Rila Monastery Nature Park Management Plan - part - usaid

February 2004 Appendix 8
Geological
era
Paleozoic
Period Main Geological Manifestation throughout the World Main Geological Manifestation in Rila
Carboniferous
Beginning 435 – end
280 million years
Permian
Beginning 280– end
235 million years
Occurrence of belemnites and reptiles.
In the early Carboniferous – subsidence of the northern
continents and marine transgression over the caledonites,
the Russian, Canadian and, partially, the Siberian and
Chinese platforms. Folding of parts of the Alpine-
Himalayan, Ural-Tienshen, Mongol-Ohotsk and
Appalachian belts. Thick formation of coal. In
Gondwanaland – vast glaciations.
Occurrence of ammonites and predacious reptiles.
General trend toward raising of the continents and marine
regression. The southern continent Gondwanaland breaks
in the area of EasternAfrica and the island of Madagascar.
Occurrence of the final Hercynian folding in the moving
belts. Final folding of the Ural-Tienshen, Mongol-Ohotsk,
and Appalachian belts and of large parts of the Alpine-
Himalayan belts. Occurrence of mountain systems –
Hercynides – in their place. Fusion of all northern
continents in one – Laurasia.
Rila Monastery Nature Park
Management Plan (Draft) – Appendices
2004 - 2013
Slow raising of the Earth’s crust early in the
period with partial protrusion above water.
Formation of shallow fresh-water basins in
the periphery where lush Carboniferous
vegetation evolves and sediments, including
coal, form. Severe folding movement at the
end of the period causing folding of the
Carboniferous sediments and their intrusion
into the plutonic bodies of the Rhodopides.
Continuing raising of the Rhodopides above
the sea level as a mountainous area, part of
the Hercynian mountain system.
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