Fact Finder - History

The Epic of Gilgamesh is the oldest known work of literary fiction, predating Homer's poems by 1,500 years. Written on clay tablets in cuneiform, it tells the story of Gilgamesh, the king of Uruk, and his quest for immortality after the death of his friend Enkidu. The epic contains many themes that later appeared in other traditions, most famously a massive flood story that closely parallels the story of Noah's Ark. The work is a profound meditation on human mortality, friendship, and the responsibilities of a leader. It was lost to history for centuries until it was rediscovered in the ruins of the Library of Ashurbanipal in the mid-19th century.