The Fertile Crescent is a crescent or semi-circle-shaped piece of land in the Middle East which gave birth to several empires.The human population was recorded in Fertile Crescent way back in history, around 10,000 BCE, when domestication and agriculture started flourishing. Blessed by the geography of the land, irrigation and agriculture developed in the region at a swift pace.Access to waterways helped connect cities and formed important trade routes of ancient civilizations. The natural riches of the Fertile Crescent brought travelers from all around the world, and the region became a center of exchanging cultures. Therefore, apart from agriculture, Fertile Crescent is also regarded as the hub of urbanization, world trade, organized religion, history, and science because of its location. However, the challenges have changed the condition of the region as times have passed. Much of the Fertile Crescent has now turned into a desert due to climate change. Places like modern-day Iraq, south-eastern Turkey and North Syria still depend on the water flowing from the region. Still, increased population and higher urbanization rates have depleted the region’s fertility.The multiple dams built throughout the area put immense pressure on the land, reducing the quality and quantity of the water supplied. A significant decrease in the volume of water has caused the countries surrounding the Euphrates river to negotiate with other nations to ensure that each of them has access to water. While the future of the Fertile Crescent is uncertain, its status and cultural heritage as the beginning site of civilization persist.Location Of The Fertile CrescentLying between the Atlas Mountains of Anatolia, Sinai desert of Arabia, and the Sahara desert of Egypt, a sickle-shaped semi-circle piece of land has been considered the cradle of civilization since prehistoric times. This cultivable fringe of two desserts was called the Fertile Crescent, and it served as one of the wealthiest trade centers in the ancient world. That’s why it got the nickname ‘cradle of civilization,’ and that’s why Mesopotamia is called Fertile Crescent. The Fertile Crescent area incorporated the major rivers in the area, and it also shares a part of the coastline with the Mediterranean sea.The boomerang-shaped fertile land lying between the deserts of the Middle East sheltered some of the earliest human civilizations of the early world. The historical region was the earliest settlement of the Sumerians, even though they believed that it was not a single region. The modern countries included in the ancient Fertile Crescent area are Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, southern Iraq, Palestine, Egypt, and a few parts of Turkey and Iran. The area was fed by the two major rivers of the region, the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Nile river also ran through a part of the land, and these three rivers flooded the area regularly, resulting in very fertile soil. Men realized the importance of the geographical location of the Fertile Crescent since ancient times and began to settle there from back in the Bronze Age (the start of cultivation).Geographical Facts About The Fertile CrescentSurrounded by three major rivers, it is regarded as the birthplace of agriculture. The geography and climate of the Fertile Crescent propagated the cultivation of crops and played a significant role in converting the lives of nomadic hunter-gatherers into sedentary communities.It extends from the Nile in Egypt in the south to the Euphrates and Tigris rivers in Iraq. The Fertile Crescent is bounded by the Persian Gulf in the east and the Mediterranean Sea in the west. The vast Arabian desert is found on the southern portion of the Crescent. The area was characterized by fertile soils and an unlimited fresh and brackish water supply. These factors led to the growth of crops in the region. The climate of the Fertile Crescent was semi-arid. However, the humidity from the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and the Nile flowing through the cities in the south have balanced it perfectly and fueled the growth of crops. Early civilizations were established along the banks of the rivers, and technological advancements and domestication of animals followed.The first cities were developed in the Sumer region of Mesopotamia. Eridu was the first city that flourished in 5,400 BCE and was followed by Uruk. Not only cultivation but it was also recognized to be the first hub of trade. Commercial trade began to prosper in southwest Asia following the water highways, and transportation of goods became very easy. Primitive villages stretched from the strip of Assyria to the Euphrates River. However, in the past 30 years, the geographical aspects of the Fertile Crescent have mainly changed. The satellite images over the area revealed that Fertile Crescent has almost lost its fertility, and only 10% of the ancient marshland remains. The rest of the regions have dried up due to water drifting away and turned infertile with patches of salt. The ancient native plants and animals have now become endangered due to the loss of these marshes.What crops and vegetation grow on the Fertile Crescent?Fertile Crescent played a significant role in forming human settlements. After discovering the region, men adopted a sedentary life and resorted to farming and domestication. This place was also the torchbearer of modern surplus trade since surplus crops were traded to nearby locations. Cropping began in Fertile Crescent in 10,000 BCE. By 9000 BCE, wild grains and cereals were grown at large scales, and irrigation of agricultural pastures developed fully by 5000 BCE. Cultivating wool from wool-bearing sheep was introduced in 4,500 BCE.One by one, cities began to rise in Mesopotamia, and the cultivation of food crops became a need. By 4,500 BCE, cultivating crops wheat and different types of grain became normal. Domestication of pet animals also became a common practice since meat, milk, and wool were obtained from them. Slowly, Fertile Crescent turned out to be the cradle of civilization in history. However, people did not stop at wheat and grains. They kept on cultivating several other crops, including barley, rye, and legumes in the unusually fertile land of Fertile Crescent. It sheltered eight crops of the Neolithic Age that were important in early agriculture. They were emmer wheat, flax, chickpea, lentil, pea, barley, einkorn, and bitter vetch. Wheat and barley are still staple crops of Europe and western Asia. It is used for making bread and pasta. Barley is used from fodder and brews beer, while rye is used as fodder and bread. This is how agriculture changed the face of culture.What kingdoms and empires have ruled the Fertile Crescent?The status of the Fertile Crescent as the cradle of civilization holds still even today since it created some of the most influential civilizations in history. Many kings and early emperors settled by the banks of the Euphrates river or the Tigris river. The first empire in history flourished in Fertile Crescent itself, followed by many other emperor rulers.Before, the people inhabiting the Fertile Crescent lived separately in urban city-states until they saw the rise of the first multicultural empire in the region. Sargon of Akkad was the first ruler of the Fertile Crescent to form an empire and rule over Mesopotamia. Thus, he formed the first empire in the world and ruled from 2334-2279 BCE. Under his rule, the cultural heritage of Mesopotamia multiplied as he emphasized the growth of building projects, religious literature, and artworks. Sargon’s daughter, Enheduanna, was the first author in the world. Food shortage, unable to control water supply, and attacks from neighbors were some of the disadvantages that the early settlers faced in Mesopotamia.By 2000 BCE, Fertile Crescent went under the rule of Babylon from Mesopotamia, and it saw development in law and order because of Hammurabi’s famous codes. There were also developments in astronomical science and technology, religion, and literature. Babylon flourished as the greatest city on earth under the rule of Nebuchadnezzar II (634-562 BCE), and allegedly the Hanging Gardens was built by him. After the Battle of Opis, Babylon fell to Cyrus, and Fertile Crescent became a part of the Achaemenid Empire. In 334 BCE, Alexander the Great invaded the region.
The Fertile Crescent is a crescent or semi-circle-shaped piece of land in the Middle East which gave birth to several empires.
