INTERNATIONAL CHRONOSTRATIGRAPHIC CHART

www.stratigraphy.org International Commission on Stratigraphy

em Eon

em Eon

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od

od

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ste / Era

ste / Era

ste / Era
eri

eri

eri
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/P

/P

/P
Er hem

Er hem

Er hem
m

GSSP
GSSA
GSSP

GSSP

GSSP
t

t
ath

ath

ath
numerical Eonothem
no

no

no
numerical numerical numerical
Series / Epoch Stage / Age age (Ma) Series / Epoch Stage / Age Series / Epoch Stage / Age / Eon Erathem / Era System / Period
Eo

Eo

Eo
Sy age (Ma) age (Ma) age (Ma)

Sy

Sy
present 145.0 ± 0.8 358.9 ± 0.4 ~ 541
Holocene Ediacaran
Quaternary
0.0117 Tithonian
Upper 152.1 ±0.9 ~ 635
Famennian Neo-
0.126 Upper Kimmeridgian Cryogenian
Middle 157.3 ±1.0 Upper proterozoic
Pleistocene 0.781 372.2 ±1.6 850
Calabrian Oxfordian Tonian
1.806 163.5 ±1.0 Frasnian 1000
Callovian

Devonian
Gelasian 166.1 ±1.2 Stenian

Jurassic
2.588 Bathonian 382.7 ±1.6
Middle 168.3 ±1.3
Piacenzian Givetian

Proterozoic
Pliocene 3.600 Bajocian 170.3 ±1.4 Meso- 1200
Middle 387.7 ±0.8 Ectasian
Zanclean Aalenian proterozoic
5.333 174.1 ±1.0 Eifelian 1400
Messinian 393.3 ±1.2
Neogene

7.246 Toarcian Calymmian

Tortonian 182.7 ±0.7 1600
Emsian

Mesozoic
11.62
Lower Pliensbachian Statherian
Serravallian 190.8 ±1.0 Lower 407.6 ±2.6
1800
Miocene 13.82 Pragian 410.8 ±2.8
Langhian Sinemurian
Cenozoic

15.97 Orosirian
Paleo-

Precambrian
199.3 ±0.3 Lochkovian
Burdigalian Hettangian 201.3 ±0.2 419.2 ±3.2 proterozoic 2050
20.44 Rhyacian
Aquitanian Rhaetian Pridoli
23.03 ~ 208.5 423.0 ±2.3 2300
Ludfordian 425.6 ±0.9
Chattian Ludlow Siderian
Gorstian

Silurian
28.1 Upper Norian 427.4 ±0.5
Oligocene Homerian 2500

Triassic
Rupelian Wenlock 430.5 ±0.7 Neo-
33.9 ~ 228 Sheinwoodian 433.4 ±0.8 archean
Priabonian Carnian Telychian 2800
Paleogene

38.0 ~ 235 Meso-

Bartonian Llandovery 438.5 ±1.1

Archean
41.3 Ladinian Aeronian 440.8 ±1.2 archean
Phanerozoic

Phanerozoic

Eocene Middle ~ 242 Rhuddanian

Phanerozoic
Lutetian Anisian 443.4 ±1.5 3200

Paleozoic
47.8 247.2 Hirnantian 445.2 ±1.4 Paleo-
Lower Olenekian 251.2
Ypresian Induan 252.17 ±0.06 Upper Katian archean
56.0 Changhsingian 453.0 ±0.7 3600
Thanetian 254.14 ±0.07

Ordovician
59.2 Lopingian Wuchiapingian Sandbian Eo-
Paleocene Selandian 259.8 ±0.4 458.4 ±0.9 archean
61.6
Danian Capitanian Darriwilian 4000
265.1 ±0.4 Middle
66.0 Guadalupian 467.3 ±1.1
Wordian Dapingian
Permian

