From: Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith 52 (March 2000): 31-46.

In this paper, I try to apply the findings of modern geology to Gen. 2:10-14. I deduce from the evidence that the four rivers of Eden--the Pishon, the Gihon, the Hiddekel, and the Euphrates--were real rivers which existed on a modern landscape before Noah's flood. The now-dry Wadi al Batin was probably the Pishon River, the Gihon was probably the Karun River, and the Hiddekel (Tigris) and Euphrates Rivers flowed in approximately the same courses as they occupy today. The confluence of these four rivers was located at the head of the Persian Gulf, but a Gulf that may have been inland from where it is today. The spring which "rises up" in Eden could have been supplied by the Dammam Formation, the principal aquifer of the region. Oil-drilling in southern Iraq confirms that six miles of sedimentary rock exist below the biblical site for the Garden of Eden. This same sedimentary rock is the source of bitumen at Hit, a site which may have supplied Noah with pitch for constructing the ark. The question is asked: How could pre-flood Eden have been located over six miles of sedimentary rock supposedly formed during Noah's flood?

While the secular world almost universally assumes that the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden is legend, many evangelical Christians believe it to be a true story--that Adam and Eve were historical people and that the Garden of Eden was a historical place. One reason for this belief is because the Bible gives its geographic location: two of the names of the four rivers mentioned in Gen. 2:10-14 have been preserved from biblical times. According to the Bible, the Garden of Eden was located somewhere in southern Iraq where the Euphrates and Hiddekel (Tigris) Rivers flowed into the head of the Persian Gulf--that is, they flowed on a modern landscape that is still recognizable today.

What most Christians do not realize is that this biblical identification of Eden on a modern landscape is in direct conflict with Flood Geology, a premise promoted by Creation Science. The basic tenet of Flood Geology is that all (or almost all) of the sedimentary rock on the planet earth was formed during Noah's flood. But modern geologic study has shown (by oil drilling) that the landscape of southern Iraq is underlain by six miles of sedimentary rock. Thus the question can be asked: How could the Garden of Eden, which existed on a pre-flood landscape existing before the flood, have been located over six miles of sedimentary rock created during the flood?

Archaeology is a relatvely new science, which when it comes to the middle east, finds most arhaeologists, at least those prior to the last 20 years, trying to prove their findings according to Biblical reference. A site is uncovered and and so it must be so and so as per book so and so.

It is still mostly presumed by the masses that creation or at the very least the first societies started in Iraq. The archaeological finds in Egypt, specifically Nabta Playa disproves this.

The premise originates from the Genesis verse which has abraham hailing from Ur of the Chaldees. An impossible notion for Moses to write about given that the Chaldean empire did not consume Ur, Iraq until many centuries in the future. However, Egyptian text preating Moses speaks to Ra and the legend of Horus the winged disc defeating their enemies while traversing the territority in their barge which was named---Ur.

Another little known piece of information is that Babylon was the name given to old Cairo long before the Babylon of Iraq. As well, if one were to read the histories of as well as the archaeological findings of the Mediterranean shoreline, it would be noted that dry land of several thousand years ago is now submerged under water.
Edited to add:

There are countless tales by peoples all over the world who tell of a flood. If Genesis is to believed then we must ask ourseles why it is that when only 8 people survived same, peoples oceans apart have their varying flood myths?

I like the last paragraph. I hope no one argues that Eden wasn't a "part" of the world, like it was a sacred place by God, therefore it couldn't flood. That would be pretty ridiculous.

As a response to your edit at the end of your post, I do believe the chain game was played here. Noah survives, and his sons scatter across the world speaking in different languages, calling God by different names, and even calling Noah by different names, while still continuing to revise the story as time passes on and religions are changed;

OR, MUCH MORE LIKELY, the flood legends around the world are vague memories of the last ice age, ending about 10,000 years ago. During the ice age, there were vast areas of land, inhabited for thousands of years, that, before and afterwards, were underwater. there would have been intense flooding, and some would escape, bearing legends later on. it wasn't a "world wide flood", but it was pretty bad. besides, 8 humans do not have the variety of dna to populate a world. Genetics is a very interesting science. of course every culture has flood legends; there was an ice age within racial memory.

back to eden, it's a beautiful, but eponymous story; please look up the word.

Eden is not on Earth, but another planet. Go read Raziel or something.

I see what you are saying. However, i believe the story of Creationism came out of the ice age, not the story of the flood, in my belief what happened was the last ice age cleared up and land and life came up. Perhaps the flood came from melting glaciers, but all at once? Still, saying that the Creation story is real, the whole world couldn't have been populated during that time. God bless

but there was life for millions of years before the last ice age.think again about the "rumors" game.
"out there, there used to be our homeland, but it is now underwater."
six thousand years later this becomes "gilgamesh survived the flood."
7000 years later it is "noah saved all the animals"

besides, 8 humans do not have the variety of dna to populate a world.

Are you serious??

The only planet other than earth that we are exploring is Mars, and no people have ever gone there. So I guess that Earth is the only planet we have any knowledge of...

well of course eden is in space, where else could it be? after all, the best place to hide a mythical place and keep it mysterious is out of the reach of the minions.

good to see your as "you" as ever ashley.

the last question i remeber asking you was for your timeline of events.