Geology of Europe

The Earth's history provides a practical way to understand the complexity of European geology: the study of geneses. After simplification, it is possible to subdivide tectonic construction according to origin into five broad epochs.

Primitive Europe (Archeozoic and Proterozoic)
The origin of this oldest epoch lies in archaic times and is characterised by various orogenic and metamorphic cycles. From these ancient continental mountains remain the North African Shield and the Arabian and Russian steppes. Part of these are also the Fenno-Sarmatic Shield, which was formed about 2000 million years ago and the Baltic Shield, formed during the Proterozoic age (about 1600 million years ago). Afterwards, these shields experienced heave and erosion.

Paleoeurope (Caledonian)
Paleoeurope is derived from parts of Precambrian cores and younger sedimentary layers, which were deposited in various basins. From the Cambrian (600 million years ago) to the end of the Silurian (440-410 million years ago), Paleoeurope obtained its actual form through the Caledonic orogeny.

Mezoeurope (Varistic, Hercinitic)
Mezoeurope is principally the result of the Varistic orogeny (middle Devonian, about 400 million years ago until upper Permian, 250 million years ago). Together with the Calendonian, Mezoeurope formed the European sub-alpine mountainous landscape. The almost 500 km wide deformation zone shows highly variable folds, but no true nappe overthrusts. From vast marshy woods, continuous bands of coal deposits more than 1000 m thick were formed which stretch from England, over the north of France, Belgium, Saar and Ruhr regions and then into Poland.

Large intercontinental basins
Important erosion of the European shield led to levelling of the landscape and to the formation of continental and shallow marine basins between the Permian and Cretaceous periods. Periodic marine inundation and consequential periods of evaporation brought about the deposit of salt layers well over 1000 m thick.

Neoeurope (Alpidic)
Neoeurope is characterised by the young mountain chains which extend from North Africa (Atlas) and the Iberian Peninsula (Pyrenees) over the Alps to the Balkans and Turkey. The alpine orogeny began in the upper Triassic about 220 million years ago and lasted until the present.