Carboniferous

The Carboniferous is a major division of the geologic timescale that extends from the end of the Devonian period, about 359.2 million years ago (mya), to the beginning of the Permian period, about 299.0 mya. (ICS 2004) As with most older geologic periods, the rock beds that define the period's start and end are well identified, but the exact dates are uncertain by 5–10 million years. The Carboniferous is named for the extensive coal beds of that age found in Great Britain and Western Europe. In North America, the first third of the Carboniferous is called the Mississippian period, and the remainder is called the Pennsylvanian.

Related Topics:
Geologic timescale - Devonian - Mya - Permian - Geologic - Coal - Great Britain - Europe - North America - Mississippian - Pennsylvanian

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