"The Deluge", frontispiece to
Gustave Doré's illustrated edition of the Bible. Based on the story of
Noah's Ark, this shows humans and a tiger doomed by the flood futilely attempting to save their children and cubs.
A
flood myth or
deluge myth is a symbolic narrative in which a great flood is sent by a
deity, or deities, to destroy
civilization in an act of
divine retribution. Parallels are often drawn between the flood waters of these myths and the primeval waters found in certain
creation myths,
as the flood waters are described as a measure for the cleansing of
humanity, in preparation for rebirth. Most flood myths also contain a
culture hero, who strives to ensure this rebirth.
[1] The
flood myth motif is widespread among many cultures as seen in the Mesopotamian flood stories, the
Puranas,
Deucalion in
Greek mythology, the
Genesis flood narrative, and in the lore of the
K'iche' and
Maya peoples of
Central America, and the
Muisca people in
South America.
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