Albert T. Clay

The intention of Ancient Texts and Translations (ATT) is to make available a variety of ancient documents and document collections to a broad range of readers. The series will include reprints of long out-of- print volumes, revisions of earlier editions, and completely new volumes. The understanding of ancient societies depends upon our close reading of the documents, however fragmentary, that have survived. --K. C. Hanson Series Editor

The word Atrahasis means "extra wise" and refers to the earliest known version of Noah, who built an ark and saved mankind from destruction. This is that story, from ancient Sumeria, which many scholars believe was the original from which all known flood stories came from. This was the most popular story in the ancient world and has survived for over five thousand years. It is the only one that all cultures, worldwide, seem to share. Why? Was there really a great flood? And why do we not explore the oldest known version carefully for clues? That is the purpose of this book, which also includes a number of other interesting flood story fragments and documents.