The Neolithic era was one of great technological development: stone was used to make a wide variety of tools for much of the period, though gradual advancement culminated in the invention of metal implements. This period also saw the advent of farming, which led to the First Agricultural Revolution, marking the transition from a lifestyle of hunting and gathering to one of agriculture and settlement. During this time, communities began to cultivate land and to domesticate animals.
Many of the artefacts recovered from the Neolithic period are axes, which were used to fell trees, and to shape timber for construction.