Editing Channel Islands (section)

===Prehistory===

{{Main|History of Jersey|History of Guernsey|German occupation of the Channel Islands}}
[[File:La Gran'mère du Chimquière Guernsey.jpg|thumb|''La Gran'mère du Chimquière'', [[Statue menhir]], [[Saint Martin, Guernsey]]|upright]]
The earliest evidence of human occupation of the Channel Islands has been dated to 250,000 years ago when they were attached to the landmass of continental Europe.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thisisjersey.com/island-life/history-heritage/la-cotte/ |title=Thisisjersey.com |publisher=Thisisjersey.com |access-date=4 October 2012 |archive-date=18 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120918043829/http://www.thisisjersey.com/island-life/history-heritage/la-cotte/ |url-status=usurped}}</ref> The islands became detached by [[past sea level|rising sea levels]] in the [[Mesolithic]] period. The numerous [[dolmen]]s and other archaeological sites extant and recorded in history demonstrate the existence of a population large enough and organised enough to undertake constructions of considerable size and sophistication, such as the burial mound at [[La Hougue Bie]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thisisjersey.com/community/history-heritage/la-hougue-bie/ |title=Thisisjersey.com |publisher=Thisisjersey.com |access-date=4 October 2012 |archive-date=19 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110919003933/http://www.thisisjersey.com/community/history-heritage/la-hougue-bie/ |url-status=usurped}}</ref> in Jersey or the [[statue menhir]]s of Guernsey.