Deucalion
Son of Prometheus who survived Zeus's great flood by building an ark on his father's advice, then repopulated the earth.
The Legend of Deucalion
Zeus drowned the entire human race — and only two people survived, floating in a wooden chest for nine days. Deucalion and his wife Pyrrha were the only righteous mortals. Prometheus warned his son of the coming flood. They built a chest (larnax) and floated for nine days until landing on Mount Parnassus (or Othrys). An oracle told them to throw the bones of their mother behind them. Pyrrha was horrified until Deucalion realized it meant stones — the bones of Gaia, mother Earth. Stones thrown by Deucalion became men; stones thrown by Pyrrha became women. The flood myth parallels Gilgamesh, Noah, and Manu — suggesting a shared cultural memory of catastrophic flooding across ancient civilizations.
Parents
Prometheus, Clymene
Children
Hellen
Symbols
Fun Fact
The Greek flood myth independently parallels Mesopotamian, Hebrew, and Hindu flood stories — suggesting a shared prehistoric memory.
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
Explore Further
Deucalion
🗡 heroGreek Noah
Deucalion survived Zeus's flood and repopulated the earth by throwing stones.
Pyrrha
🗡 herosurvival
Wife of Deucalion and daughter of Epimetheus who survived the great flood and helped repopulate the earth by throwing stones.
Deucalion's Flood
💭 conceptflood, renewal
The Greek deluge myth in which Zeus destroyed corrupt humanity with a great flood, sparing only the pious Deucalion and Pyrrha who repopulated the earth with stones.
Amphiaraus
🗡 heroSeer-warrior swallowed by earth
Amphiaraus was a warrior-prophet who foresaw his death in the Seven Against Thebes but marched anyway, bound by his wife's betrayal.
Perseus
🗡 heroHero who slew Medusa
The son of Zeus and Danae who beheaded Medusa, rescued Andromeda, and founded the Perseid dynasty of Mycenae.
Amphiaraus
🗡 heroThe prophet who foresaw his own death at Thebes
A warrior-prophet who knew the Seven Against Thebes would fail but marched to his death anyway, swallowed by the earth.
Descendants of Deucalion
💭 conceptDynasty, flood, origin
The lineage descending from Deucalion and Pyrrha, the survivors of Zeus's great flood who repopulated Greece
Aegeus
🗡 herotragedy
King of Athens and father of Theseus who threw himself into the sea when he saw black sails, believing his son was dead.
Perseus
🗡 heroSlayer of Medusa, founder of Mycenae
The legendary hero who slew the Gorgon Medusa and rescued Andromeda from a sea monster. Perseus founded the great city of Mycenae.
Busiris
🗡 heroNone recorded
Egyptian king who sacrificed strangers to Zeus until Heracles broke free and killed him
Peleus
🗡 heroheroism
King of Phthia, Argonaut, and father of Achilles who wrestled the shape-shifting sea goddess Thetis to win her as his bride.
Phrixus
🗡 herosurvival
Son of Athamas who rode the golden ram to Colchis, sacrificed it, and gave its fleece to King Aeetes.