Maastrichtian 268.8 ±0.5 470.0 ±1.4 Hadean

72.1 ±0.2 Roadian Floian
272.3 ±0.5 ~ 4600
Campanian Kungurian Lower 477.7 ±1.4
283.5 ±0.6 Units of all rank are in the process of being defined by Global Boundary
83.6 ±0.2 Tremadocian Stratotype Section and Points (GSSP) for their lower boundaries,
Upper Santonian 86.3 ±0.5 Artinskian 485.4 ±1.9 including those of the Archean and Proterozoic, long defined by
Cisuralian 290.1 ±0.26 Stage 10 Global Standard Stratigraphic Ages (GSSA).
Coniacian ~ 489.5
Sakmarian
Paleozoic

89.8 ±0.3
295.0 ±0.18 Furongian Jiangshanian Charts and detailed information on ratified GSSPs are
Turonian Asselian ~ 494 available at the website http://www.stratigraphy.org
93.9 298.9 ±0.15 Paibian
Mesozoic
Cretaceous

~ 497
Cenomanian Gzhelian Numerical ages are subject to revision and do not define units in the
Mississippian Pennsylvanian

Upper 303.7 ±0.1

Guzhangian Phanerozoic and the Ediacaran; only GSSPs do. For boundaries in
100.5 Kasimovian ~ 500.5
307.0 ±0.1 the Phanerozoic without ratified GSSPs or without constrained
Series 3 Drumian

Cambrian
Albian numerical ages, an approximate numerical age (~) is provided.
Carboniferous

Middle Moscovian ~ 504.5

~ 113.0 315.2 ±0.2 Stage 5 Numerical ages for all systems except Triassic, Cretaceous and
~ 509 Precambrian are taken from ‘A Geologic Time Scale 2012’ by Gradstein
Aptian Lower Bashkirian Stage 4 et al. (2012); those for the Triassic and Cretaceous were provided
323.2 ±0.4 ~ 514
~ 125.0 Series 2 by the relevant ICS subcommissions.
Barremian Upper Serpukhovian Stage 3
330.9 ±0.2
Lower ~ 129.4 ~ 521 Coloring follows the Commission
Hauterivian Middle Visean Stage 2 for the Geological Map of the World.
~ 132.9 http://www.ccgm.org
Valanginian ~ 529
346.7 ±0.4 Terreneuvian
~ 139.8
Lower Tournaisian Fortunian
Berriasian Chart drafted by K.M. Cohen, S. Finney, P.L. Gibbard
~ 145.0 358.9 ±0.4 541.0 ±1.0 (c) International Commission on Stratigraphy, January 2013

Holocene (0/5/5/0) Tithonian (15/0/0/0) Famennian (5/5/20/0) Ediacaran (0/15/55/0)

Devonian (20/40/75/0)

(0/5/10/0) Upper Neo-

Upper (5/10/35/0)
Quaternary

Upper (0/5/15/0) Kimmeridgian (20/0/0/0) Frasnian (5/5/30/0) proterozoic Cryogenian (0/20/60/0)

Proterozoic (0/80/35/0)
(30/0/0/0)
(0/0/50/0)

(0/30/70/0)
Middle (0/5/20/0) Oxfordian (25/0/0/0) Middle Givetian (5/10/45/0) Tonian (0/25/65/0)
Pleistocene
Jurassic (80/0/5/0)

(0/5/35/0) Calabrian (0/5/25/0) Callovian (25/0/5/0) (5/20/55/0) Eifelian (5/15/50/0) Stenian (0/15/35/0)
Meso-
Gelasian (0/5/30/0)
Middle
Bathonian (30/0/5/0) Emsian (10/15/50/0) proterozoic Ectasian (0/20/40/0)
(50/0/5/0) Lower (0/30/55/0)
M e s o z o i c (60/0/10/0)

P r e c a m b r i a n (0/75/30/0)
(10/30/65/0) Pragian (10/20/55/0) Calymmian (0/25/45/0)
Pliocene Piacenzian (0/0/25/0) Bajocian (35/0/5/0)
Neogene (0/10/90/0)

(0/0/40/0) Zanclean (0/0/30/0) Aalenian (40/0/5/0) Lochkovian (10/25/60/0) Statherian (0/55/10/0)

