Sand, Mud and Shallow Seas

• Main Author: Southwood, T R E
• Format: Book Part
• Language: unknown
• Published: Oxford University PressOxford 2003
• Subjects: South pole
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198525905.003.0006; https://academic.oup.com/book/chapter-pdf/52320360/isbn-9780198525905-book-part-6.pdf

Abstract During this period—;the Silurian and Devonian—;the continental land masses were, in the main, slowly approaching each other. Gondwana was a single entity, moving over the South Pole. So the continental land masses that now constitute Central Africa, Southern Africa, and South America all passed over the pole until Gondwana was clear of the pole, only to move back again at the end of the period (fig. 6.1). The northern edge of Gondwana was fringed by extensive shallow seas and at one stage these were contiguous with those of the land mass that now includes China—;one of several land masses in the north, that would come together to form the supercontinent Laurasia. The North American and Northern European (Baltica) continents came together, forcing up mountain ranges such as the Appalachians and the ‘Caledonide’of Scotland and Norway.