International Commission on Stratigraphy

ICS

A Proposal for Simplifying the International Geological Time Scale Chart

PHANEROZOIC
AGE (Ma)
0

Period
Quaternary*

Epoch

CENOZOIC
Stage

Pliocene

C2

2.59

E Zanclean
Messinian
C3

3.60 5.33 7.25

75 80 85 90 95

265 270 275 83.5 85.8 89.3 93.5 99.6 280 285 290 295 305 310 315 320 325 330 112.0 335 340 345 350 355 360 365 370 300

Permian

1.81

70

C31 C32

70.6

260

mixed polarity

Pleistocene

C1

Maastrichtian

255

L M

Illawara

Holocene

Polarity Chron

AGE Sea (Ma) level

AGE (Ma) Period

Epoch

MESOZOIC
Stage

Middle Early Gelasian Piacenzian

Polarity AGE Sea Chron (Ma) level 65.5 C30

AGE (Ma) Period

Epoch

PALEOZOIC
Stage
Lopin- Changhsingian gian Wuchiapingian Capitanian
Wordian Roadian

Polarity Chron

(Ma) 251.0 253.8 260.4 265.8 268.0 270.6 275.6

AGE

Sea level

Late

Campanian Santonian Coniacian Turonian

Guadalupian

C33 C34
Cretaceous Normal-Polarity Super-Chron ("Cretaceous Quiet Zone")

Kungurian Kiaman "Donetzian"

mixed polarity mixed polarity mixed polarity

Cisuralian

reversed polarity mixed polarity

Artinskian Sakmarian Asselian Gzhelian

284.4 294.6 299.0 303.9 306.5 311.7 318.1 326.4

Neogene

Cretaceous

Carboniferous

Miocene

11.61

Cenomanian

Pennsylvanian Mississippian

10

Tortonian Serravallian Langhian

C4

100 105 110 115 120

Middle
Albian

Moscovian Bashkirian
Serpukhovian

Kasimovian

15

C5

13.65

15.97

Burdigalian
20

E
Aquitanian
C6

Aptian

M"-1r"
(ISEA)

Visean

345.3

20.43

125 130 135 140 145 150 155 160

23.03

Early

Barremian Hauterivian Valanginian Berriasian Tithonian

M0r M1 M3 M5/ M10 M11 M12/ M15 M18/ M21 M22 M23/ M25 M26/ M32 M33/ M37
M16 M17

Tournaisian

125.0 130.0

359.2

Famennian

25

Oligocene

C7

Devonian

Chattian

136.4 140.2 145.5 150.8 155.7 161.2

375 380 385 390 395 400 405 410 415 420 425 430 435 440 445 450 455 460 465 470 475 480 485 490 495 500 505 510 515

Late Frasnian Middle Givetian Eifelian Emsian Pragian Lochkovian

Ludfordian Gorstian Homerian Sheinwoodian

374.5

C8 C9 C10
28.4

385.3

"Sayan (Rn)"
no data

391.8 397.5 407.0 411.2 416.0 418.7 421.3 422.9 426.2 428.2 436.0 439.0 443.7 445.6 455.8 460.9 468.1 471.8 478.6 488.3 492.0 496.0 501.0 503.0 506.5 510.0 517.0 521.0

30

E Rupelian

C11 C12 C13/ C16 C17

33.9

Late Kimmeridgian
Oxfordian Callovian

Early L
Pridoli

Tertiary*

Ordovician Silurian

Jurassic

35

L Priabonian
Bartonian

165 37.2 170 175 40.4 180 185

Middle

Bathonian

England France 164.7 Southern 167.7 Spain Southern 171.6 Switzerland 175.6 S-Switzer- France, land, Spain, N-Italy Switzerland

Ludlow Wenlock

Pridoli

Bajocian Aalenian Toarcian

E Llandovery

Telychian Rhuddanian
Hirnantian

Aeronian

40

C18 C19

Late

Katian Sandbian

Paleogene

183.0

Eocene

M
Lutetian

C20

Early Pliensbachian
Sinemurian Hettangian Rhaetian Norian

Middle

Darriwilian Dapingian Floian

190 195

189.6

45

C21
48.6

western Austria 196.5

199.6

Early FuronL gian

Tremadocian Stage 10 Stage 9 Paibian Drumian Stage 5 Stage 4 Stage 3 Stage 2

534.6
Stage 7

200 205 210 215

50

E Ypresian
55

C23

Late

E17 E16 E14 E13 E12/ E10 E9 E8 E7 E6/E2

Greece, Italy, Austria 237.0 and Turkey Albania, Greece, Poland 245.0 Canadian Arctic 249.7 251.0 E15 216.5

Cambrian

C22

E24/ E18

203.6

M Series

Triassic

520 525 530 535

Series 2 Terreneuvian
E

C24
55.8

220 225 230 235 61.7 240 245 65.5 250

Carnian

L Thanetian

Paleocene

C25
58.7

228.0

540

Fortunian

542.0

Ladinian Anisian

60

M Selandian E
Danian

C26 C27 C28 C29

Middle

This chart shows consistent Early, Middle and Late Epoch subdivisions and also inserts the informal, but widely used Tertiary. For details see "A Geologic Time Scale 2004" by F. M. Gradstein, J. G. Ogg, A. G. Smith, et al. (2004) with Cambridge University Press, and the official website of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS) under www.stratigraphy.org . This chart is copyright protected; no reproduction of any parts may take place without written permission by the ICS. This chart was drafted by Gabi Ogg.

65

Early
Triassic

Olenekian
Induan

Neogene 0

Paleogene
65.5

Cretaceous
145.5

Jurassic
199.6

Permian
251

Carboniferous
299

Devonian

Silurian Ordovician
416 443.7 488.3

Cambrian
542 Ma

Quaternary*: Formal chronostratigraphic unit recommended by joint ICS-INQUA taskforce (2005) and ICS. Tertiary*: Informal chronostratigraphic unit sensu Aubry et al. (2005, Episodes 28/2).

23

359.2

Copyright 2007 International Commission on Stratigraphy