Tertiary System Period

the first system (period) of the Cenozoic erathem (era). The Tertiary occupies the topmost position in the initial stratigraphic scheme for the subdivision of deposits of the earth’s crust into Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary. The term “Tertiary system” was proposed in 1759 by the Italian geologist Arduino. Tertiary deposits overlie rocks of the Cretaceous system of the Mesozoic and are covered by Anthropogenic (Quaternary) rocks. In 1959 the Tertiary system (period) was reclassified in the USSR as the Neogene and Paleogene systems (periods). The Neogene and the Paleogene were previously regarded as series (epochs) of the Tertiary system (period).