Rodney Castleden explores the purpose of great prehistoric projects like Avebury and Stonehenge and the nature of the society which built them. Were prehistoric people like us? How did they live, what did they think and how did they see their world? 3000 BC was a moment of great significance in the British Isles. Avebury, Stonehenge and many other major monuments were at vital stages in their construction and use at this time, while writing - often regarded as the ultimate hallmark of civilization - made its first appearance in Europe.