wife, children Wild
Babylonian C. BCE; EuChron 7) god Cronus & closest friends all 4
Neo- Xisuthrus Account by Abydenus (c. Xisuthrus warned by
Xisuthrus and sailors Onl
Babylonian 200 BCE; EuChron 10) god Cronos
Flood Account by Nicolas of Damas- One man in ark and
Syrian
cus (1st C. BCE; Joseph 1, 3, 6) others on foot
Deucalion Account by Apollodorus Deucalion warned by Deucalion, wife & men
Sent by the god Zeus
(2nd C. BCE; Apollo 1, 7, 2) Prometheus (a Titan) who fled to Grk mounts
Greek
Deukalion Account by Lucian (2nd . Deukalion, his wives Cou
CE; Lucian 12; Plutarch 13) and children that
Deucalion Account by Ovid (1st C.
Roman Sent by the god Zeus Deucalion and his wife
BCE; Meta 1, 113-347)
Sent by the god
Lithuanian Lithuanian Flood Account (FL 176) A few pairs of humans Som
Pramzimas
Translvanian Old man, his wife and
Europe (8) Gypsey Flood Account (FL 177) Sent by the gods Old man warned Anim
Gypsy kinfolk
Vogul of East- 2 giants warned the Non
Vogul Flood Account (FL 178) Some giants
ern Europe other giants crea
Celtic Flood Legend (Primal 172- Giants slew father & A Titan warned two
Celt A pair of humans
173) blood flooded all humans & made ship
Legend of Dwyfan and Dwyfach (FL The lake Llion burst Dwyfan and his wife Mal
Welsh
175) and flooded all lands Dwyfach from
Legend of Bergelmir (13th C. CE in Gods slew gaint Ymir
Icelandic Bergelmir and his wife
the Younger Edda; FL 174) & blood flooded all
Legend of Manu (b. 6th C. BCE; in
Manu warned by fish Manu alone
the Satapatha Brahmana; FL 183)
Legend of Manu (b. 5th C. BCE; in
Manu warned by fish Manu and 7 sages All t
the Mahabharata; FL 185)
Legend of Manu (4th C. BCE; in the Dissolution of uni- Manu warned by god
Ancient Indian Manu and all living All l
Matsyu Purana; FL 187) verse a cosmic cycle Janardana as a fish
Legend of Satyavrata (4th C. BCE; in Universe dissolved Warned by Vishnu as Satyavrata (in the office
All e
the Bhagavata Purana; FL 189) by Brahma’s sleep a fish 7 days before of Manu) and 7 sages
Legend of Manu (4th C. BCE; in the Universe dissolved to Warned by Vishnu as
Manu and the sages The
Agni Purana; FL 191) save good, destroy al. a fish 7 days before
Pious man warned A pious man and his
Bhil Deluge Account (FL 193) A co
by fish sister
Sent by God to Original human pair Son and daughter of
Kamar Flood Account (FL 194)
India (9) drown a jackal heard of flood original human pair
Sent by god Sing
Ho (Larka Kol) Flood Account (FL 195) 16 people
Bonga for incest
Munda Sent by god Sing
Flood Account (FL 195) A brother and sister
(Mundari) Bonga for badness
Fire-rain sent by God Pilchu Haram & Pilchu
Santal Fire-flood Account (FL 196)
for punishment Budhi, first humans
Sent by gods for lack Khun litang, Chu liyang
Singpho Flood Account (FL 198)
of proper sacrifices and their wives

Anal Flood Account (FL 198) A man and a woman

Sent by storm-god A sage, Lip-long,

Ahom Shan Flood Account (FL 199-203) Lip-long A co
for lack of sacrifices warned by water god

Region Civilization Destruction by water Divine cause Warning given Few humans spared An

