Although we obtain our first glimmer of the fact that there was another, non-Biblical Flood account in the Semitic “Epic of Gilgamesh”, there was actually an older source. In the “Epic of Gilgamesh”, they called the man who survived the Flood, (“Noah in the Bible) Utnapishtim. In Old Babylonian times, he was Atrahasis. But, further back in history than any of these names, he was called Ziusudra.

Ziusudra, like the Biblical Noah, was a devout and god-fearing man. He was humble and pious - traits not often seen in a king or ruler. He was constantly watching for divine dreams and revelations from the gods.

Although we know he was a king, we do not know of which city. This is due in large part to the fact that most of the cylinder containing the tale of the Sumerian Flood, as well as the part mentioning Ziusudra, is broken. No others have surfaced to fill in the broken lines. But, there are tantalizing glimpses we are able to read from the unbroken lines.

We first read of Ziusudra in the longest, mostly preserved, passage. It reads:

The Flood…
….
Thus was treated…
Then did Nintu weep like a…
The pure Inanna set up a lament for its people,
Enki took counsel with himself,
An, Enlil, Enki and Ninhursag…,
The gods of heaven and earth uttered the name of An and Enlil.

“Stand by the wall at my left side…,
By the wall I will say a word to you, take my word,
Give ear to my instructions:
By our…a flood will sweep over the cult centers;
To destroy the seed of mankind…
Is the decision, the word of the assembly of the gods.
By the word commanded by An and Enlil…
Its kingship, its rule (will be put to an end).”
(“History Begins at Sumer: Thirty-nine Firsts In Recorded History” by Samuel Noah Kramer pg 151-152 © 1981 University of Pennsylvania Press)

There is another break of some 40 lines after this. From the Babylonian myths that have survived, we can suppose that Ziusudra was told to build a boat in order to save himself and his loved ones. Also, we are pretty certain the God behind the wall, warning Ziusudra about the upcoming flood was Enki.

The tale continues after the broken lines. We learn of the ferocity of the storm and how long it lasts. We read of a sacrifice to the gods, then the tablet breaks yet again:

All the windstorms, exceedingly powerful, attacked as one,
At the same time, the flood sweeps over the cult centers.

Ziusudra, the king,
Prostrated himself before Utu,
The king kills an ox, slaughters a sheep.
(“History Begins at Sumer: Thirty-nine Firsts In Recorded History” by Samuel Noah Kramer pg 152 © 1981 University of Pennsylvania Press)

Again, we have a break of 39 lines in the text. When next it picks up, we are shown how Ziusudra is deified:

Then, Ziusudra, the king,
The preserver of the name of vegetation and of the seed of mankind,
In the land of crossing, the land of Dilmun, the place where the sun rises, they caused to dwell.
(“History Begins at Sumer: Thirty-nine Firsts In Recorded History” by Samuel Noah Kramer pg 152-153 © 1981 University of Pennsylvania Press)

The ending, which contains 39 lines, is destroyed. We cannot tell what happens to Ziusudra after his deification or his move to the Sumerian paradise (Dilmun). But, there are some interesting parallels that can be seen, not only from the Biblical Flood tale, but from the Babylonian ones as well.