Neolithic art produced from about 8,000 years ago and introduced weaving, architecture, the construction of megaliths and increasingly stylized pictographs that were well on their way to becoming writing. The development of farming in the Neolithic was one of the most important and revolutionary innovations in the history of the human species. It allowed more permanent settlements, much larger and denser populations, the accumulation of surpluses and wealth, the development of more profound status and rank differences within populations, and the rise of specialized crafts. In addition Neolithic toolmaking generally shows a great deal of technological continuity with the Mesolithic that includes blade, bladelet, a wide range of retouched tools, ground and polished axes and adzes, grinding stones, such as mortars and pestles, for the processing of cereal foods, the widespread use of pottery, the construction of granaries for storage of grains, the use of domesticated plant fibers for textiles, and weaving technology.