Messinian (0/0/55/0) Toarcian (40/5/0/0) Pridoli (10/0/10/0) Paleo- Orosirian (0/60/15/0)
C e n o z o i c (5/0/90/0)

(10/0/10/0)
proterozoic
Silurian (30/0/25/0)

Tortonian (0/0/60/0) Lower

Pliensbachian (50/5/0/0) Ludlow Ludfordian (15/0/10/0) (0/75/30/0) Rhyacian (0/65/20/0)
Miocene Serravallian (0/0/65/0) (75/5/0/0) Sinemurian (60/5/0/0) (25/0/15/0) Gorstian (20/0/10/0) Siderian (0/70/25/0)
(0/0/100/0)
Langhian (0/0/70/0) Hettangian (70/5/0/0)
Wenlock Homerian (20/0/15/0)
Neoarchean
Archean (0/100/0/0)

(30/0/20/0) (0/40/5/0) (0/35/5/0)

Burdigalian (0/0/75/0) Rhaetian (10/25/0/0) Sheinwoodian (25/0/20/0)
P h a n e r o z o i c (40/0/5/0)
Triassic (50/80/0/0)

P a l e o z o i c (40/10/40/0)

Upper
Aquitanian (0/0/80/0) Norian (15/30/0/0) Telychian (25/0/15/0)
P h a n e r o z o i c (40/0/5/0)
P h a n e r o z o i c (40/0/5/0)

(25/40/0/0) Mesoarchean (0/50/5/0)

Llandovery (0/60/5/0)
Oligocene Chattian (0/10/30/0) Carnian (20/35/0/0)
(40/0/25/0) Aeronian (30/0/20/0)
(0/25/45/0)
Paleogene (0/40/60/0)

Rupelian (0/15/35/0) Middle Ladinian (20/45/0/0) Rhuddanian (35/0/25/0) Paleoarchean (0/60/0/0)

Priabonian (0/20/30/0) (30/55/0/0) Anisian (25/50/0/0) Hirnantian (35/0/30/0) (0/75/0/0)
Ordovician (100/0/60/0)

Bartonian (0/25/35/0) Olenekian (30/65/0/0) Upper

Eocene Lower (50/0/40/0) Katian (40/0/35/0) Eoarchean
(0/30/50/0) (40/75/0/0) Induan (10/100/0/0) (5/90/0/0)
Lutetian (0/30/40/0) (35/70/0/0) Sandbian (45/0/40/0)
Ypresian (0/35/45/0) Lopingian Changhsingian (0/25/20/0) Middle Darriwilian (55/0/35/0)
Thanetian (0/25/50/0) (0/35/30/0) Wuchiapingian (0/30/25/0) (70/0/50/0) Dapingian (60/0/40/0)
Hadean (30/100/0/0)
Permian (5/75/75/0)

Paleocene
(0/35/55/0) Selandian (0/25/55/0) Capitanian (0/40/35/0) Floian (75/0/45/0)
Danian (0/30/55/0) Guadalupian Wordian (0/45/40/0)
Lower
(90/0/60/0) Tremadocian (80/0/50/0)
CYMK COLOR CODE
(0/55/50/0)
P a l e o z o i c (40/10/40/0)

The CMYK color code is an additive model with percentages of Cyan,

Maastrichtian (5/0/45/0) Roadian (0/50/45/0) Stage 10 (10/0/20/0) Magenta, Yellow and Black. For example: the CMYK color for Devonian
Campanian (10/0/50/0) Kungurian (10/45/40/0) Furongian Jiangshanian(15/0/25/0)
(20/40/75/0) is a mixture of 20% Cyan, 40% Magenta, 75% Yellow and 0%
Cambrian (50/20/65/0)

(30/0/40/0) Black.
M e s o z o i c (60/0/10/0)

Upper Santonian (15/0/55/0) Cisuralian Artinskian (10/50/45/0) Paibian (20/0/30/0)

Cretaceous (50/0/75/0)