Asia (8) Karen of

Flood Account (FL 208) 2 brothers
Burma
Singpho of Pawpaw Nan-chaung
Flood Account (FL 208) 9 co
Burma and sister Chang-hko
Bannav of Account of origin of mankind and its The father of the
Cambodia salvation through a flood (FL 209) human race
Benua-Jakun
Flood account (FL 211) Sent by god Pirman A man and a woman
of Malaysia
Sent by god Tiandi Some humans and
China Flood account (DAsia) of man’s wickedness Wild
(Sky-Earth) because demiurge, Gun
Bahnar of Flood Account (FL 209) Caused by crab A brother and a sister A pa
China fighting a kite bird anim
 Sent by godlike Tse- Otte
Lolo of China Flood account (FL 212) Du-mu and his 4 sons
gu-dzih for badness and
Kamchadal of
Flood account (FL 216) A remnant of people
China
Dyak of Caused by men Dog
Flood account (FL 220) Trow and wife
Borneo killing large serpent othe
Ot-Danom of
Flood account (FL 221) A few people
Borneo
Batta of Sent by Creator, Last human pair not
Flood account (FL 218)
Sumatra, Indo Debata drowned
Toradja of
Flood account (FL 222) Pregnant woman Pre
Sulawesi, Indo
Alfoor of Seram is near the
Flood account (FL 223) 3 people
Seram, Indo Celebes
Rotti near Man, wife and their Pig,
Islands Flood account (FL 223)
Timor, Indo children and
off Asia Nage of Flores,
(12) Flood account (FL 224) A man, Dooy
Indo
Ata of the
Flood account (FL 225) Two men and a woman
Philippines
Ami of Sent by gods as ven- Sura and Nakao,
Flood account (FL 226)
Formosa geance on others brother and sister
Tsuwo of Sna
Flood account (FL 227) All the Tsuwo
Formosa goa
Bunun of Caused by crab and
Flood account (FL 230) A few people
Formosa snake fighting
Sent by Creator Pul- Two men and two
Andamanese Flood account (FL 233)
uga for disobedience women
Kurnai of A man and two or three
Flood account (FL 234)
Australia Victoria women
(2) Aborigine of Sent by Creator
Flood account (FL 235) A man and a woman
Victoria Bundjel
Lifou, New
Flood account (FL 568) A man, Noi
Caledonia
Fijian Flood account (FL 237) Sent by god Ndengei 8 people
Chic
Tahitian Flood account (FL 242) A man and his wife
pig
Pacific Raiatean in Sent by sea-god The god warned a Fisherman, his wife,
Flood account (FL 244) Dog
islands (7) Tahiti Ruahatu fisherman child, and friend
Nuu, his wife, his 3
Hawaiian Flood account (HFT 20-22) Sent by god Kane The god warned Nuu
sons and their wives
Samoan Flood account (FL 249) Sent by god Tane Tiu, 3 men, women Dog
The gods warned a
Palauan Flood account (FL 253) Sent by gods A woman
woman
Indian, Cape The god Tupi warned Tamanduare and his
Flood account (FL 255)
Frio, Brazil Tamanduare family
Coroado of
Flood account (FL 256) People of Coroado tribe
Brazil
Jibaro of Peru Flood account (FL 260) Man and 2 sons
Araucanian of
Flood account (FL 262) A few people
Chile
Ackawois of Sigu, son of the god
Flood account (FL 263) All a
Guyana Makonaima
Arawak of Sent by god Aiomun Aiomun Kondi Marerewana and his
Flood account (FL 265)
Guyana Kondi warned Marerewana family
South Macusi of Sent by good spirit the evil spirit gained
Flood account (FL 265) A man A ra
America Guyana Makunaima because the upper hand
(14) Tamanaque of
Flood account (FL 266) A man and woman
Venezuela
Muysca of Sent by offended
Flood account (FL 267) People
Colombia god Chibchachum
Cañari of
Flood account (FL 268) 2 brothers
Ecuador
Indian, Huaro- A llama warned the Man
Flood account (FL 269) 1 man
chiri, Peru man and
Indian, Anca- Sheep warned the Shepherd and his 6
Flood account (FL 269) She
smarca, Peru shepherd children
Incan of Peru Flood account (FL 269) A man and a woman
Chiriguano of Sent by god Aguara- Warned by god
Flood account (FL 272) 2 babies
Bolivia Tunpa Tunpaete
Central Carib of the Sent by Master of
Flood account (FL 281) A few
America Antilles Spirits
and Indian of A man, his wife and
Flood account (FL 273)
Mexico (8) Panama their children
Indian of Flood account (FL 273) A man, Coxcox, and a
Mexico (1) woman, Xochiquetzal
 Indian of Warned by god A man, Nata, and his
Flood account (FL 274)
Mexico (2) Titlacahuan wife, Nena
Indian, Micho- Tezpi, his wife and their
Flood account (FL 275) Anim
acan, Mexico children
Huichol of Warned by the earth A fe
Flood account (FL 277) A man
Mexico goddess Nakawe bec
Warned by the earth Dog
Cora of Mexico Flood account (FL 279) A man
goddess Nakawe wom
Tarahumara of
Flood account (FL 280) A small boy and girl
Mexico
Papago of Coyote warned
Flood account (FL 281) Montezuma Coy
Arizona Montezuma
Pima of Eagle warned pro- Szeukha, son of the
Flood account (FL 282)
Arizona (1) phet who didn’t listen Creator
Pima of Sent by god Siuuhu Warned by Earth Coy
Flood account (FL 282) Several persons
Arizona (2) (Elder Brother) Doctor, the Creator bird
Luiseño of
Flood account (FL 289) Few persons
California
Smith River
Flood account (FL 290) One pair of humans
Indian, Calif.
Maidu of
Flood account (FL 290) Two indians
California
Skokomish
Flood account (FL 323) Some people
(Twanas), Wa
Spokane,
Flood account (FL 323) A man and his wife
Washington
Nez Perce,
Flood account (FL 323) A man and his wife
Pacific NW, US
Cayuse,
Flood account (FL 323) A man and his wife
Oregon
Indian of A small number of
Flood account (FL 291)
Lousiana people
Mandan of the
Flood account (FL 292) One man
Dakotas
Cherokee of
Flood account (FL 294) Warned by a dog A single family
the Eastern US
Delaware of
Flood account (FL 295) A few persons
Delaware
Eskimo of
Flood account (FL 328) A man
Greenland
Innu (Montag- Sent by God to
Flood account (FL 295) God warned a man A man
nais) of Canada punish giants
North
Saulteaux of Medicine man, Wis- All a
America Flood account (FL 297)
Canada kay-tchach not
(33)
Ojibwa of US,
Flood account (FL 301) Menaboshu
Canada
Ojibwa of 2 an
Flood account (FL 305) Nenebojo
Ontario kind
Timagami Ojib- Nenebuc, son of the
Flood account (FL 307) All k
wa of Canada Sun
Ottawa of
Flood account (FL 308) Nanaboujou
Canada
Cree of US, A sea monster caus- Wissaketchak, a Pair
Flood account (FL 309)
Canada ed flood by its tail magician and
Tlicho (Dogrib) A sea monster caus- Pair
Flood account (FL 310) Tchapewi
of Canada ed flood by its tail and
Dene (Hare) of Kunyan (Wise Man) Kunyan, his wife and Pair
Flood account (FL 310)
Canada warned others their son and
Chipewyan The old man warned
Flood account (FL 312) An old man Som
(Tinneh), Can others
Tsuu T’ina All s
Flood account (FL 313) A man and a woman
(Sarcee), Can anim
Gwich’in (Lou- Rocking his canoe Etroetchokren (the
Flood account (FL 314)
cheux), Ak/Can caused the flood Mariner)
Tsimshian of
Flood account (FL 319) Some Tsimshians
Alaska, Can
Kwakiutl of
Flood account (FL 320) Some Indians
Brit Columbia
Kaska of British
Flood account (FL 568-569) Some people
Columbia
St’at’imc (Lillo- Ntcinemkin, his family,
Flood account (FL 321)
oet), BC and children of others
Nlaka'pamux
Flood account (FL 322) 3 brothers Coy
(Thompson), Ca
Eskimo, Nor-
Flood account (FL 326) Few people Few
ton Sound, Ak
Masai of East All a
Africa (1) Flood account (FL 330) God warned 2 men 2 men
Africa fem

