Silesian (series)

The Silesian is in the geologic timescale of Europe a series or epoch, a subdivision of the Carboniferous system or period.

System	Series (NW Europe)	Stage (NW Europe)	Sub-system (ICS)	Stage (ICS)	Age (Ma)
Permian					younger
Carboniferous	Silesian	Stephanian	Pennsylvanian	Gzhelian	298.9–303.7
				Kasimovian	303.7–307.0
		Westphalian		Moscovian	307.0–315.2
				Bashkirian	315.2–323.4
		Namurian
			Mississippian	Serpukhovian	323.4–330.3
	Dinantian	Visean		Visean	330.3–346.7
		Tournaisian		Tournaisian	346.7–358.9
Devonian					older
Subdivisions of the Carboniferous system in Europe compared with the official ICS-stages (as of 2024)

It was named for Silesia, a region that stretches over the Czech Republic, Poland and Germany.

Geology

It follows or lies on top of the Dinantian epoch/series and lasted from roughly 326.4 to 299.0 Ma ago.^{[citation needed]}

The base of the Silesian is undefined, the top is defined by the first appearance of the conodont Streptognathodus isolatus.

Subdivisions

The Silesian is subdivided into three stages, from young (upper) to old (lower):

• Stephanian
• Westphalian
• Namurian.

See also

• Carboniferous geochronology
• Carboniferous Europe