c 

 
   
c

c     c 
 

11,477 years ago
(+/- 85 years) to
the Present
An epoch of the
Quaternary
period. It is
 

named after the
Greek words
1.8 million years ago to the Present "holos" (entire)
 
 
65.5 million years ago
The second period of the Cenozoic
era. It contains two epochs: the
and "ceno"
(new).
 to Present
 

Pleistocene and the Holocene. It is
named after the Latin word "quatern"
(four at a time).  

 
The several geologic eras were 1.8 million to
An era of geologic approximately

 time from the
originally named Primary,
Secondary, Tertiary, and Quaternary. 11,477 (+/- 85
beginning of the The first two names are no longer years) years ago
 Tertiary period to the
present. Its name is
used. Tertiary and Quaternary have
!"
been retained but used as period
 from Greek and
means "new life."
designations. 
An epoch of the
 
 
Quaternary
period. It is
  

   
named after the
Greek words
"pleistos" (most)
 c

and "ceno"
(new).
 
  
c

  

5.3 to 1.8 million
years ago


65.5 to 1.8 million years ago Final epoch of

the Tertiary
The first period of the Cenozoic era period. It is
(after the Mesozoic era and before named after the
the Quaternary period). Greek words
"pleion" (more)
and "ceno"
(new).
  

23.0 to 5.3 million
years ago
A epoch of the
upper Tertiary
period. It is
named after the
Greek words
"meion" (less)
and "ceno"
(new).

# 

33.9 to 23.0
million years ago
An epoch of the
early Tertiary
period. It is
named after the
Greek words
"oligos" (little,
few) and "ceno"
(new).

c 

55.8 to 33.9
million years ago
An epoch of the
lower Tertiary
period. Its name
is from the Greek
words "eos"
(dawn) and
"ceno" (new).

 

65.5 to 58.8
million years ago
Earliest epoch of
the Tertiary
period. It is
named after the
Greek words
"palaois" (old)
and "ceno"
(new).
 
c 
 
 
c

c    
c 
   or
145.5 to 65.5 million years ago &
 %
 
   
The final period of the Mesozoic era. The
name is derived from the Latin word for
chalk ("creta") and was first applied to c
or
 251.0 to 65.5 million
years ago
extensive deposits of this age that form
 '
white cliffs along the English Channel
  $ between Great Britain and France.


 An era of geologic time  or
between the Paleozoic
 and the Cenozoic. The
word Mesozoic is from
( 
199.6 to 145.5 million years ago
&

 Greek and means

"middle life."
The middle period of the Mesozoic era. It
is named after the Jura Mountains between

 
 
France and Switzerland, where rocks of
this age were first studied. c
or
   

  c
 '

     or


   251.0 to 199.6 million years ago &
 c
The earliest period of the Mesozoic era.
The name Triassic refers to the threefold
 division of rocks of this age in Germany.


The Break-up of the continent Pangea ... c

or
MORE
 '

c 
 
   
c

c     c 

    




 542.0 to 251.0
million years ago
299.0 to 251.0 million years ago
!  

  


 
The final period of the Paleozoic era. It is
named after the province of Perm, Russia,
where rocks of this age were first studied.
 An era of geologic
time, from the end
NOTE: all series/epochs of the

 of the Precambrian
to the beginning of Silurian and the Permian have
the Mesozoic. The been named. Although the usage  

 word Paleozoic is
from Greek and
of these names is preferred,
"lower/early", "middle", and
 means "old life."
"upper/late" are still acceptable as
informal units (lowercase) for
 Development of these two systems/periods.
the Eastern
 Piedmont ...
Taconic Orogeny 


$

 or
 ... MORE
318.1 to 299.0 &
million years ago
 
  

 
   
A period of the
Paleozoic era. It is

 
  named after the
   state of
359.2 to 299.0 Pennsylvania c
or
c million years ago where rocks of  '
  this age are

   widespread.
A period of time
c
in the Paleozoic
era that includes
the 
 or
Pennsylvanian 359.2 to 318.1 &
and Mississippian million years ago
periods.
A period of the 
Paleozoic era. It is
named after the
Mississippi River
valley, which
contains good c
or
exposures of rocks  '
of this age.

%$

 or

416.0 to 359.2 million years ago &
A period of the Paleozoic era. It is named
after Devonshire, England, where rocks of

 this age were first studied. c
or
 '

 
 
443.7 to 416.0 million years ago
A period of the Paleozoic. It is named after   '
a Celtic tribe called the Silures.

NOTE: all series/epochs of the )
 *

Silurian and the Permian have
been named. Although the usage
of these names is preferred,
"lower/early", "middle", and
"upper/late" are still acceptable as 
 $

informal units (lowercase) for

these two systems/periods.

 or
# $
&
488.3 to 443.7 million years ago
The second earliest period of the Paleozoic 
era. It is named after a Celtic tribe called
the Ordovices.
c
or
 '

 or

&
542.0 to 488.3 million years ago
The earliest period of the Paleozoic era. It 
is named after Cambria, the Roman name
for Wales, where rocks of this age were
first studied. c
or
 '


+++
approximately 4 billion years ago to 542.0 million years ago
+++ The name "Precambrian" means "before Cambrian". According to the Divisions of
Geologic Time -- Major Chronostratigraphic and Geochronologic Units (USGS Fact Sheet
2007-3015, March 2007), for many years the term "Precambrian" was used for the division of
time older than the Phanerozoic Eon (which includes the Cenozoic, Mesozoic, and Paleozoic
Eras, see above). Today however the term is considered to be informal and without specific
stratigraphic rank. The "Precambrian" covers the Proterozoic, Archean, and Hadean Eons.