Correct Answer: (A) Neolithic Age

Explanation:

The cultivation of cereals, marking the transition from hunter-gatherer societies to settled farming communities, is a defining characteristic of the Neolithic Age. This period, estimated to have begun around 12,000 years ago in some regions, saw the development of agriculture, including the domestication of plants and animals.

• Option (B), Mesolithic Age: While the Mesolithic period witnessed advancements in tool technology and hunting strategies, it predates the development of agriculture.
• Option (C), Palaeolithic Age: This even earlier period is primarily associated with nomadic hunter-gatherer societies and the use of simple stone tools.
• Option (D), Proto-Historic Age: This period falls between the Neolithic Age and the Iron Age and is characterized by the development of complex societies with advanced technologies like metallurgy, but agriculture was already established by this time.