This dataset complements 13 other datasets as part of a study that compared ancient settlement patterns with modern environmental conditions in the Jazira region of Syria. This study examined settlement distribution and density patterns over the past five millennia using archaeological survey reports and French 1930s 1:200,000 scale maps to locate and map archaeological sites. An archaeological site dataset was created and compared to and modelled with soil, geology, terrain (contour), surface and subsurface hydrology and normal and dry year precipitation pattern datasets; there are also three spreadsheet datasets providing 1963 precipitation and temperature readings collected at three locations in the region. The environmental datasets were created to account for ancient and modern population subsistence activities, which comprise barley and wheat farming and livestock grazing. These environmental datasets were subsequently modelled with the archaeological site dataset, as well as, land use and population density datasets for the Jazira region. Ancient trade routes were also mapped and factored into the model, and a comparison was made to ascertain if there was a correlation between ancient and modern settlement patterns and environmental conditions; the latter influencing subsistence activities. This dataset was created to show precipitation patterns for normal years in the Jazira region; annual precipitation is measured in millimetres. The purpose of mapping was to compare precipitation and settlement patterns in the region. The northern half of the Jazira region receives adequate annual rainfall to sustain dry farming activities; during dry seasons, suitable rainfall is restricted to the northern edges of the region and in higher elevations. Derived from maps produced in following publication: Eugen Wirth: Syrien, eine geographsiche Landeskunde, Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft, Darmstadt 1971.Normal year precipitation map was copied to mylar and scanned to create a polygon coverage. Each polygon was labeled and attributed with precipitation values measured in millimetres. GIS vector data. This dataset was first accessioned in the EDINA ShareGeo Open repository on 2010-09-14 and migrated to Edinburgh DataShare on 2017-02-21.ESRI Shapefile