14. Although a worldwide flood as depicted in the Book of Genesis did not occur, evidence strongly suggests widespread localized flooding in the Ancient Near East
According to the Genesis mythology, as punishment for the sinful lifestyles of humanity, divine retribution was brought down upon the Earth in the form of a destructive all-encompassing flood. Whilst a global flood categorically has not occurred during the lifespan of our short-lived species, and the largest known such incident – stemming from the Chicxulub impact – was only enough to cover the Western Hemisphere in water, ancient historical texts, in conjunction with modern scientific analysis, strongly suggests the possibility of extreme localized flooding rendering an impression of a global struggle upon those experiencing it.
Excavations in modern-day Iraq have revealed evidence of severe flooding at Shuruppak around 2900 BCE, mirroring ancient accounts of flooding throughout Sumeria. Similarly, the regions of Mesopotamia and the Persian Gulf are believed to have experienced significant shifts in sea levels as a result of the last glacial period. Submerging large areas of low-lying land as a result of rapidly rising water levels, this theory has been applied in several cultures, notably by the Black Sea deluge hypothesis proposing a catastrophic tsunami raged across the Mediterranean Sea into the Black Sea in approximately 5600 BCE.