Several pre-flood myths seem to mention humans being able to live for extremely long periods of time. IIRC, the Sumerians had a list of kings that lived for thousands of years pre-flood, and post-flood the kings had their lifespans reduced, although why or how does not appear to be mentioned.

The Hindus have the same thing in the form of humans living for thousands of years in a golden age before steadily deterioting to our current lifespan for the age of Kali. No explanation seems to have been offered for this other than that it's predestined/part of the cycle.

Is this a common theme in pre-flood myths? I think it would be pretty interesting if humans really did live for that long before the flood, but had their lifespans reduced through, i dont know, some kind of disease/mutation/evolution/etc.

Several pre-flood myths seem to mention humans being able to live for extremely long periods of time. IIRC, the Sumerians had a list of kings that lived for thousands of years pre-flood, and post-flood the kings had their lifespans reduced, although why or how does not appear to be mentioned.

The Hindus have the same thing in the form of humans living for thousands of years in a golden age before steadily deteriorating to our current lifespan for the age of Kali. No explanation seems to have been offered for this other than that it's predestined/part of the cycle.

Is this a common theme in pre-flood myths? I think it would be pretty interesting if humans really did live for that long before the flood, but had their lifespans reduced through, I don't know, some kind of disease/mutation/evolution/etc.