The CMYK values are the primary reference system for designating the
(35/0/75/0) (5/65/60/0) Sakmarian official colors for these geological units.
Coniacian (20/0/60/0) (10/55/50/0) Guzhangian (20/5/30/0)
Series 3 The CMYK color code gives the official values only for Cyan (C), Magenta (M)
Turonian (25/0/65/0) Asselian (10/60/55/0) (35/5/45/0) Drumian (25/5/35/0) and Yellow (Y).
Cenomanian (30/0/70/0)
Carboniferous (60/15/30/0)

Gzhelian (20/10/15/0) Stage 5 (30/5/40/0)

Mississippian Pennsylvanian

Upper
(60/25/55/0) (40/10/20/0)

Users may adapt the codes to other purposes by adjusting the K (grayness)
Albian (20/0/40/0) (25/10/20/0) Kasimovian (25/10/15/0) Stage 4 (30/10/40/0) value to obtain a modified hue. This option allows a flexible use of this
Series 2 reference system.
Aptian Middle (40/10/50/0) Stage 3 (35/10/45/0)
(25/0/45/0) (35/10/20/0) Moscovian (30/10/20/0)
The conversion from the reference CMYK values to the RGB codes utilizes
Barremian Lower (35/15/45/0) Adobe® Illustrator® CS3’s color function of “Emulate Adobe® Illustrator® 6.0”
Lower (30/0/50/0) (45/10/20/0) Bashkirian (40/10/20/0)
Terreneuvian Stage 2 (menu Edit / Color Settings / Settings).
(45/0/70/0) Upper Serpukhovian (25/15/55/0) (45/15/55/0) Fortunian
Hauterivian (35/0/55/0) (30/15/55/0) (40/15/50/0)
Valanginian (40/0/60/0) Middle Visean (35/15/55/0)
(40/15/55/0)
Berriasian (45/0/65/0) Lower Tournaisian (45/15/55/0)
(50/15/55/0)

Holocene
Ordovician0/146/112 Silurian 179/225/182 Devonian 203/140/55

254/242/236 Tithonian 217/241/247 Upper Famennian 242/237/197 Ediacaran 254/217/106

254/242/224 Neo-
Upper
249/249/127

Upper Kimmeridgian 204/236/244 241/225/157 Frasnian

Quaternary

255/242/211 242/237/173 proterozoic Cryogenian 254/204/92

Proterozoic 247/53/99

179/227/238 254/179/66
Jurassic 52/178/201

Pleistocene Middle 255/242/199 Oxfordian 191/231/241 Middle Givetian 241/225/133 Tonian 254/191/78
255/242/162 Calabrian 241/200/104 Eifelian
255/242/186 Callovian 191/231/229 241/213/118 Stenian 254/217/154
Meso-
103/197/202

Gelasian 255/242/174 Bathonian 179/226/227 Emsian 229/208/117 proterozoic Ectasian 253/204/138

247/67/112

Middle
128/207/216 Bajocian Lower 253/180/98
Pliocene Piacenzian 255/255/191 166/221/224 Pragian 229/196/104 Calymmian 253/192/122
Paleogene 253/154/82 Neogene 255/230/25

229/172/77
255/255/153 Zanclean 255/255/179 Aalenian 154/217/221 Lochkovian 229/183/90 Statherian 248/117/167
C e n o z o i c 242/249/29

Messinian 255/255/115 Toarcian 153/206/227 Pridoli 230/245/225 Paleo- Orosirian 247/104/152

230/245/225 proterozoic
Tortonian 255/255/102 Pliensbachian 128/197/221 Ludlow Ludfordian 217/240/223 247/67/112 Rhyacian 247/91/137
Lower
Meso zoic

Precambrian

Miocene Serravallian 255/255/89 66/174/208 Sinemurian 103/188/216 191/230/207 Gorstian 204/236/221 Siderian 247/79/124
154/217/221

255/255/0
153/192/141

Langhian 255/255/77 Hettangian 78/179/211 Homerian 204/235/209

Wenlock Neoarchean
250/167/200
Archean 240/4/127
154/217/221

154/217/221

Burdigalian 255/255/65 Rhaetian 227/185/219 179/225/194 Sheinwoodian 191/230/195 249/155/193

