The Paleolithic era, also known as the Old Stone Age, began about 3.3 million years ago with the earliest known use of stone tools by hominins. Traditionally, the onset of the Paleolithic is dated to around 2.6 million years ago, near the beginning of the Pleistocene Epoch. This era lasted until approximately 10,000 years ago, ending as humans began to adopt agriculture and livestock domestication, marking the transition to the Neolithic period. The Paleolithic is generally divided into three parts: Lower, Middle, and Upper Paleolithic, with significant developments in human tool use and social structures occurring throughout this span.