The Early Triassic is the first of three epochs of the Triassic period of the geologic timescale. It spans the time between 252.2 ± 0.5 Ma and 247.2 Ma (million years ago). Rocks from this epoch are collectively known as the Lower Triassic, which is a unit in chronostratigraphy. The Early Triassic is the oldest epoch of the Mesozoic era and is divided into the Induan and Olenekian ages.
The Lower Triassic series is coeval with the Scythian stage, which is today not included in the official timescales but can be found in older literature. In Europe, most of the Lower Triassic is composed of so-called Buntsandstein, a lithostratigraphic unit of continental red beds.
Read more about Early Triassic: Early Triassic Life, Smithian-Spathian Extinction
Famous quotes containing the word early:
“In the early forties and fifties almost everybody “had about enough to live on,” and young ladies dressed well on a hundred dollars a year. The daughters of the richest man in Boston were dressed with scrupulous plainness, and the wife and mother owned one brocade, which did service for several years. Display was considered vulgar. Now, alas! only Queen Victoria dares to go shabby.”
—M. E. W. Sherwood (1826–1903)