Share

cover art for Noah's Ark and the Flood

The Ancients

Noah's Ark and the Flood

Ep. 435
•

The Ancients launches a new miniseries exploring the stories, people, objects and kingdoms central to the Old Testament's narrative.


There was only one place to start and it's not "In the beginning..."


The story of the Flood in the Book of Genesis is well known, where God conjured up a great flood to kill off all of humanity for their wicked behaviour. Except for Noah, whom God ordered to construct a massive boat and fill it with 2 of every animal. When the flood came, Noah, his family and the animals survived on board the Ark.


The story of Noah and the Ark is not only embedded in the Bible, however, but it's also central to parts of the Quran and central to Judaism. The origins of the story stretch way back beyond the Old Testament to Mesopotamia.


Tristan Hughes heads to the British Museum to explore this Mesopotamian myth with Dr Irving Finkel who made a discovery which turned the world of Assyriology - and his life - on its head. They discuss who was Noah to the Mesopotamians? What did they do with the animals? And what was the shape and design of THIS great ark?


This episode was presented by Tristan Hughes. The producer was Joseph Knight, edited by Peter Dennis and Aidan Lonergan. 


Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code ANCIENTS - sign up here.


Vote for The Ancients in the Listeners Choice category of British Podcast Awards here.


You can take part in our listener survey here.

More episodes

View all episodes

  • 714. Caratacus: King of the Britons

    01:06:39||Ep. 714
    Before Boudicca, another British leader brought the Roman war machine to a grinding halt. Meet Caratacus; the cunning King of the Britons who spent seven years outmaneuvering the empire.Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. Miles Russell to uncover the forgotten story of this charismatic guerrilla fighter. From leading fierce resistance in Wales to his betrayal, capture, and a life-saving speech in Rome, Caratacus was Britain’s ultimate escape artist.MOREWho Was The Real King Arthur?Listen on AppleListen on SpotifyThe Roman Invasion of BritainListen on AppleListen on SpotifyPresented by Tristan Hughes. Edited by Natasha Hughes. The studio manager is Hanif Hussain, the producer is Robin McConnell, the video producer is McKenna Fernandez. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic SoundsThe Ancients is a History Hit podcast.History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™The Ancients is now on YouTube! Watch HEREWant even MORE Ancients? Sign up to History Hit for early access ad-free, plus exclusive subscriber-only episodes. PLUS with a History Hit subscription you can watch hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

  • 713. After Ancients: Prof. John A. Long

    26:39||Ep. 713
    Ever wondered what it’s like to spend a lifetime hunting for fossils and uncovering the lost history of life on Earth? In this exclusive subscriber episode, Tristan Hughes sits down with legendary palaeontologist Professor John A. Long to trace his remarkable career, from his first major fossil discovery as a university student to his adventures in the field, debating evolutionary theories in London pubs, and his ongoing mission to decolonise Australian palaeontology.MOREThe First SharksListen on AppleListen on SpotifyAncient AntarcticaListen on AppleListen on SpotifyThe Ancients is now on YouTube! Watch here: @TheAncientsPodcastPresented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Aliza Dams. Produced by Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic SoundsThe Ancients is a History Hit podcast.History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week, PLUS early ad-free podcasts and exclusive subscriber-only episodes every fortnight. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

  • 712. Ancient Antarctica

    57:04||Ep. 712
    The frozen continent of Antarctica was once a land of forests, rivers and thriving ecosystems. And millions of years before humans ever existed it was home to a whole host of ancient creatures, from the first sharks to the earliest marsupials.Tristan Hughes is joined by paleontologist Professor John Long to uncover what the trilobite and dinosaur fossils buried beneath the ice reveal about this lost world and what they can reveal about Antarctica’s role in the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana.MOREMegalodonListen on AppleListen on SpotifyThe First SharksListen on AppleListen on SpotifyPresented by Tristan Hughes. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic SoundsThe Ancients is a History Hit podcast.History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™Want even MORE Ancients? Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week, PLUS ad-free, early access podcasts AND exclusive subscriber-only Ancients episodes. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

  • 711. Prehistoric Penguins

    40:51||Ep. 711
    When the asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs, one remarkable avian survivor traded the skies for the sea. Tristan Hughes and paleontologist Dr Steve Brusatte explore how prehistoric penguins emerged on ancient Zealandia, lost their flight and grew into colossal apex predators. But how did these giant ocean rulers eventually shrank to conquer the frozen continent of Antarctica?MORETerror BirdsListen to AppleListen to SpotifyDinosaurs: The Last DaysListen to AppleListen to SpotifyPresented by Tristan Hughes. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Produced by Joseph Knight and McKenna Fernandez. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic SoundsThe Ancients is a History Hit podcast.History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™The Ancients is now on YouTube! Watch HEREWant even MORE Ancients? Sign up to History Hit for early access ad-free, plus exclusive subscriber-only episodes. PLUS with a History Hit subscription you can watch hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

