TheI-Epic of Gilgamesh iyinganekwane edumile evela eMesopotamiya. Enye yezincwadi ezindala kakhulu zesintu, inguqulo yokuqala eyaziwayo yabhalwa ngesi-Akkadian eBabiloni kusukela ngekhulu le-18 kuya kwele-17 BCE. Ibhalwe ngezinhlamvu ze-cuneiform ezibhebheni zobumba, ilandisa ngezigigaba zikaGilgamesh, inkosi yase-Uruk.