By contemporary standards, The Epic of Gilgamesh would qualify as one of our earliest surviving literary works. As an ancient treasure, it holds a wealth of information about the civilizations that produced it, their beliefs and cultures, and it offers an illustration of human nature during the centuries in which it has remained relevant. Although a work of Western Asian origin, the narrative holds an immediate appeal to contemporary readers because of its exploration of key themes such as heroism, friendship, and the search for a way to achieve immortality. Consequently, The Epic of Gilgamesh has become a major topic of scholarly research, as archaeologists, historians, literary critics, and scholars of mythology have worked to explore and understand its wealth of complexity. Originating in oral tradition, The Epic of Gilgamesh was later committed to tablets, and its content evolved due to censorship and the influences of its various scribes. Despite these challenges, the legend played a key role in helping to shape Western myth and religion. #epicofgilgamesh #ancientliterature #sumerianmythology