Prehistoric Timeline

Hadean

4.6-4.0 billion years ago

Earth formation and early development

Archean

4.0-2.5 billion years ago

First simple life forms appeared

Proterozoic

2.5 billion-541 million years ago

First complex cells and multicellular life

Cambrian

541-485 million years ago

Explosion of complex life forms

Ordovician

485-444 million years ago

First vertebrates and great marine biodiversity

Silurian

444-419 million years ago

First land plants and jawed fish

Devonian

419-359 million years ago

Age of Fishes and first forests

Carboniferous

359-299 million years ago

Giant insects and early reptiles

Permian

299-252 million years ago

Rise of early mammal ancestors

Triassic

252-201 million years ago

First dinosaurs and mammals

Jurassic

201-145 million years ago

Age of giant dinosaurs

Cretaceous

145-66 million years ago

Last period of non-avian dinosaurs

Paleogene

66-23 million years ago

Rise of mammals after dinosaur extinction

Neogene

23-2.6 million years ago

Modern mammals and grasslands emerge

Quaternary

2.6 million years ago - present

Ice ages and human evolution