Els mapes geològics més antics dels Pirineus i altres aportacions dels neptunistes

Abstract

The oldest geological maps of the Pyrenees and other contributions by neptunists
The early stages of the knowledge of the geology of the Pyrenees –coeval with the nascent science of geology– are examined: 1) According to Palassou (1781) the Pyrenees are constituted by a granite mass overlain by alternating schistesand limestones. He published a mineralogical map using symbols. 2) Picot de Lapeyrouse (1788) distinguished primary azoic limestones in the core of the chain from secondary fossiliferous limestones in its external parts. 3) Ramond (1797) confirmed the presence of secondary limestones in the higher parts of the chain, which resulted in more elaborate neptunist interpretations. 4) Charpentier (1823) published the first geological map of the entire Pyrenees and the first cross-sections of the chain. He obtained evidence for the presence of a Red Sandstone unit at the base of the secondary rocks. 5) In the Eastern Pyrenees, De Serres (1829a) contributed to the knowledge of the Tertiary and identified the Jurassic and the Cretaceous because of their fossil content.