The Antediluvian Cities of Mesopotamia
3500–2900 BCE (historical); claimed much older in ancient texts
The Sumerian King List, written around 2100 BCE, names eight kings who ruled before a great flood, with reigns lasting tens of thousands of years each. It then lists post-flood dynasties with normal human lifespans. Archaeological excavations at Eridu — the oldest city named in the King List — have confirmed continuous occupation from 5400 BCE, with flood deposits separating pre- and post-flood layers.