The interactive image shows a map of the Fertile Crescent region in the Middle East between the rivers Euphrates and Tigris. The Fertile Crescent region is shown as a dark green area on the map. The locations of the major early Mesopotamian cities such as Assur, Babylon, Uruk and Ur are also marked.


The tags of the image explain key factors behind the emergence of agriculture in the region:


1.  Fertile Crescent
The dark green area on the map shows the so-called Fertile Crescent (present-day Iran and Iraq).
The Fertile Crescent gets its name from its crescent shape and its beneficial conditions for agriculture.


2. Preconditions for the development of agriculture
The Fertile Crescent was conducive to the development of agriculture in many ways.
The soil along the Euphrates and Tigris rivers was rich in nutrients and water was abundant.
In addition, the area was home to several edible cereal crops, such as barley and wheat. In these regions, these crops could be harvested several times a year, providing a reliable livelihood for the region's early farming communities.


3. The first civilisations
The development of agriculture paved the way for the first civilisations. As a result of agriculture, the entire community no longer needed to participate in food production. This led to new cultural development.
The most significant civilisations in the Fertile Crescent were Sumer (c. 4000–2000 BCE), Assyria (c. 2500–600 BCE) and Babylonia (c. 1900–500 BCE). The map shows the locations of the most important cities of these civilisations.