in the palaeolithic, people were pure hunter-gatherers. in the neolithic they were farmers in settlements with domesticated animals and wheat, with over 100 kinds of tools and with pottery. the mesolithic was a transitional period between the two. it happened at different times in different places. mesolithic tools are small tools produced by chipping, and are hunter-gatherer tools, often arrowheads and points. neolithic tools are often polished and far more varied. they are tools of more settled societies with some agriculture.