What did the world of the Ancient Near East look like? This map shows major cities, rivers and mountains, and important regions (such as Mesopotamia and the Levant) which are related to the earliest biblical accounts of human history. The region where the cities are most concentrated - stretching from Mesopotamia, the Levant (Palestine) and up to the upper regions of the Nile River - is also called the Fertile Crescent. The biblical accounts related to this period and place include the pre-flood accounts, and the accounts of Noah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.