Noah and the Deluge: Chronological, Historical and Archaeological Evidence

What is it about?

For historians, chronology is the backbone of history but, regarding ancient events, they are unable to build an accurate chronology. However they consider the biblical account of the Deluge as a myth despite this famous event occurred at the earliest times of recorded history (Sumerian King List). Today scientists believe in the last ice age called Pleistocene ending in 10,000 BCE, but there is no witness (prehistory) of this planetary cataclysmic event and its existence is based solely on the (controversial) interpretation of its consequences and their dating. The existence of erratic blocks and the disappearance of mammoths are presented as evidence of the last glaciation, but contrary to what one might think C14 dating provides conflicting results. Moreover, the sudden extinction of mammoths (some were found with food undigested in their stomachs or still unchewed in their teeth) would have been spread over thousands of years! Likewise, during the last glaciation the sea level would have decreased by at least 140 m (which is currently explained by the melting of glaciers) but such variations of the sea level did not occur during previous glaciations. Dating obtained by calibrated C14 is considered absolute by most experts but confrontation with the Egyptian chronology, in which some dates are fixed by astronomy, reverses this widespread belief. This comparison shows that dates obtained by C14 calibrated by dendrochronology match those from astronomy until 2200 BCE but before this date increase exponentially. Thus the rate of C14 tends gradually to 0 around 3500 BCE, which implies an important consequence: before 3500 BCE C14 dating is no longer possible. The biblical and Sumerian accounts of the Deluge are very similar (which occurred in year 600 of Noah or Ziusudra) and suppose a dating around 3170 BCE according to the Septuagint. The period 3170-2800 is very poorly documented, the only remarkable event is the construction of the Tower of Babel then its abandonment and the emergence of languages. According to Mesopotamian literature the ziggurat of Babylon called "temple of the foundation of heaven and earth" in Sumerian was dedicated to Marduk. Many scholars estimate that these mythological texts have no historical value, but several Sumerian and Babylonian inscriptions have confirmed the antiquity of this ancient ziggurat and the name of its builder. Sumerian stories confirm the biblical version on four key points: a universal deluge; only one language at the origin; construction of the Tower of Babel and a sudden and simultaneous onset of languages (like Sumerian, Akkadian, Egyptian, etc.). Human longevity seems to have remained constant over the entire period from 3100 BCE up to now, which contradicts the biblical data concerning the relatives of Abraham who would have lived, prior to 1600 BCE, much more than 130 years. However, contrary to what popular common sense suggests, human limits are difficult to set by science. Studies on human longevity provide amazing data in accordance with the Bible. Thus, for unexplained reasons, the maximum age at death is not constant but increases regularly and since 1960 there is an unexplained acceleration of the increase.

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