Most of these were small villages, but some, like Jericho, were sizable towns. Jericho, situated in a large oasis, consisted of 8 to10 acres of mud-brick homes surrounded by substantial walls. Large water tanks were probably used for irrigation, and a massive stone tower for defense. It had a population of some 2,500 people.The farming population in the Middle East was distributed across the “Fertile Crescent”, that huge stretch of territory from Egypt in the west to Iran in the east where farming is easy and productive. One region where farming was not yet present, however, was southern Mesopotamia. This low-lying plain was too dry to allow farming; there simply was not enough rain, apart from during a very brief period in the spring, to grow crops. The farming villages faced a further challenge, however. This region has no mineral resources to speak of, so the new communities had to import all their stone – for tools, decorations and weapons – from elsewhere. Trade networks can be traced far back into pre-history, before agriculture in fact. Hunter-gatherer sites 100 miles inland show stores of shellfish which must have come from the coast. The spread of agriculture, however, would have greatly stimulated trade. One of the beneficial characteristics of cereal staples such as wheat and barley is that they can be stored for a long time before eating, unlike fruit, berries and meat. Returning to the period just after 6000 BCE, then, and to those new communities in the dry and mineral-poor plain of southern Mesopotamia, they were able to survive only by creating irrigation systems and tapping into the already-existing trade routes of the region. Having survived, however, they thrived. The plains of southern Mesopotamia have wonderfully rich soils, deposited by the rivers Tigris and Euphrates over thousands of years. Watered by means of irrigation, they turned into highly productive farm land, able to sustain large populations. This comparatively sudden growth of a dense new population in the Middle East must by itself have quickened trade in the region.

Before the end of this civilsation the Sumerians were held responsible for a number of inventions. The Sumerians were also involved in other inventions and achievements. Historians disagree whether the Sumerians invented the wheel, but they were certainly the first civilization to refine its use. The Sumerians constructed carts with wooden wheels and attached them to horses for use in plowing and hauling items to the market. They were also adept at using wheels to build chariots for warfare, and invented the pottery wheel to spin clay into useful items such as bowls and earthenware. The Sumerians also invented the first city-states, which were huge cities that had their own government and military. These cities were operated as countries and were usually ruled by kings who collected taxes and enforced the law. Sumerians also invented the architectural design known as an arch, built the first sailboats, invented the use of ox-driven plows to ensure their food supply and fashioned tools and weapons from metals such as gold, silver and copper.

The use of bronze was an important advance in upgrading the types of tools found in Mesopotamia. Bronze, which was introduced in Mesopotamia in 3000 B.C., was first produced using copper and antimony. Later, smelters created bronze by mixing copper and tin, producing a hard mixture(alloy). Many weapons were made with bronze, including swords, daggers and axes. More advanced weaponry enabled the Sumerians to become a powerful, warring force. The Sumerians are also credited with the creation of the wheel, which led to the development of war chariots, improving their success in battle. Farming and irrigation expanded during the Sumerian period. These creative people invented the plough, which dug up the soil to prepare it for sowing plants. The wheel improved farming methods with the use of carts. The Sumerians are also credited with impressive hydraulic engineering techniques, creating dams, levees, drains, reservoirs and canals to irrigate farms, provide water to settlements and help control floods. The expansion of agriculture due to better tools and technology led to the rise of city-states, which scholars define as a civilisation. One of the most momentous tools that the Sumerians used was their writing system. The Sumerians created clay tablets. With a writing system, Sumerians were able to record history and religious rituals, calculate engineering feats, record administrative information and send letters.