Geological Time Chart

Approximate chart of the different geological eras, periods, and epochs.

Geological Time

 

...is the period of time covering the physical formation and development of Earth, especially the period prior to human history.

 

( K = THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO ) 
( M = MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO ) 


RECENT - 70 M                     CENOZOIC ERA
     Recent - 3.7 M            Quaternary Period
     Recent - 10 K                Holocene Epoch
     10 K - 3.7 M               Pleistocene Epoch
     3.7 M - 70 M                   Tertiary Period
     3.7 M- 9 M                      Pliocene Epoch
     9 M - 24 M                      Miocene Epoch
     24 M - 40 M                  Oligocene Epoch
     40 M - 56 M                      Eocene Epoch
     56 M- 70 M                   Paleocene Epoch
70 M - 245 M                          MESOZOIC ERA
     70 M- 146 M               Cretaceous Period
     146 M - 200 M                 Jurassic Period
     200 M- 245 M                  Triassic Period
245 M - 570 M                       PALEOZOIC ERA
     245 M - 290 M                Permian Period
     290 M - 325 M       Pennsylvanian Period
     325 M - 360 M       Mississippian Period
     360 M - 410 M              Devonian Period
     410 M - 435 M                 Silurian Period
     435 M - 515 M            Ordovician Period
     515 M - 570 M               Cambrian Period
570 M- *4,500 M              PRECAMBRIAN ERA
     *4,500 M         Approx origin of the Earth