Gilgamesh Tablet XI

As I read through tablet XI I had many surprices. I realized that although Gilgamesh was writen before the Bible the story of Utnapishtim is very similiar to the story of Noah's Ark. If we compare and contrast these two stories we can see that they are quite similar in several aspects. Ea the cleverest of all the Gods tells Utnapishtim that there will be a flood and that he mut save all living things from drawning. To do this he must built a boat in which he will reamain for six days and six nights. On the seventh day Utnapihshtim sends several birds to look for land. Same happens with Noah. God sends a messanger to tell Noah that their will be a flood and that he must save all animals and his family from this flood. To do this he must do the same as Utnapishtim, he must built a boat. In the bible they use a different word: and ark but it is technically a boat. Noah is in the boat for six days and six nights. On the seventh days he sends a bird to search for land.
Although these two stories are not exatly the same, they can be connected very easily. I was very surpriced by this because even though both Gilgamesh and the Bible are writen around the same time, one has nothing to do with the other. But looking closely into them they do.