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The construction of Stonehenge began somewhere around 2750 B.C. The people of that time where somewhere between the New Stone Age and the Bronze Age. They were a settled, agricultural people that depended on raising cattle and growing grains. Apparently they were prosperous enough and this project important enough for them to take time away from their daily lives to work on creating this megalith.
First, a circular ditch was dug around the whole site, enclosing it. The rubble from this ditch was used to create a raised bank within the ditch that was two yards high and 106 yards in diameter. After this, the Aubrey Holes were made just inside the circle of the bank. The Aubrey Holes (named after their discoverer, John Aubrey) are a ring of 56 pits that were dug 1.5m (5 feet) deep, then immediately filled in again. Nothing was buried in them and their exact purpose is unknown. They were evenly spaced, so obviously they were used to mark something.
Near the ring of Aubrey Stones were placed four stones, known as the Station Stones, that marked out a rectangle in which solar and lunar sight lines intersect. Two 'gateway' stones were erected at the entry into the enclosure and outside of these the Heel Stone was placed. It was this stone that marked the sunrise at summer soltice. Outside of the gateway stones were placed fourty wooden posts, marking the position of the moon on winter soltice. This position changes over a period of 18 - 61 years. This was Stonehenge in its earliest phase which looks nothing like it does now.
Thanks to Birklea Graphics for the background.
Thanks to Deneika's Graphics for the lovely buttons.