> Around 12,000 years ago, which period of ancient history began with farming, andended with the Bronze Age?And the answer: Neolithic period. Considered the last part of the Stone Age, the Neolithic period was asignificant development in human history. It began with farming and included theuse of crops, domesticated animals, and stone tools. It ended about 6,000 yearslater, when metal tools became widespread in the Bronze Age.This age, also known as the Agricultural Revolution, fell between thePaleolithic Period and the Bronze Age. A more specific timeline (though one thatis debated by many scholars) states that the Neolithic Age began around 10,000BCE. The primary difference between the Neolithic Age and earlier Paleolithicperiod is characterized by the method used to create the stone tools. Earliertools were shaped using chipping methods, whereas in the Neolithic Age, toolswere polished and ground into the proper shape.Some scholars debate that the Neolithic Age marks the beginning of thetransition from nomadic hunter-gatherer societies to more sedentary societies.This is largely due to the beginning phases of cereal grain cultivation. Thegrain required prolonged care and attention, a practice which made it suitableto remain in one location. This transition from hunting and gathering to plantcultivation began in an area called the Fertile Crescent. Historically, theFertile Crescent is characterized by many rivers that create soil fertile enoughfor the cultivation of such cereal grains.While the Neolithic Age is more commonly known for the use of stone tools andgrain cultivation, this period marks a time when archaeologists began to see"specialized crafts." Largely due to the excess of wet clay due to the fertileland surrounded by rivers, pottery became a specialized tool used to store thecereal grains cultivated.For more information, check out this article[https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/topics/reference/neolithic-agricultural-revolution/] from National Geographic.