In this tablet from Mesopotamia, we see what is believed to be the oldest narrative of a catastrophic flood. The tablet describes a destructive storm in which the heavens battled fiercely, pouring rain for seven long days and nights. However, the tablet recounts how the hero of the story, named Ziusudra, received a divine command to build a large boat and save the people. Ziusudra successfully constructed the boat and bravely sailed through the raging waters amidst the chaos, taking with him some people and a pair of every animal aboard.

This clay tablet was discovered in the ancient city of Nippur in Mesopotamia and dates back to around 1750 BCE, during the reign of King Hammurabi of Babylon. The tablet represents an early form of epic literature in Mesopotamia. Today, this priceless artifact is carefully preserved at the Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, as it highlights the origin of the flood story, which resonates throughout history and religions, originating from Mesopotamia.