References:
Apollo Apollodorus: The Library translated by James George Frazer, London, William Heinemann, 1921; 2nd C. BCE
AT Ancient Near Eastern texts Relating to the Old Testament: Third Edition with Supplement edited by James B. Pritchard, Princeton, N.J., Princeton University Pres
COS The Context of Scripture edited by William W. Hallo, Leiden, Holland, 2003
DAsia A Dictionary of Asian Mythology by David Leeming, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2002
EuChron Eusebius’ Chronicle Translated from the Classical Armenian by Robert Bedrosian, 2008; http://rbedrosian.com/euseb.html; 3rd C. CE
FL Folk-Lore in the Old Testament: Studies in Comparative Religion, Legend & Law: Volume 1 by James George Frazer, London, MacMillan, 1918
HFT Hawaiian Folk Tales: A Collection of Native Legends compiled by Thos. G. Thrum, Chicago, A. C. McClurg & Co., 1907
Joseph “Jewish Antiquities” in Josephus translated by H. St. J. Thackeray, London, William Heinemann Ltd, 1961
Lucian The Syrian Goddess by Lucian of Samosata, translated by Herbert A. Strong and John Garstang, 1913; 2nd C. CE
Meta Metamorphoses by Ovid; 1st C. BCE
Plutarch “Which Are the Most Crafty, Water-animals Or Those Creatures That Breed Upon the Land?” in Plutarch’s Morals. Translated from the Greek by Several Hands.
Primal Primal Myths by Barbara C. Sproul, New York, Harper Collins, 1979