Triassic 129/43/146

Upper Norian
Aquitanian 255/255/51 214/170/211 Telychian 191/230/207
189/140/195 Mesoarchean 248/129/181
Carnian 201/155/203 Llandovery 247/104/169
Oligocene Chattian 254/230/170 Aeronian 179/225/194
153/215/179
253/192/122 Rupelian 254/217/154 Ladinian 201/131/191 Rhuddanian 166/220/181
Middle Paleoarchean 246/104/178
Phanerozoic

Priabonian 253/205/161 177/104/177 Anisian 188/117/183 Hirnantian 166/219/171 244/68/159

Paleozoic

Upper
Phanerozoic
Phanerozoic

Eocene Bartonian 253/192/145 Lower Olenekian 176/81/165 Katian 153/214/159 Eoarchean

127/202/147 230/29/140
253/180/108 Lutetian 252/180/130 152/57/153 Induan 164/70/159 218/3/127
Sandbian 140/208/148
Ypresian 252/167/115 Lopingian Changhsingian 252/192/178 Middle Darriwilian 116/198/156
Thanetian 253/191/111 251/167/148 Wuchiapingian 252/180/162 77/180/126 Hadean 174/2/126
Dapingian 102/192/146
Permian 240/64/40

Paleocene
253/167/95 Selandian 254/191/101 Capitanian 251/154/133 Lower Floian 65/176/135
RGB COLOR CODE
153/192/141

Danian 253/180/98 Guadalupian Wordian 251/141/118 26/157/111 Tremadocian 51/169/126

251/116/92 The RGB color code is an additive model of Red, Green and Blue.
Maastrichtian 242/250/140 Roadian 251/128/105 Stage 10 230/245/201
Furongian Jiangshanian
M e s o z o i c 103/197/202

Campanian 230/244/127 Kungurian 227/135/118 Each is indicated on a scale from 0 (no pigment) to 255 (saturation of this
217/240/187
179/224/149 pigment). For example: “Devonian (203/140/205)” indicates a mixture of
Cambrian 127/160/86
Cretaceous 127/198/78

Santonian 217/239/116 Artinskian 227/123/104 Paibian 203 Red, 140 Green and 205 Blue.
Upper Cisuralian 204/235/174
166/216/74 Coniacian 204/233/104 239/88/69 Sakmarian 227/111/92 Guzhangian 204/223/170 The conversion from the reference CMYK values to the RGB codes
utilizes Adobe® Illustrator® CS3’s color function of
Series 3
Paleozoic

Turonian 191/227/93 Asselian 227/99/80 Drumian 191/217/157 “Emulate Adobe® Illustrator® 6.0” (menu Edit / Color Settings / Settings).
166/207/134
For color conversions using a program other than Adobe® Illustrator®, it is
Cenomanian 179/222/83 Gzhelian
Carboniferous 103/165/153

204/212/199 Stage 5 179/212/146

Mississippian Pennsylvanian

Upper necessary to conserve the reference CMYK, even if the resulting RGB
103/143/102 153/194/181

191/208/186 values are slightly different.

Albian 204/234/151 Kasimovian 191/208/197 Series 2 Stage 4 179/202/142
Aptian 191/228/138 Middle Moscovian 179/203/185 153/192/120 Stage 3 166/197/131
166/199/183
Barremian 179/223/127 Lower Bashkirian 153/194/181
Lower 140/190/180 Terreneuvian Stage 2 166/186/128
140/205/87 Hauterivian 166/217/117 Upper Serpukhovian 191/194/107 140/176/108 Fortunian 153/181/117
Color composition by J.M. Pellé (BRGM, France) 2008
179/190/108 Technical review by C. Vinnemann (BGR, Germany)
Valanginian 153/211/106 Middle Visean 166/185/108
153/180/108
Berriasian 140/205/96 Lower Tournaisian 140/176/108
128/171/108