The early Neolithic human occupation of Mesopotamia is, like the previous Epipaleolithic period, confined to the foothill zones of the Taurus and Zagros Mountains and the upper reaches of the Tigris and Euphrates valleys The Pre-Pottery Neolithic A (PPNA) period (10,000–8,700 BCE) saw the introduction of agriculture, while the oldest evidence for animal domestication dates to the transition from the PPNA to the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (PPNB, 8700–6800 BCE) at the end of the 9th millennium BCE. This period, primarily focused on the Mesopotamian region — the cradle of civilization — witnessed the rise of agriculture, the hunting of wild game, and unique burial customs in which bodies were buried below the floors of dwellings.^[1]

Agriculture was the cornerstone of Pre-Pottery Neolithic Mesopotamia. The domestication of plants like wheat and barley, coupled with the cultivation of various crops, led to the establishment of permanent settlements. This transition has been documented at sites like Abu Hureyra and Mureybet, which continued to be occupied from the Natufian well into the PPNB.^[2] The so-far earliest monumental sculptures and circular stone buildings from Göbekli Tepe in southeastern Turkey date to the PPNA/Early PPNB and represent, according to the excavator, the communal efforts of a large community of hunter-gatherers.^[3]

Jericho, one of the most significant settlements of the Pre-Pottery Neolithic A (PPNA) period, is considered the world's first town around 9,000 BCE.^[4] It housed a population of 2,000 to 3,000 people, safeguarded by a large stone wall and tower. The purpose of the wall is debated, as there is no clear evidence of significant warfare during this period.^[5] Some theories suggest the wall was built to protect the valuable salt resources of Jericho.^[6] Another theory posits that the tower aligned with the shadow of the nearby mountain on the summer solstice, symbolizing power and supporting the town's ruling hierarchy.^[7]