The site is significant because the inhabitants of Abu Hureyra started out as hunter-gatherers but gradually moved to farming, making them the earliest known farmers in the world. Cultivation started at the beginning of the Younger Dryas period at Abu Hureyra. Evidence uncovered at Abu Hureyra suggests that rye was the first cereal crop to be systematically cultivated. In light of this, it is now believed that the first systematic cultivation of cereal crops was around 13,000 years ago.
the site is significant because the inhabitants of abu hureyra started out as hunter-gatherers but gradually moved to farming making them the earliest known farmers in the world cultivation started at the beginning of the younger dryas period at abu hureyra evidence uncovered at abu hureyra suggests that rye was the first cereal crop to be systematically cultivated in light of this it is now believed that the first systematic cultivation of cereal crops was around 13000 years ago