The rivalry between Cain and Abel reflects a human drama played out over thousands of years in the region that gave birth to the bible. The ancient Israelites lived in the Fertile Crescent, an arc extending from Egypt's Nile Valley to Mesopotamia, between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in modern-day Iraq. This region was not as dry in ancient times as it is today, and land unsuitable for farming could be used for grazing.
Agriculture spurred crafts. Farmers needed receptacles to store grain. The potter'a wheel was invented, which led to wheeled vehicles. The first plows, made of wood and drawn by hand, barely scratched the soil. But by 3000 B.C. Mesapotamian farmers used cattle to pull plows whose bronze-tipped blades dug deeply, greatly increasing harvest productivity.
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