Quote:
Originally Posted by GloucesterChief
Actually, the flood myth probably comes from when the Black Sea flooded and became the Black Sea. The Dardanelles used to be a thin land bridge between Europe and Asia. At some point in history the land bridge collapsed and the Black Sea flooded to its current size. Of course there were people living on the shore and the flood zone. The survivors spread the tale and that is why so many Mediterranean cultures have a flood myth.
Same thing is true about the city of Ubar/Iram in Arabia. There was a city that was buried in the sands overnight but it had nothing to do with god but a sinkhole over a limestone cavern.
|
Flood myths are found in cultures literally around the globe, including places as far removed from the so-called 'cradle of civilization' as pre-Colombian Mesoamerica.
Although I also think we're very far off in terms of recognizing how well more traditionally 'ancient' civilizations from places like Africa and Asia were able to navigate the oceans, so perhaps myths were spread that way, as well. In which case histories from places like the Mediterranean may have spread culturally speaking. But again even acknowledging that possibility would require some revision of standard, tenured history. Which isn't likely to happen.