Proterozoic Collection

Earth supercontinents, artwork C015 / 1916
Earth supercontinents. Artwork showing three of the supercontinents that have formed during the history of the Earth. From top to bottom, and oldest to youngest

Early Earth globe, artwork C016 / 3733
Early Earth globe, artwork. On this early Earth, the first continents are forming with clouds present in the atmosphere. On the existing land masses, there is widespread volcanic activity

USA, Arizona, Grand Canyon, steep-sided gorge, eroded by Colorado River, cross-section and illustrative insets

View of Earth 650 million years ago during the Marinoan glaciation
This is how the Earth may have appeared about 650 million years ago during a period when snow and ice may have covered most, if not all, of the Earths surface and oceans

Planet Earth 600 million years ago following the Cryogenian period
This is how the Earth may have appeared 600 million years ago following the Cryogenian Snowball Earth period. The worldwide glaciers have melted and the ocean is largely liquid again

Kenorland prehistoric landscape, artwork
Kenorland prehistoric landscape. Artwork showing a landscape at the time of the Kenorland supercontinent (2.7 to 2.1 billion years ago) during the Archean Era and Proterozoic Era

Early Earths internal structure, artwork
Early Earths internal structure. Artwork of a hemispherical cross-section through the early Earth, with thin oceanic crust and formation of the first continental landmasses

Proterozoic Ice Age

Cyclomedusa from the latest Precambrian (Ediacaran) of South Australia. The slab of sandstone bearing this apparent jellyfish has a visible width of about 8cms

Fossilised prehistoric aquatic organism. Fossilised remains (circles) of Cyclomedusa radiata from the Proterozoic era, around 2500-542 million years ago

Vredefort crater, satellite image. The Vredefort meteor impact crater (semi-circular, lower centre) is the largest, and second-oldest, known impact crater on Earth

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Wander back in time 2.5 billion years ago to the enigmatic Proterozoic Eon, a pivotal chapter in Earth's geological history. This era marked the consolidation of supercontinents, with the assembly of Rodinia around 750 million years ago, depicted in artwork C015. Earth's early globe, as shown in C016, bore stark contrasts to today's habitable planet. Fast forward to 650 million years ago, during the Marinoan Glaciation, where our planet was blanketed in ice, as hinted in the view of Earth at that time. The Grand Canyon in Arizona, USA, a steep-sided gorge eroded by the Colorado River, offers a glimpse into the geological past, as illustrated in cross-section and insets. Meanwhile, 600 million years ago, following the Cryogenian period, the Kenorland prehistoric landscape flourished, as depicted in artwork. Earth's internal structure underwent significant changes, as shown in another artwork. The it also witnessed the first ice age, a chilling period that shaped our planet's biosphere. Cyclomedusa, a fossilized prehistoric aquatic organism, provides evidence of this era's unique marine life. Lastly, the Vredefort crater in South Africa, visible in satellite imagery, is a testament to the violent geological processes that have shaped our planet throughout history.