Stratigraphy

Stratigraphy, a branch of geology, is basically the study of rock layers and layering (stratification). It is primarily used in the study of sedimentary and layered volcanic rocks. The subject was essentially invented and first rigorously applied by William Smith in England in the 1790s and early 1800s. Smith, known as the Father of English Geology, created the first geologic map of England and first recognized the significance of strata or rock layering.

See also

• Stratification
• Sequence stratigraphy
• Important publications in stratigraphy