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Written and designed by Roy Shepherd. Special thanks to my wonderful wife
Lucinda Shepherd, friend Robert Randell and various experts for their support.

Geologic Timescale

Adapted from 'A Geologic Time Scale 2004 (inc 2008 revisions) by F. Gradstein, J. Ogg and A. Smith' (available to purchase at www.amazon.co.uk).

Eon Era Period Epoch Stage Base age (mya) Featured locations
P
H
A
N
E
R
O
Z
O
I
C
C
A
E
N
O
Z
O
I
C
Q
U
A
T
E
R
N
A
R
Y
N
E
O
G
E
N
E
 
Holocene - 0.0117  
Pleistocene Late / Upper 0.126  
Middle 0.781  
Early / Lower 1.806  
Pliocene Gelasian 2.588  
Piacenzian 3.600 Walton-on-the-Naze
Zanclean 5.332  
Miocene Messinian 7.246  
Tortonian 11.608  
Serravallian 13.82  
Langhian 15.97  
Burdigalian 20.43  
Aquitanian 23.03  
P
A
L
A
E
O
G
E
N
E
Oligocene Chattian 28.4 ± 0.1  
Rupelian 33.9 ± 0.1 Bouldnor
Eocene Priabonian 37.2 ± 0.1 Alum Bay
Bartonian 40.4 ± 0.2 Alum Bay Barton on Sea
Lutetian 48.6 ± 0.2 Alum Bay Bracklesham Bay
Ypresian 55.8 ± 0.2 Alum Bay Herne Bay Isle of Sheppey Walton-on-the-Naze
Palaeocene Thanetian 58.7 ± 0.2 Herne Bay
Selandian 61.7 ± 0.2  
Danian 65.5 ± 0.3  
M
E
S
O
Z
O
I
C
C
R
E
T
A
C
E
O
U
S
Late / Upper Maastrichtian 70.6 ± 0.6  
Campanian 83.5 ± 0.7 Peacehaven
Santonian 85.8 ± 0.7 Peacehaven Seaford Seven Sisters
Coniacian 89.3 ± 1.0  Seaford Seven Sisters
Turonian 93.6 ± 0.8 Beachy Head Dover
Cenomanian 99.6 ± 0.9 Beachy Head Hunstanton
Early / Lower Albian 112.0 ± 1.0 Beachy Head Folkestone Hunstanton
Aptian 125.0 ± 1.0  
Barremian 130.0 ± 1.5 Hanover Point
Hauterivian 136.4 ± 2.0  
Valanginian 140.2 ± 3.0  
Berriasian 145.5 ± 4.0 Durlston Bay Hastings
J
U
R
A
S
S
I
C
Late / Upper Tithonian 150.8 ± 4.0  Kimmeridge
Kimmeridgian 155.7 ± 4.0  Kimmeridge
Oxfordian 161.2 ± 4.0  
Middle Callovian 164.7 ± 4.0 Brora River
Bathonian 167.7 ± 3.5  
Bajocian 171.6 ± 3.0  
Aalenian 175.6 ± 2.0  
Early / Lower Toarcian 183.0 ± 1.5  
Pliensbachian 189.6 ± 1.5 Charmouth Lyme Regis Seatown
Sinemurian 196.5 ± 1.0 Charmouth Dunrobin Lyme Regis
Hettangian 199.6 ± 0.6  
T
R
I
A
S
S
I
C
Late / Upper Rhaetian 203.6 ± 1.5  
Norian 216.5 ± 2.0  
Carnian 228.0 ± 2.0  
Middle Ladinian 237.0 ± 2.0  
Anisian 245.0 ± 1.5  
Early / Lower Olenekian 249.7 ± 0.7  
Induan 251.0 ± 0.4  
P
A
L
A
E
O
Z
O
I
C
P
E
R
M
I
A
N
Lopingian Changhsingian 253.8 ± 0.7  
Wuchiapingian 260.4 ± 0.7  
Guadalupian Capitanian 265.8 ± 0.7  
Wordian 268.0 ± 0.7  
Roadian 270.6 ± 0.7  
Cisuralian Kungurian 275.6 ± 0.7  
Artinskian 284.4 ± 0.7  
Sakmarian 294.6 ± 0.8  
Asselian 299.0 ± 0.8  
C
A
R
B
O
N
I
F
E
R
O
U
S
Pennsylvanian (Late) Gzhelian 303.9 ± 0.9  
Kasimovian 306.5 ± 1.0  
Pennsylvanian (Middle) Moscovian 311.7 ± 1.1  
Pennsylvanian (Early) Bashkirian 318.1 ± 1.3  
Mississippian (Late) Serpukhovian 326.4 ± 1.6  
Mississippian (Middle) Visean 345.3 ± 2.1 Crail East Wemyss Kingsbarns
Mississippian (Early) Tournaisian 359.2 ± 2.5  
D
E
V
O
N
I
A
N
Late / Upper Famennian 374.5 ± 2.6  
Frasnian 385.3 ± 2.6  
Middle Givetian 391.8 ± 2.7  
Eifelian 397.5 ± 2.7  
Early / Lower Emsian 407.0 ± 2.6  
Pragian 411.2 ± 2.8  
Lochkovian 416.0 ± 2.8  
S
I
L
U
R
I
A
N
Pridoli - 418.7 ± 2.7  
Ludlow Ludfordian 421.3 ± 2.6  
Gordtian 422.9 ± 2.5 Marloes Sands
Wenlock Homerian 426.2 ± 2.4 Marloes Sands
Sheinwoodian 428.2 ± 2.3 Marloes Sands
Llandovery Telychian 436.0 ± 1.9 Marloes Sands
Aeronian 439.0 ± 1.8 Marloes Sands
Rhuddanian 443.7 ± 1.5  
O
R
D
O
V
I
C
I
A
N
Late / Upper Hirnantian 445.6 ± 1.5  
- 455.8 ± 1.6  
- 460.9 ± 1.6  
Middle Darriwilian 468.1 ± 1.6  
- 471.8 ± 1.6  
Early / Lower - 478.6 ± 1.7  
Tremadocian 488.3 ± 1.7  
C
A
M
B
R
I
A
N
Furongian - -  
Paibian 501.0 ± 2.0  
Middle - -  
- 513.0 ± 2.0  
Early / Lower - -  
- 542.0 ± 1.0  

See 'A Geologic Time Scale 2004, by F. Gradstein, J. Ogg and A. Smith' for earlier periods.

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