ICS

GEOLOGIC TIME SCALE

PHANEROZOIC PRECAMBRIAN PALEOZOIC
Polarity Period
AGE (Ma)
255 260 265

CENOZOIC
Period
AGE (Ma)
0

MESOZOIC
Period
AGE (Ma)

Sea Epoch Age / Stage Polarity Chron level

Pleistocene 1.81
Holocene 0.13 Lt. Pleist. 0.78 Ionian Calabrian

Sea Epoch Age / Stage Polarity Chron level Maastrichtian

C30 C31 C32
70.6

Epoch Age / Stage

Lopingian
253.8 Changhsingian 260.4

Sea level

AGE Eon (Ma)

600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200

Era

Period
635

Quaternary*

C1 C2

70 75 80

Wuchiapingian Capitanian

Neoproterozoic

Ediacaran

2.59

Gelasian

Cryogenian Tonian Stenian Ectasian Calymmian Statherian

Permian

Late

Cisuralian

Messinian
7.25

C3
85

83.5

285 290 295

284.4

1300 1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000 2100 2200 2300 2400 2600 2500 2700 2800 2900 3000 3100 3200 3300 3400 3500 3600 3700 3800 3900 4000 4100 4200 4300 4400 4500 4600

10

Tortonian

C4

90 95

93.6

Turonian

Sakmarian
294.6 299.0

Neogene

Cretaceous

11.61

Mississippian Pennsylvanian Middle Late Late

Cenomanian
99.6

Asselian Gzhelian Moscovian

300 305 C34 310

303.4

13.82

M E

Paleoproterozoic

Miocene

Serravallian Langhian
15.97

100 105

307.2 Kasimovian 311.7 318.1

Proterozoic

Santonian Coniacian 88.6

85.8

280

Artinskian

Mesoproterozoic

Pliocene

3.6

Piacenzian Zanclean

Campanian

Guada- 265.8 lupian 268.0

270.6

5.33

C33

270 275

Wordian Roadian Kungurian 275.6

Orosirian Rhyacian Siderian

15

C5
110 115

320
112.0

Carboniferous

Albian

315

Bashkirian

325 330

Serpukhovian
328.3

Burdigalian

20

20.43

340
125.0 130.0 133.9

125

Early

Aquitanian
23.03

C6
130

Barremian

Hauterivian

M0r M1 M3 M5/ M8 M9/ M11 M12/ M15 M16/ M18 M19/ M21 M22 M23/ M25 M26/ M32 M33/ M37 M38/ M41

345 350 355 360 365

345.3

Tournaisian
359.2

25

Chattian

C8 C9 C10 C11

Valanginian
140 145 150
140.2

Oligocene

28.4

145.5

Berriasian Tithonian

375 380 385 390 395 400 405 410 415 420 425 430 435 440 445

374.5

Rupelian C12
33.9

Middle

155 160 165

Kimmeridgian
155.6

391.8 397.5

Givetian Eifelian

Oxfordian
161.2 164.7

Early

C13 C15 C16 C17 C18 C19

Callovian Bathonian Bajocian

Emsian
407.0 411.2 Pragian Lochkovian 416.0

Priabonian
37.2

Middle

35

Jurassic

167.7 171.6 175.6

170 175 180 185

Llandovery

40

40.4

Toarcian
183.0

Silurian

Bartonian

Aalenian

Pridoli

418.7 Ludfordian Ludlow 421.3 422.9 Gorstian Wenlock 426.2 Homerian 428.2 Sheinwoodian 436.0

Telychian

Paleogene

Early

Pliensbachian
189.6

439.0 Aeronian 443.7 Rhuddanian 445.6 Hirnantian

Eocene

C20 Lutetian C21

48.6

190 195 200 205 210

Legend:
Normal polarity Reversed polarity Uncertain polarity

45

Sinemurian
196.5 199.6 203.6

Late

450

Katian
455.8 460.9

Ordovician

455 460 465 E24/ E18 E17/ E15 E14 E13 E12/ E10 E9 E8 E7 E6/ E1 470 475 480 485 490 495 500

Hettangian Rhaetian

Sandbian

Middle

Darriwilian
468.1 471.8 Dapingian 478.6

50

C22 Ypresian C23

Late

Early

Norian
216.5

Floian

215

Tremadocian
488.3 492 496 499 503 510 515 521 528 506.5

Triassic

55

C24
55.8

220 225

Carnian
228.7

Furongian Epoch 3 Epoch 2 Terreneuvian

Stage 10 Stage 9 Paibian

Guzhangian

Paleocene

58.7

230 235 240

510 515 520 525 530

60

Selandian
61.1

C26 C27

Middle

Ladinian
237.0

Cambrian

Thanetian

C25

505

Drumian Stage 5 Stage 4 Stage 3 Stage 2

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 Concise Geologic Time Scale by J.G. Ogg, G. Ogg and F.M. Gradstein (in press), and the website of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS) www.stratigraphy.org . This chart was produced using TimeScale Creator software: http://www.tscreator.com.

Eoarchean Hadean
Time ScaLe R Creator
Cen Mesozoic Paleozoic Precambrian

Late

30

150.8

Devonian

Frasnian
385.3

Anisian
245.9 249.5 Olenekian 251.0

Danian
65
65.5 65.5

C29

Early

C28

245 250

535 540

Fortunian
542

Induan

Neogene 0

Paleogene
65.5

Cretaceous
145.5

Jurassic
199.6

Triassic
251

Permian

Carboniferous
299 359.2

Devonian

Silurian Ordovician
416 443.7 488.3

Paleoarchean Cambrian
542 Ma

23

* Definition of the Quaternary and revision of the Pleistocene are under discussion. Base of the Pleistocene is at 1.81 Ma (base of Calabrian), but may be extended to 2.59 Ma (base of Gelasian). The historic Tertiary comprises the Paleogene and Neogene, and has no official rank.

Late

370

Famennian

Copyright 2008 International Commission on Stratigraphy No reproduction of any parts without written permission by ICS.

Archean

C7

135

MesoNeoarchean archean

Early

120

Aptian

335

Visean