Steno's principles of stratigraphy

What was discovered

In his «Prodromus» (1669) Steno stated superposition (in an undisturbed sequence, the lower strata are older), original horizontality and lateral continuity of layers, and recognised fossils as remains of living beings. Rocks became a record ordered in time.

What it led to

• Modern stratigraphy
• Relative dating of rocks

Built on

• Fossils as remains of marine organisms (Leonardo da Vinci)c. 1508-1510

Made possible

• Fossils as 'medals' of Earth's history (Hooke)1668 (publicado 1705)
• Primary, secondary and tertiary mountains (Arduino)1759-1760
• Law of rational indices and integrant molecule (Haüy)1784
• Uniformitarianism and deep time1788 / 1830
• Paris Basin: succession of strata by their fossils (Cuvier and Brongniart)1808-1811
• Stratigraphy and index fossils: first geological map1796-1815
• Geologic time scale1822-1841
• Aquifers and Darcy's law of groundwater flow1856

📄 Original publication

Links

Sources

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolas_Steno
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_superposition