In the final stage of the Stone Age, humans' use of stone tools was coming to an end. People started farming, at different times in different places. Chapters cover how plants and animals were domesticated, how pottery production boomed, and how farming meant that people could settle down, stay put, and build great cities like Jericho. The first known plague victim dates from this era, and so do the earliest temples. Each chapter includes attention-grabbing photos and fascinating facts. Sidebars go deeper, and prompts invite readers to think for themselves. A Timeline of the Neolithic Era gives a big-picture view.