Final answer:
Barley-based spears or agriculture was first developed around 12,000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent region of the Middle East. This area includes countries like Israel, Jordan, Syria, and others, where wheat and barley were first domesticated, supporting the rise of ancient civilizations.
Step-by-step explanation:
Researchers generally believe that barley-based agriculture was first developed in the region known today as the Middle East. This area is often referred to as the Fertile Crescent, which is a region that includes parts of the modern-day countries such as Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, and Iran.
The region's history of domesticating wild grasses into crops such as wheat and barley dates back about 12,000 years. The Fertile Crescent's high country environment created ideal conditions for such developments and the early domestication of goats and sheep accompanied the cultivation of seeds.
Barley and wheat were not only essential to the diet but also to the development of civilizations, leading to surpluses that supported the rise of cities like those in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, which is in today's Iraq. This agricultural innovation was significant in the spread of farming practices to adjacent regions and eventually around the world.