Another area of early settlements arose in the mountains of today's Syrian Kurdistan. There, around 6000 B.C.E., centering on the Tel Halaf mound complex, a series of distinctive forms of pottery emerged. Yet another Halaf period site, in northern Syria, has been yielding interesting data. Ubaid Society and Culture Around 5000 B.C.E., a more consistent and uniform style of pottery emerged in many areas of the Ancient Near East. Technological improvements allowed a new style to flourish and improved communications caused its rapid diffusion.
Ubaid pottery derives from remains near the southern Iraq city of Ur.
Moreover, the series of tells with remains of Ubaid pottery was far greater in number than the series of sites remaining from any earlier era. Aditionally, tells for which evidence survives formed a novel geographical pattern encompassing a far more extensive settlement area including wholly new locations not previously supporting long term human habitation. Between 5000 and 3500 B.C.E. communities spread out from the moderate rainfall area in the foothills of the mountains and across the Iraqi plain along the Euphrates River. To survive, innovative irrigation techniques were required and luckily, the slow moving Euphrates proved ideal for canal building. Irrigation enhanced grain yield and as settlements spread, trade and travel expanded with water serving as the highway system.