Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Ancient and ArchaeologyΒ  permalink

Greek Version of Noah's Ark

• Message 1.Β 

  Posted by CorePersephone (U3724174) on Friday, 19th May 2006

  I have recently read in my Encyclopedia of Myths that all cultures have reference to the "Great Flood." I know most of the versions but I was wondering where in Greek Mythology does it say anything about it? What is the story?

  Link to this forum: Greek Version of Noah's Ark

  Report message1

• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Blue Triangle (U3967831) on Saturday, 20th May 2006

  I think there may be a story about the great flood in ancient Greek myth, something along the line of humans becoming proud which angered Zeus who decided to destroy them and start again, the Titan Prometheus (also the alleged creator of humans) heard of this and told his human son Deucalion and his wife Pyrrha. Prometheus placed them both in a wooden chest with enough provisions to survive. Zeus sent the flood which engulfed the earth (lasting 9 days and nights) leaving only Mount Olympus and Mount Parnassus habitable. The chest came to rest on Mount Parnassus where Deucalion and Pyrrha emerged and lived until the water receded. Upon seeing them and there troubles, Zeus took pity and asked them to re-populate the eatrh.
  
  Hope that helps.

  Link to this forum: Greek Version of Noah's Ark

  Report message2

• Message 3

  , in reply to message 2.

  Posted by Zeiltje1thehague (U3193096) on Sunday, 21st May 2006

  Only the very old cultures that left written memories knew a Flood history.
  The Hellenians came to the greek islands in the 8th century BC and mixed with the Pelasgi, thus forming the Greecs.
  The Celts knew probably one but left no writtings. Maybe the Scyths knew one but they left no records. Probably the peoples who came from the east didn't know one eighter.

  Link to this forum: Greek Version of Noah's Ark

  Report message3

• Message 4

  , in reply to message 3.

  Posted by Nik (U1777139) on Monday, 22nd May 2006

  The Hellenes did not arrive in the greek islands in the 8th century B.C.!!! By that century they already moved and established all over the Mediterranean from west to east, i.e. Iberic peninsula and North Africa to Black Sea (north and south) and the Palestine.
  
  Then by greek islands (probably you mention Aegean and Ionean islands) were anyway a small fragment of the places that Hellenes habitated and not the bulk nor the center of the Greek civilisation - last time islands were a major cultural center were in Minoan times.
  
  Then the term Prehellenes and Hellenes is really mixed up as we are not sure what consisted of Hellenes and what of prehellenes. For example precarsors of the later historic Phrygians and Mysians, nowadays attributed to Thraecian tribes (though this term is as generic and vague as it can be) suspected nowadays being related to those Prehellenic tribes that lived in the islands of Aegean, actually are known to had spoken languages really close to Mycenean Greek (something between dialect and language) - thus most probably we are talking about a number of relative, brother and cousin tribes rather than Hellenic and Prehellenic very distinct cultures. In any case Hellenic mythology does not seem to have been brought from anywhere else (the european north or anythign like that historians suggested 100 years ago) but seems to be a continuation of what is termed prehellenic.
  
  
  
  For your information the Hellenic mythology does not only writes down the cataclysm of Deukalion (usually related to the biblic one) but also 'remembers' and writes down other two previous, much older than that with the oldest being at the time of mythical king Ogygos (if am not mistaken) dating back to around 20,000 years or more!!! That was also the inspiration for many philosophers (i think Democritus was one of them) to write down that the earth has known many 'worlds' that followed a 26,000 years cycle time.
  
  Other mythologies mention of cataclysms like the Indian mahabharata (written even earlier than the greek mythology and refferring to eras before 10,000 years). Many other mythologies mentioned cataclysms in their oral tradition like the American natives.
  
  Nothing new under the sun.

  Link to this forum: Greek Version of Noah's Ark

  Report message4

• Message 5

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by jonsparta (U3871420) on Monday, 22nd May 2006

  the 'flood myth' can be found throughout the ancient period, indeed it maybe one of the oldest tales of mankind. Read David Rohel From Eden to Exile, (not sure of spelling?) it has loads on the founding myth of a great flood in the ancient city of Ur, which is present day Iraq. the Sumerians are one of the most ancient people and had a direct effect on the creation of Egypt and thus on the Geeks and the western world.

  Link to this forum: Greek Version of Noah's Ark

  Report message5

• Message 6

  , in reply to message 5.

  Posted by Sambista (U4068266) on Monday, 22nd May 2006

  The Greek flood myth exists in at least a couple of versions - one where Deucalion & Pyrrha, his wife, survive in a boat, and repopulate the earth by throwing stones over their shoulders, and one where the each take refuge on a seperate mountain, with one of each animal, and only discover each other's enclaves when Deucalion is trying to decide which animal to pair off with which. Best advice I can give is - search on Deucalion.

  Link to this forum: Greek Version of Noah's Ark

  Report message6

• Message 7

  , in reply to message 6.

  Posted by Blue Triangle (U3967831) on Monday, 22nd May 2006

  Obviously if we're talking about ancient flood myths we should mention the Epic of Gilgamesh which I'm sure we're all familiar with.

  Link to this forum: Greek Version of Noah's Ark

  Report message7

• Message 8

  , in reply to message 4.

  Posted by lolbeeble (U1662865) on Monday, 22nd May 2006

  Nick, 26,000 years, I think it more likely they knew what procession was. You know Hermetic literature makes all those references to signs of the zodiac so there is no great mystery, well except there were originally thirteen.

  Link to this forum: Greek Version of Noah's Ark

  Report message8

• Message 9

  , in reply to message 8.

  Posted by Zeiltje1thehague (U3193096) on Tuesday, 23rd May 2006

  Dear Nicolaos
  
  I am glad you have set things right.
  
  I wanted to point out that the Greeks did not invent or experienced it themselves, but toke it from the people of the Mediterranian in wich they setteled, especially from the Egyptians.
  Or am I mistaken in that too?

  Link to this forum: Greek Version of Noah's Ark

  Report message9

• Message 10

  , in reply to message 9.

  Posted by Idamante (U1894562) on Tuesday, 23rd May 2006

  Zeiltje
  The flood myth exists in various forms from the Near East, the most famous beibng the story of Utnapishtim in the Epic of Gilgamesh. It doesn't really feature in ancient Egyptian mythology at all, as far as I'm aware.
  
  Herodotus thought the Greeks got a lot of their myths and legends from Egypt but most modern scholars reject this and believe that the Near Eastern myths of Sumer and Babylon are a more likely source. Walkert Burkert, regarded as the greatest living authority on ancient Greek religion, has written a number of books that develop this theory.
  
  

  Link to this forum: Greek Version of Noah's Ark

  Report message10

• Message 11

  , in reply to message 10.

  Posted by Zeiltje1thehague (U3193096) on Tuesday, 23rd May 2006

  Gaiseric
  
  Thank you for the name Burkert.
  I will try to get one of his books.

  Link to this forum: Greek Version of Noah's Ark

  Report message11

Back to top