  • 710. Life and Death in Ancient Babylon

    54:31||Ep. 710
    Babylon was one of the greatest cities of the ancient world. But what was life really like for the people who lived there? Behind its magnificent temples and royal palaces lay a city of crowded streets, disease, danger and everyday struggles.Tristan Hughes is joined by friend of the show and Babylonian extraordinaire Professor Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones to uncover the realities of life in Hammurabi's Babylon. Drawing on the remarkable texts left behind by its people, they explore everything from marriage and childbirth to taverns, rubbish-filled streets and the strange demons believed to haunt the home. What did it mean to walk the streets of Mesopotamia's most famous ancient city?MOREThe Fall of BabylonListen on AppleListen on SpotifyThe Tower of BabelListen on Apple Listen on Spotify Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio editor is Tim Arstall. Producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic SoundsThe Ancients is a History Hit podcast.History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week, PLUS early ad-free podcasts and exclusive subscriber-only episodes every fortnight. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

  • 709. The Gospels: Are They Historical?

    01:03:40||Ep. 709
    How much can we really know about the historical Jesus? The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John have shaped Christianity for nearly 2,000 years, but they were written decades after the events they describe. So how should we treat them as historical sources?Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Helen Bond to examine where the Gospels came from, who wrote them and how closely they reflect the world of first-century Judea. Were they based on eyewitness testimony and earlier traditions? And what do their stories reveal about the life of Jesus of Nazareth?MOREThe PhariseesListen on AppleListen on SpotifyRise of ChristianityListen on AppleListen on SpotifyPresented by Tristan Hughes. Editor is Matthew Wilson. The producers are Joseph Knight and McKenna Fernandez. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic SoundsThe Ancients is a History Hit podcast.History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™The Ancients is now on YouTube! Watch HEREWant even MORE Ancients? Sign up to History Hit for early access ad-free, plus exclusive subscriber-only episodes. PLUS with a History Hit subscription you can watch hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

  • 708. After Ancients: Prof. Helen Bond

    24:18||Ep. 708
    Ever wondered what it's like to build a career unravelling the mysteries of the New Testament? In this exclusive subscriber episode, Tristan Hughes sits down with Professor Helen Bond to discuss her fascinating work on the historical Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and Pontius Pilate, and why Monty Python's Life of Brian is a brilliant teaching tool.MOREMary MagdaleneListen on AppleListen on SpotifyThe PhariseesListen on AppleListen on SpotifyPresented by Tristan Hughes. Edited and produced by Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic SoundsThe Ancients is a History Hit podcast.History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week, PLUS early ad-free podcasts and exclusive subscriber-only episodes every fortnight. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

  • 707. Maya Hieroglyphs Decoded

    48:55||Ep. 707
    Forget everything you thought you knew about the ancient Maya. Cracking their mysterious hieroglyphs didn't just reveal boring calendars, it exposed a cutthroat, Game of Thrones-style world of rival superpowers, Tikal and Calakmul.Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor David Stuart to uncover tales of powerful female warlords, dark pilgrimages to the underworld, and the secret jungle "whiteboard" of an ancient mathematician.MOREThe Maya CollapseListen on AppleListen on SpotifyThe Olmec: Mother of Mesoamerican CivilisationsListen on AppleListen on SpotifyPresented by Tristan Hughes. Edited and produced by Joseph Knight.The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic SoundsThe Ancients is a History Hit podcast.History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™

  • 706. Human Sacrifice in Ancient Britain

    01:01:01||Ep. 706
    WARNING: This episode contains descriptions of graphic violence from the start.When we picture human sacrifice in ancient Britain, the iconic, flaming Wicker Man often comes to mind. But how much of this is Roman propaganda, and what does the actual archaeology reveal? Tristan Hughes is joined by archaeologist Dr. Miles Russell to separate popular myth from gruesome reality. From perfectly preserved bog bodies in the north to mysterious grain pit burials down south, who were these victims and why did they die?Presented by Tristan Hughes. Audio & video editor is Aidan Lonergan. The producer is Robin McConnell. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff.All music courtesy of Epidemic SoundsThe Ancients is a History Hit podcast.History Hit is part of Little Dot Studios, a Certified B Corp™The Ancients is now on YouTube! Watch HEREWant even MORE Ancients? Sign up to History Hit for early access ad-free, plus exclusive subscriber-only episodes. PLUS with a History Hit subscription you can watch hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.