Erathem or System,Subsystem or Series or

Eon
Era Period,Subperiod Epoch
Holocene
11,477 years ago
(+/- 85 years) to
the Present
An epoch of the
Quaternary
period. It is
Quaternary named after the
Greek words
1.8 million years ago to the Present "holos" (entire)
The second period of the Cenozoic and "ceno"
P Cenozoic
65.5 million years ago
era. It contains two epochs: the
Pleistocene and the Holocene. It is
(new).

named after the Latin word "quatern"

h to Present
"Age of Recent
(four at a time). Pleistocene
1.8 million to
a Life" The several geologic eras were
originally named Primary, approximately
An era of geologic Secondary, Tertiary, and Quaternary. 11,477 (+/- 85
n time from the The first two names are no longer
used. Tertiary and Quaternary have
years) years ago
beginning of the
"The Great Ice
e Tertiary period to the
present. Its name is
been retained but used as period
designations. Age"
r from Greek and
means "new life."
An epoch of the
Quaternary

o The Cenozoic,
period. It is
named after the
Greek words
z Mesozoic, and
Paleozoic
"pleistos" (most)
and "ceno"
o Eras are part
of the
(new).

i Phanerozoic Pliocene
Eon 5.3 to 1.8 million
c years ago
Final epoch of
Tertiary the Tertiary
65.5 to 1.8 million years ago period. It is
The first period of the Cenozoic era named after the
(after the Mesozoic era and before Greek words
the Quaternary period). "pleion" (more)
and "ceno"
(new).

Miocene
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).

Oligocene
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).

Eocene
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).

Paleocene
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).
 Series
Erathem or System,Subsystem or
Eon or
Era Period,Subperiod
Epoch
Cretaceous Late or
145.5 to 65.5 million years ago Upper
"The Age of Dinosaurs"
P Mesozoic
The final period of the Mesozoic era. The
name is derived from the Latin word for
chalk ("creta") and was first applied to Early or
h 251.0 to 65.5 million
years ago
extensive deposits of this age that form
Lower
white cliffs along the English Channel
a "Age of Medieval between Great Britain and France.
Life"
n An era of geologic time Late or
between the Paleozoic
e and the Cenozoic. The
word Mesozoic is from
Jurassic
199.6 to 145.5 million years ago
Upper

r Greek and means

"middle life."
The middle period of the Mesozoic era. It
is named after the Jura Mountains between
Middle
o The Cenozoic,
France and Switzerland, where rocks of
this age were first studied. Early or
z Mesozoic, and
Paleozoic Eras
Lower

o are part of the Triassic Late or

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

The Break-up of the continent Pangea ... Early or

MORE
Lower

Erathem or System,Subsystem or Series or

Eon
Era Period,Subperiod Epoch

Paleozoic Permian Lopingian

P 542.0 to 251.0
million years ago
h "Age of Ancient
Life"
299.0 to 251.0 million years ago
The final period of the Paleozoic era. It is Guadalupian
named after the province of Perm, Russia,
where rocks of this age were first studied.
Cisuralian
a An era of geologic
time, from the end
NOTE: all series/epochs of the
Silurian and the Permian have
of the Precambrian
n to the beginning of
the Mesozoic. The
been named. Although the usage
of these names is preferred,
e word Paleozoic is
from Greek and
"lower/early", "middle", and
"upper/late" are still acceptable as
means "old life."
r informal units (lowercase) for
these two systems/periods.
o Development of
the Eastern
z Piedmont ...
Taconic Orogeny
Pennsylvanian Late or
318.1 to 299.0 Upper
o ... MORE
million years ago
"The Coal Age"
i The
Cenozoic, A period of the
Middle
Paleozoic era. It is
c Mesozoic,
Carboniferous named after the
and 359.2 to 299.0
state of
Paleozoic Pennsylvania Early or
million years ago where rocks of Lower
Eras are this age are
part of the widespread.
A period of time
Phanerozoic in the Paleozoic
era that includes
Eon the Mississippian Late or
Pennsylvanian 359.2 to 318.1 Upper
and Mississippian million years ago
periods.
A period of the Middle
Paleozoic era. It is
named after the
Mississippi River
valley, which
contains good Early or
exposures of rocks Lower
of this age.

Late or
Devonian Upper
416.0 to 359.2 million years ago
A period of the Paleozoic era. It is named Middle
after Devonshire, England, where rocks of
this age were first studied.
Early or
Lower

Silurian Pridoli
 443.7 to 416.0 million years ago Ludlow
A period of the Paleozoic. It is named after
a Celtic tribe called the Silures.
Wenlock
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 Llandovery
"upper/late" are still acceptable as
informal units (lowercase) for
these two systems/periods.

Late or
Ordovician Upper
488.3 to 443.7 million years ago
The second earliest period of the Paleozoic Middle
era. It is named after a Celtic tribe called
the Ordovices.
Early or
Lower

Late or
Cambrian Upper
542.0 to 488.3 million years ago
The earliest period of the Paleozoic era. It Middle
is named after Cambria, the Roman name
for Wales, where rocks of this age were
first studied. Early or
Lower

Precambrian ***
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.