Antediluvian
Biblical era between the fall of man and the great flood.
The antediluvian period is the time chronicled in the Bible between the fall of man and the Genesis flood narrative. The term was coined by Thomas Browne (1605–1682) and found its way into early geology and science until the late Victorian era. Colloquially, it refers to any ancient and murky period.
- field
- Biblical cosmology, early geology
- known_for
- Designating the pre-flood era in biblical and early scientific chronology
- coined_by
- Thomas Browne (1605–1682)
Lore & Background
The antediluvian period begins with the Fall of the first man and woman, according to Genesis, and ends with the destruction of all life except those saved with Noah in the ark. According to Bishop Ussher's 17th-century chronology, it lasted 1656 years, from Creation (or the fall of man) at 4004 BC to the Flood at 2348 BC. The narrative includes the creation, Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, and genealogies tracing the descendants of Cain and Seth.
Reader's Guide
The term antediluvian was used in early scientific attempts to reconstruct Earth's history based on the biblical narrative. Early geologists divided the antediluvian into sub-periods: Pre-Adamitic (first five days of Creation), Primary (formation of the physical universe), Secondary (creation of plants and animals), and Adamitic (from the creation of man to the Flood). Rock was classified as primary (igneous/metamorphic, void of fossils), secondary (sedimentary, fossil-rich), and tertiary (sediments, associated with the Flood). As geological mapping advanced in the early 19th century, the estimated lengths of these periods greatly increased, and the term was used for the Pleistocene period, where humans coexisted with extinct megafauna. By the 1860s, with the works of Charles Darwin and Louis Agassiz, a modern naturalistic view replaced the term. The antediluvian period also appears in Assyriology for kings said to have reigned before the flood in the Sumerian king list, and figuratively to mean of great age or outmoded.
Did You Know?
- The term antediluvian was coined by Thomas Browne (1605–1682).
- According to Bishop Ussher's chronology, the antediluvian period lasted 1656 years.
- Early geologists divided the antediluvian into Pre-Adamitic, Primary, Secondary, and Adamitic sub-periods.
- The term was used in Assyriology for kings supposed to have reigned before the great flood.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Antediluvian period in Christian mythology?
It is the stretch of biblical time that falls between humanity's fall and the great flood described in Genesis. In other words, it covers the era before Noah's deluge, from the original sin onward.
Who coined the term 'antediluvian'?
The English writer Thomas Browne (1605–1682) is credited with coining the word. He introduced it as a way to label that specific pre-flood window in biblical chronology.
What role does the Antediluvian era play in biblical cosmology?
It serves as the designated pre-flood era, anchoring the narrative arc that runs from the fall of man through the generations leading up to Noah. It gives structure to the earliest chapters of Genesis and frames the flood as the culminating event of that age.
How did 'antediluvian' spread beyond theology into science?
The term was adopted by early geologists and natural philosophers as a convenient label for the deep, pre-flood past. It remained in scientific and literary usage well into the late Victorian era before falling out of formal use.
What does 'antediluvian' mean in everyday, colloquial usage?
Outside strict biblical or geological contexts, people use it to describe anything that feels ancient, obscure, or mired in murky history. It carries a connotation of being so old that the details have grown hazy and unreliable.
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