Final answer:
The gray area on the map likely represents Mesopotamia's fertile land, known as the Fertile Crescent. Mesopotamians had access to fertile soil for farming due to the land's location between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which was conducive for early civilizations.
Step-by-step explanation:
The gray area of land on the map most likely represents the fertile land of Mesopotamia, an ancient region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. This region is often called the Fertile Crescent due to its rich soils and conducive climate for agriculture. The Mesopotamians were fortunate to live there because it provided them with the necessary resources to cultivate crops like barley, sesame seeds, and dates. Access to water from the rivers enabled them to create extensive irrigation systems, crucial for their successful grain harvests and storage, which in turn supported the development of complex societies and cities.
The natural resources available in Mesopotamia were significant in the rise of early civilizations. The land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers offered fertile soil due to the deposits of topsoil from the mountains, which the rivers carried to the valleys below. Mesopotamia's climate was temperate and fertile, aiding in the support of large herds of animals and abundant crops, making it ideal for early agriculture and urbanization around 5000 BCE.