Final answer:
The Neolithic period began in Southwest Asia around 12,000 years ago, with key settlements such as Çatalhöyük in southeastern Turkey dating from 7200 to 6000 BCE and Jericho from 8300 to 6500 BCE.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Neolithic period commenced in Southwest Asia around 12,000 years ago, a time marked by the profound cultural shift known as the Neolithic Revolution. During this period, humans began to shift from a lifestyle of hunting and gathering to one based on agriculture and the domestication of animals, leading to the establishment of permanent settlements and the rise of early agricultural societies. One of the earliest known Neolithic sites in Southwest Asia is Çatalhöyük, located in present-day southeastern Turkey, which was occupied from about 7200 to 6000 BCE. Another significant Neolithic city, Jericho, in what is now the Palestinian Territories, dates from 8300 to 6500 BCE. These settlements and others across the region, like Mehrgarh in modern Pakistan, showcased the development of agriculture, animal husbandry, and complex societies.