3 ms·

"still in existence" is kind of implied, no? We can theorize that there were some previous works, but Gilgamesh is the oldest we can actually read.

• Maursault 4y ago
  > "still in existence" is kind of implied, no? Definitely not. Being first does not remotely imply existence. The first gospels have long deteriorated into dust, and the earliest versions are copies of copies of copies. Further, it is astronomically unlikely that the earliest version of Gilgamesh in existence is the original. > We can theorize that there were some previous works, but Gilgamesh is the oldest we can actually read. There are quite a large number of works that can be no longer be read.[1] This does not mean they're literature any less than works that can still be read. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_literary_work https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_literary_work