Catalogue Number: GTR-DVD-1029

UPC: 879061006289

Global Treasures - History's Most Protected Monuments - Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live today, and what we pass on to future generations. Our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration. Places as unique and diverse as the wilds of East Africa's Serengeti, the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Baroque cathedrals of Latin America make up our world's heritage. Join us as we explore one of these protected monuments.

In England, close to the village of Avebury in the county of Wiltshire, a 5,000 year old monument rises from the ground. It is a hill that is almost 40 metres high and is Europe's largest artificial prehistoric earthwork, built around 2800 BC.

The grass-covered limestone hill was created for ritual ceremonies, and its rocks originated from a huge stone circle that dates back to a megalithic culture that encompassed the village of Avebury, in which ancient rituals were performed right up to the time of Christianity.

The White Horses Of Wiltshire are located on several sites in the English county. They are large, white contours of horses that can be seen from far away in the undulating countryside. The 100-metre-long horses consist of limestone, and their origins date back to the 11th century, or perhaps even earlier, as they are very similar to images found in Stone Age drawings.

Scientists believe that the builders of Stonehenge, which is only some 25 kilometres distant, were the same builders that also constructed Avebury, the so-called "Beaker People."