Comments:
Middle East, Sumerian, column: Rainbow:
The Sumerian legend of Gilgamesh has the goddess Ishtar saying, “When at length as the great goddess (Ishtar; ftn) arrived [at the
sacrifice given after the global deluge], she lifted up the great jewels which Anu had fashioned to her liking: ‘Ye gods here, as surely
as this lapis upon my neck I shall not forget, I shall be mindful of these days, forgetting (them) never’ “ (AT 95). Lapis lazuli is a blue
gem with whitish and yellowish streaking. The thought is similar to the Biblical account: A bright, multi-colored object causes a divine
being to always remember the global deluge.

Europe, Welsh, column: Ended up on mount:

Since islands are the tops of mountains that protrude from the ocean, flood survivors that ended up on them will be considered the
same as those who ended up on mountain tops.

North America, Pimas (2), column: Few humans spared:

Siuuhu was preserved by floating in a jar made of black gum, Earth Doctor in his reed staff, some people in a hole made by Earth
Doctor that he made with his staff that went to the other side of the earth, other people in a similar hole made by a powerful being,
South Doctor, the birds on nests they made from the feathers from their breasts, and the coyote on a big log. South Doctor led some
people up Crooked Mountain, but they all died.

North America, Mandans of the Dakotas, column: Preserved in a vessel:

“ ‘In the centre of the Mandan village,’ says the painter Catlin, ‘is an open, circular area of a hundred and fifty feet diameter, kept
always clear, as a public ground, for the display of all their feasts, parades, etc., and around it are their wigwams placed as near to
each other as they can well stand, their doors facing the centre of this public area.   In the middle of this ground, which is trodden like
a hard pavement, is a curb (somewhat like a large hogshead standing on its end) made of planks and bound with hoops, some eight
or nine feet high, which they religiously preserve and protect from year to year, free from mark or scratch, and which they call the ' big
canoe':  it is undoubtedly a symbolic representation  of a part of their traditional history of the Flood; which it is very evident, from this
and numerous other features of this grand ceremony, they have in some way or other received, and are here endeavouring to
perpetuate by vividly impressing it on the minds of the whole nation. This object of superstition, from its position as the very centre of
the village, is the rallying-point of the whole nation. To it their devotions are paid on various occasions of feasts and religious
exercises during the year’ “ (FL p. 292).