Civilization appeared in six (that we know of) different locations and not just in the Fertile Crescent. The early civilizations appeared in locations/times wh

Civilization appeared in six (that we know of) different locations and not just in the Fertile Crescent. The early civilizations appeared in locations/times when there was an abundance of food, allowing people the time to specialize, creating the first professions. Tradesmen seems to have gathered around various religious sites, creating the first permanent settlements. The need to defend those settlements resulted in fortifications. Fortifications, and the safety they provided, attracted more people and the first cities slowly took form. There's a lot of nice things to say about Norway, but 9k years ago life there was harsh, and it was -- like the rest of the Arctic -- inhabited by hunter/gatherers, if at all.