THE BRITISH ISLES PREHISTORY ARCHIVE

The British Isles was first inhabited by people who crossed over from the European mainland. Traces of modern humans - Homo sapiens - date from about 30,000 years ago.

Perhaps the most prestigious megalithic monument of Europe is Stonehenge, the stone circle presiding on the rolling hills of Salisbury in Wiltshire, England.

Avebury - the world's largest stone circle is just one element of the Neolithic 'monumental landscape' which ranges over many miles of Wiltshire’s rolling downland.

Northumberland harbours well over a thousand examples of ancient human occupation in the form of rock art, created by the Neolithic and Early Bronze Age people between 6000 and 3500 years ago.

The oldest known buried remains in Britain are 29,000 years old, 4,000 years older than previously thought. Showing that burials were taking place in Europe earlier than previously believed.

The Mendip Hills have many prehistoric sites; Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic, Iron Age, and Bronze Age. Britain's oldest skeleton, was found in Gough's Cave, part of the Cheddar caves.

A carving of a speared reindeer in South Wales may be one of Britain's oldest rock art examples. It is believed to have been created by a Ice Age hunter-gatherer more than 14,000 years ago.

In 'Megaliths', Paul Caponigro explores the various configurations of the prehistoric monuments - from standing stones, tumuli, and cairns to circles, alignements and the enigmatic dolmens.

An extraordinary collection of mammoth remains and flint tools unearthed in a Norfolk quarry may be evidence of the first Neanderthal hunting camp to be discovered in Great Britain.