[DouglasKC]

We also have to reemmber that the men who wrote about Noah did so many years after him, so they were interpreting the story in terms they were familiar with. How sure are we how old the tradition of unclean/clean animals was?

As old as the bible says it is... :-)

[RobbyS]

It is quite possible that such views are found elsewhere. It would be nice if there were nonbiblical sources. I agree that the assumption that the Bible was fable is based on nothing more than Enlightenment prejudice agasinst Christianity and Judaism. For instance, Babylonia writings show that Genesis incorporates notions common to the culture in which Abarham is said to have lived.