Geologic Time

  
 

Geological Time

Simplified Version

 
 

"visit links within the table for more information"

 

 

 

 

 

 

Geologic Time is divided and subdivided into various categories as presented here:
Eons are divided into Eras; Eras are divided Periods; Periods and subperiods are divided into Epochs
(Epochal subdivisions referred to as "ages" are not given in the chart).
Colors and times conform to the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) Geological Timescale.
Numbers are millions of year ago unless otherwise notes.

 

 

 

 

 

Phanerozoic
EON

(541 mya to present)

"The age of visible life"
ERA
Periods
Epoch
Start

Cenozoic Era

(65 mya to today)

Quaternary (1.8 mya to today)

Holocene (11 kya to today)
.0117

Pleistocene (2.6 mya to 11K)
2.58
Neogene (23 to 1.8 mya)

Pliocene (5.3 to 2.6 mya)
5.333

Miocene (23 to 5 mya)
23.03
Paleogene (65 to 23 mya)

Oligocene (34 to 23 mya)
33.90

Eocene (56 to 34 mya)
56.00

Paleocene (66 to 56 mya)
66.00

Mesozoic Era

(245 to 65 mya)

Cretaceous (146 to 65 mya)

Upper

100.5
Lower
145.0
Jurassic (208 to 146 mya)
Upper
163.5
Middle
174.1
Lower
201.3
Triassic (252 to 201 mya)
Upper
235.0
Middle
247.2
Lower

252.2

Paleozoic Era

(541 to 252 mya)
Permian (299 to 252 mya)
Lopingian
259.9
Guadalupian
272.3
Cisuralian
298.9
Carboniferous
(359 to 299 mya)
Pennsylvanian
323.2
Mississippian
358.9
Devonian (419 to 359 mya)
Upper
382.7
Middle
393.3
Lower
419.2
Silurian (443 to 419 mya)
Pridoli
423.0
Ludlow
427.4
Wenlock
433.4
Llandovery
443.4
Ordovician (485 to 443 mya)

Upper

458.4

Middle

470.0

Lower

485.4
Cambrian (541 to 485 mya)
Furongian
497.0
Series 3
509.0
Series 2
521.0
Terreneuvian
541.0

Proterozoic
EON

(2500 to 541 mya)

Neoproterozoic
(1000 to 541 mya)
Ediacaran or Vendian
635.0
Cryogenian
850.0

Tonian
1000.
Mesoproterozoic
(1600 to 1000 mya)

Stenian
1200.

Ectasian
1400.

Calymmian
1600.
Paleoproterozoic
(2500 to 1600 mya)

Statherian
1800.

Orosirian
2050.
Rhyacian
2300.
Siderian
2500.

Archaean
EON


(4000 to 2500 mya)

Neoarchean (2800 to 2500 mya)
2800.
Mesoarchean (3200 to 2800 mya)
3200.
Paleoarchean (3600 to 3200 mya)
3600.
Eoarchaean (4000 to 3600 mya)
4000.
Hadean
EON
(4567 to 4000 mya)
Lower Imbrian (4100 to 4000 mya)
4100.
Nectarian (4300 to 4100 mya)
4300.
Basin Groups (4500 to 4300 mya)
4500.
Cryptic (4567 to 4500 mya)
4567.